CIMA explained: the Arabic certificate from A1 to C2, four papers, three-year validity and the 60-day retake rule
CIMA (Certificat International de Maîtrise en Arabe) is the Arabic certificate of the Institut du monde arabe in Paris. It tests Modern Standard Arabic, not a dialect, across all six CEFR levels with one exam: you do not choose a level in advance.
Your certificate lasts three years. It shows an overall level and a level for each skill. Everything below is from the IMA's candidate guide (updated 15 June 2023), read on 5 November 2026. Check dates and prices with your centre.
The four papers
All four are compulsory, and the group papers take 3 hours including a 15-minute break.
Listening and reading are multiple choice with three options. You hear each listening question once. A wrong answer scores the same as no answer: 0, so always pick one.
Reading texts are not vowelled, following press usage. If you learned from vowelled textbooks, practise on unvowelled press articles.
Writing has three tasks, done in order, and you split the 60 minutes yourself: writing from one or two pictures (40–60 words), reacting to a message (50–100 words), then arguing a view (50–100 words).
Speaking is one-to-one with an examiner trained by the IMA, and it is recorded: a guided interview with no preparation (2 minutes), a role play with 2 minutes to prepare (3 minutes), then a monologue with no preparation (4 minutes). You do not need to vowel your writing.
- Listening60 min44 questions, group
- Reading60 min44 questions, group
- Writing60 min3 tasks, group
- Speaking11 min3 tasks, individual
Marking and appeals
Writing and speaking are marked twice, and a third marker steps in if the first two differ widely.
You can ask for writing and speaking to be re-marked, in writing, through your centre, within one month of the certificates reaching the centres.
For listening and reading, the only appeal is for an error in recording your mark, the guide says. The jury's decision is final.
Who can sit it, and how often
Age 15 and over. No diploma or prior course is needed.
You can sit it as often as you like, with at least 60 days between sittings.
Full refund only with an official document for cases such as serious illness, a close relative's death, a public transport strike, a court summons, or an employer changing your leave dates. After an unjustified absence, you can register again for a later session.
Where, and what it costs
The guide lists more than fifty approved centres in nearly 20 countries, including France, Switzerland, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, Germany, Italy, Norway, Oman, Lebanon and Jordan.
The nearest centre sets out the dates and the cost. We did not find one published price in the guide, so ask the centre before you plan around it.
An employer or university can still set its own limit on how recent a certificate must be, so ask them as well.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Preparing a dialect for the exam.
Preparing Modern Standard Arabic.
The IMA says the certified language is Modern Standard Arabic.
Leaving questions blank in listening or reading.
Answering every question.
A wrong answer and a blank both score 0.
Booking a retake for next month.
Leaving at least 60 days between sittings.
The guide requires 60 days between two sittings.
Questions
How long is a CIMA certificate valid?
Three years, according to the IMA's candidate guide.
What levels does CIMA cover?
A1 to C2. One exam places you on the scale, with an overall level and a level for each skill.
Is CIMA in a dialect or Modern Standard Arabic?
Modern Standard Arabic.
How long is the CIMA exam?
The group papers take 3 hours with a 15-minute break: listening, reading and writing at 60 minutes each. Speaking is an individual 11 minutes.
How soon can I retake CIMA?
After at least 60 days.
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