WHO can become a CGFM?
WHAT does it cost to become a CGFM?
WHEN can I get started?
WHERE are the tests given?
WHY should I become a CGFM?
HOW do I begin?

WHO can become a CGFM?

• Financial managers
• Program managers
• Government contractors
• Public accountants
• Academia

WHAT does it cost to become a CGFM?

Go to:

http://www.agacgfm.org/CGFM-Certification/Certification-Process.aspx

WHEN can I get started?

Acquire a degree (bachelor's or higher) with at least 24 credit hours of courses in financial management or related topics

WHERE are the tests given?

A Pearson VUE Test Center near you.  The Lansing center is located at 1595 W Lake Lansing Rd, Suite 230. East Lansing, MI 48823. To see other locations for Pearson VUE for AGA, go to   https://home.pearsonvue.com/  Take your CGFM exam online through OnVUE online proctoring.

WHY should I become a CGFM?

Do you want to...?

• Become more competent?
• Be more competitive?
• Be eligible for incentives?
• Keep up with changes in the field?

If your answer is yes -- then the CGFM is for you!

Also...

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow 18 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is faster than the average of all occupations. Accountants and auditors that hold a college degree or any other certification will have the best job prospects.

“In the aftermath of the accounting scandals, professional certification is even more important to ensure that accountants’ credentials and knowledge of ethics are sound. Regardless of specialty, accountants and auditors who have earned professional recognition through certification or licensure should have the best job prospects.” —Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition

“In today's complex and changing world, a professional certification provides prospective employers with a degree of confidence that candidates are prepared for the real world." —John Radford, CGFM, State Controller, State of Oregon

"Certification programs are win-win-win--the certifiers benefit; the certified benefit; and so does any customer, client, or employer who relies on the certification. That should explain why, within a decade, every market leader in every global industry will offer certification programs for its key employees." Fortune Magazine 6/26/00

In a 2001 survey by Robert Half Intl, a financial management placement firm, 85% of the 1400 CFOs surveyed "believed that a professional certification ...can boost career advancement opportunities."

HOW do I begin?

Application Process
Step 1:

• Call 800-AGA-7211 for application or apply online (www.agacgfm.org)
• Complete application form, pay $135 fee and submit your proof of education

Step 2:

• Once your application, payment and degree documentation are received and processed, the Office of Professional Certification will mail you an eligibility letter with instructions on how to purchase your CGFM examinations
• Your eligibility for taking the CGFM Examinations expires three years from the date your CGFM application was processed

Step 3:

• Work Verification
• Submit a Verification of Government Financial Management Work Experience form as soon as you have at least two years of professional-level experience in the government financial management field
• You do not have to submit this form before taking the examinations, but the experience requirement must be met before the designation can be granted

CGFM Courses

• Help you prepare for CGFM Examinations
• Provide you with knowledge about government financial management
• Provide you with continuing professional education

Self Study Options

• Intensive review courses are offered prior to AGA Professional Development Conferences
• Self-study courses and materials
• Self-study guides for all three CGFM examinations
• Form a study group with your colleagues
• Self-study list of reading materials (www.agacgfm.org/cgfm/prepare/)
• Call Management Concepts, Inc at 703-790-9595 or visit website for course information

Examination Process

• Purchase examinations on AGA website - exam fee is $135
• Print exam authorization letter with exam scheduling instructions
• Schedule and take three examinations
• Computer based examination
• 115 questions per examination
• Two hours and fifteen minutes for each examination
• Examination 1 - Governmental Environment
• Examination 2 - Governmental Accounting, Financial Reporting and Budgeting
• Examination 3 - Governmental Financial Management and Control
• Get your results immediately
• After you complete an examination at a Pearson VUE Test Center, you will immediately receive a pass/fail score on the computer
• If you did not pass your exam, there is a 30-day waiting period before you can repurchase and retake that examination
• If you fail the same exam more than once, the waiting period is 90 days
• Receive your CGFM Certificate when you pass all three examinations

Join the Elite Crew of CGFM Professionals

To obtain more information, contact Katya Silver, Director of Professional Certification at 1-800-AGA-7211, ext 305 or ksilver@agacgfm.org

updated 6/16/2022