ACCA syllabus and ACCA paper | Top things to learn and time required for each ACCA paper (2024)

FAQs

ACCA syllabus and ACCA paper | Top things to learn and time required for each ACCA paper? ›

Just remember, if you're unsuccessful in one exam, you may need to take a re-sit during the year too. Every student is different, but the ACCA recommends an average of 150 hours of study per paper. In total, then, you're looking at around 900 hours of study per year for three years while holding down a full-time job.

Just remember, if you're unsuccessful in one exam, you may need to take a re-sit during the year too. Every student is different, but the ACCA recommends an average of 150 hours of study per paper. In total, then, you're looking at around 900 hours of study per year for three years while holding down a full-time job.

Difficulty level of each paper

As such, from the below table, it can be inferred that F1 (Accountant in Business) is the easiest paper, with the highest pass rate of 85% in June 2019, while P7 (Advanced Audit and Assurance) is the most challenging paper, with the lowest pass rate of 30% in March 2019.

Here's the good news: no, the ACCA exam is not very difficult. In fact, it is easier to clear the ACCA when compared to other professional finance and accountancy courses like the CA and CFA. It is, of course, tougher than the school and undergraduate tests with which most students are familiar.

Subjects can be sat in any order, but as mentioned earlier, you should sit Audit and Assurance (AA) with or after Financial Reporting (FR). You can overlap with the lower level exams as long as you are on the last exam(s) of Applied Knowledge level.

You could study completely at your own pace or you could take a 'live' classroom option – with online classes scheduled at specific times.

You could therefore complete all of the exams in two years. However, as you also need three years practical experience before you can become an ACCA member and be considered a qualified accountant, the qualification takes a minimum of three years to complete.

ACCA AA – Most challenging paper in Applied Skills Module. 36% of students pass ACCA AA in September 2019 attempt which is still the lowest among all same level papers. The paper is different from other Applied Skills Module paper while 70% of the total marks are from written questions.

ACCA FIA is the fastest and most efficient pathway to achieve a world-class ACCA Qualification that is recognised around the globe, designed for SPM graduates.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) test is often regarded as the most rigorous and harsh exam in the area of finance. Every year, over 100,000 applicants from over 100 countries seek to pass CFA.

Is ACCA Recognised in USA? ›

ACCA USA is partnered with multiple schools, both undergraduate and graduate, across the United States of America. Seattle University is an Accredited Education Partner of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA).

Deciding which one is tough – US CPA or ACCA – there are several factors to consider. First, the US CPA has fewer sections (4 exam sections vs 13 papers for the ACCA Qualification), but they are all hard. In fact, the US CPA pass rate hovers around 45-55%. Likewise, the ACCA estimates their mean pass rate is about 55%.

There is no restriction to the number of exams you may attempt, allowing you to choose to sit as many or as few papers as you like at each exam session. You are, however, recommended to attempt a maximum of four exams in a six-month period.

The aims of F7, Financial Reporting are to develop knowledge and skills in understanding and applying accounting standards and the conceptual and regulatory frameworks in the preparation of financial statements of single and group entities.

What is the ACCA exam pass mark? For all exams, the passing mark for ACCA is 50%. If you receive in this range on any of the papers, you will pass that paper. ACCA exam pass rates are not proportional to ACCA pass marks.

Students who need more accessible language prefer KAPLAN over BPP. Students who need more technical language and conceptual clarity chose BPP.

You can complete the ACCA course and its exams in 2 years. However, you will require a minimum of 3 years to receive the ACCA certification.

What is 3 years per ACCA? ›

ACCA membership demands three years' work experience, which matches ACCA's performance objectives. This experience does not have to be gained in one three-year stretch, and can come from different jobs – paid or unpaid – at different times, even from before a student first registers with ACCA.

What is the salary of ACCA in Dubai? ACCA professionals earn lucrative salary packages in Dubai, with an average annual salary of AED 91,000 (Rs. 20,48,097).

Aimée O'Connor, an audit assistant at KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, based in Jersey, sat the ACCA Taxation (TX) paper in September having studied with BPP International Finance in Jersey, and her score of 98% was the highest awarded to any student in the world.

The Audit and Assurance (F8 paper) in ACCA historically has some of the lowest pass rates globally (source: ACCA global website). This paper tests your technical grasp of audit principles, understanding of the assurance engagement process and its relevance to a professional regulatory framework.

ACCA PM (Performance Management, was F5) is one of papers in Applied Skills Module. The syllabus states its aim is to develop knowledge and skills in the application of management accounting techniques of quantitative and qualitative information for planning, decision-making, performance evaluation and control.

Introducing, Ramakumar Raman, an 18-year-old Indian boy from Dubai who completed the CA course in just three years and is the youngest affiliate with the ACCA accounting body in the Gulf.

London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) This school is part of the global university system and provides innovative education through online degree programs. LSBF provides a well-structured ACCA qualification program. It offers a super-focused course taught by some exceptional ACCA tutors.

Moreover, an accounting degree is not 100% paper-based exam, it includes marking from assignment and presentation. Unlike ACCA, the course is 100% paper-based exam and more challenging as the subject material becomes exponentially more difficult as an individual move from one to the other.

Often considered the most difficult exam, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) has had the lowest passing scores of the four exams.

Owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), GRE is among the world's most difficult exams. The exam is administered both online and in person. As a standardized test, GRE measures the overall academic readiness of students who want to attend graduate school.

What is the hardest accounting? ›

Tax Accounting: Usually some of the most difficult classes for an accounting major as they delve into the minutia of tax codes, though this knowledge is a major source of income for accounting graduates.

ACCA job roles include Finance Director, Business Analyst, Chief Accountant and Commercial Finance Manager. You could work across a number of different locations, including Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil and the United States.

Avg. Base Salary (USD)

Acca - pays an average salary of $388,613 and salaries range from a low of $343,250 to a high of $441,306.

Though ACCA is recognised in most countries, unfortunately, their qualifications are not recognised in the US, and there is no reciprocal agreement that will entitle someone who has ACCA qualifications to automatically qualify for licensed CPA status.

The ACCA Qualification is broadly equivalent to degree standard when you take the first nine papers (the Fundamentals level). When you take the Professionals level, it is equivalent to a masters degree.

Which qualification is harder, CIMA or ACCA? The CIMA qualification is more demanding, as it does not let you move forward until you pass one set of exams, compared with ACCA which allows you to study towards multiple sets of exams simultaneously.

The Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) provides a clear route for ICAS members to achieve the U.S. CPA and licensure, and U.S. Certified Public Accountants to attain the CA designation and be on the pathway to UK audit signing rights.

The exam passes for Foundations in Accountancy, and the Applied Knowledge and Skills level from the ACCA Qualification will never expire.

WHAT LEVEL OF EXEMPTION CAN ACCA AWARD? ACCA Qualification Exemption from all nine papers at the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills levels can be considered (see Appendix – Qualification standard, equivalence and recognition).

In total, the examinations are 5300 learning hours and take on average between 3 and 4 years to complete. In addition, 36 months' work experience and a Professional Ethics Module must be completed.

Which country has highest demand for ACCA? ›

ACCA career scope and salaries in Singapore

Singapore is one of Asia's biggest financial hubs. This is a place for those who aspire to become certified chartered accountants in multinational companies in Singapore or any other overseas organization.

The ACCA Study Hub is an exclusive digital platform providing free access to study materials for students in selected locations.

As such, from the below table, it can be inferred that F1 (Accountant in Business) is the easiest paper, with the highest pass rate of 85% in June 2019, while P7 (Advanced Audit and Assurance) is the most challenging paper, with the lowest pass rate of 30% in March 2019.

The difficulty level of ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) papers can vary depending on an individual's background, skills, and experience. However, some of the generally considered more challenging papers among ACCA students include: Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA) Financial Management (FM)

Far too many people leave studying until the last minute, and only practice a few past exam questions, which is not enough. Only about 50% of the questions in the exam require calculations – the rest are theory/discussion. The exam is testing that you understand the topics and have not simply learned 'rules'.

To complete PER you'll need to achieve 36 months of supervised experience. This should be in a relevant accounting or finance role. You'll also complete nine performance objectives - all five Essentials and four Technical objectives.

How long does it take to complete per ACCA? ›

You'll need to complete 36 months in a relevant accountancy/ finance role and show you have the right mix of skills by achieving nine performance objectives (five Essentials and four Technical). You can choose performance objectives that easily align with the actual work you're doing.

In total, the examinations are 5300 learning hours and take on average between 3 and 4 years to complete.

In order to earn your CPA qualification, an individual must have at least 150 credit hours from an accredited college or university, pass a series of exams, and meet experience and ethics requirements.

We aim to provide you with high quality tuition and support so you will pass first time. However, if you do need to resit your exam, there is no limit to the amount of times you can attempt it.

The ACCA syllabus consists of 14 examinations. The Fundamental level includes 9 examinations (F1 – F9). From the Professional level, you must complete 5 exams prior to receiving your certification. This includes papers P1, P2, and P3, which are compulsory, followed by 2 out of the 4 optional papers P4, P5, P6, and P7.

We have four exam cycles a year for both centre-based and remotely invigilated exams. Students can take a maximum of four exams during each exam cycle across a maximum of eight distinct exams over the course of a calendar year. These can be any combination of computer-based and paper-based exams.

Firstly Explain what you did. Give one or two examples of tasks that you've personally worked on. Secondly Describe the skills you gained which helped you achieve the objective. And lastly Reflect on what you learned, what went well, or what you would do differently.

Yes, you can certainly continue your studies towards the ACCA qualification while you are residing in the USA. We do not have any in-person study options, but you can utilize online Learning Providers such as Learn Signal or Avado.

Accountants and auditors

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 7% increase in the demand for accountants and auditors between the years 2020 to 2030. They also project an average of 135,000 job openings for these positions each year, making this a high-demand job.

Is ACCA easier than CPA? ›

Deciding which one is tough – US CPA or ACCA – there are several factors to consider. First, the US CPA has fewer sections (4 exam sections vs 13 papers for the ACCA Qualification), but they are all hard. In fact, the US CPA pass rate hovers around 45-55%. Likewise, the ACCA estimates their mean pass rate is about 55%.

If you are a member in good standing of ACCA, U.K. you may qualify for admission to membership in CPA Ontario under the Mutual Recognition Agreement (the “MRA”) between CGA Canada and ACCA, U.K. If you are admitted to CGA Ontario, you will be automatically admitted to CPA Ontario as a result of the unification of the ...