ACCA Qualification UK: The 13 Exams, Experience and How Long It Takes
ACCA is the most flexible of the UK accountancy qualifications: no training contract needed, recognised in many countries, and open to people starting without a degree. Here is how its exams and experience requirement work.
By Tony Musso on
ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, offers a professional accountancy qualification that is studied in the UK and in many countries worldwide. Its big advantage is flexibility: you do not need a training agreement with an authorised employer, you can start without a degree, and the experience you need can be gained in practice, industry or the public sector.
This guide covers the 13 exams, the experience and ethics requirements, how long ACCA takes, and how it compares with the ACA and CIMA.
ACCA at a glance
| Awarding body | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants |
| Designation | Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA member) |
| Best for | Flexibility across practice and industry; international recognition |
| Exams | 13 across Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional |
| Experience | 36 months in a relevant role, recorded as practical experience requirements (PER) |
| Ethics | Ethics and Professional Skills module |
| Typical time | Around three to four years alongside work |
The 13 ACCA exams
| Level | Exams | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Knowledge (3) | Business and Technology; Management Accounting; Financial Accounting | On-demand computer-based exams |
| Applied Skills (6) | Corporate and Business Law; Performance Management; Taxation; Financial Reporting; Audit and Assurance; Financial Management | Sessions four times a year |
| Strategic Professional (4) | Strategic Business Leader and Strategic Business Reporting (both required), plus two options from Advanced Financial Management, Advanced Performance Management, Advanced Taxation and Advanced Audit and Assurance | Sessions four times a year |
Accounting degrees and qualifications such as AAT can give exemptions from some Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams. ACCA publishes the exemptions each qualification earns.
Experience and ethics
To become a member you also need:
- 36 months of relevant work experience, recorded against ACCA's practical experience requirements and signed off by a workplace mentor. It can be gained before, during or after the exams, in practice or industry.
- The Ethics and Professional Skills module, completed online, usually before the Strategic Professional exams.
Studying ACCA alongside a job: a realistic plan
Most working students take one or two exams per sitting, which keeps the workload manageable alongside a full-time job. A common pattern is to clear the three on-demand Applied Knowledge exams first (or claim exemptions), work through the six Applied Skills exams over around eighteen months, then take Strategic Business Leader and Strategic Business Reporting followed by your two options.
Plan roughly two to three months of study for each Applied Skills or Strategic Professional exam, and use ACCA's practice platforms and past questions: exam technique matters as much as knowledge, particularly in the longer written papers. Record your practical experience as you go, with a workplace mentor signing off your performance objectives, so that you are ready to apply for membership as soon as you pass.
How long ACCA takes
Most people take around three to four years to pass all 13 exams while working. With exemptions it can be shorter; starting from scratch, or studying slowly around other commitments, it can take longer. ACCA allows a long window to complete the Strategic Professional exams, so you can pace it.
Ways to start ACCA
| Route | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Employer-sponsored | Your employer pays exams and tuition and gives study leave | Finance assistants and trainees already in a job |
| Level 7 accountancy apprenticeship | Paid role plus ACCA, funded through the apprenticeship levy | School leavers and career changers |
| Self-funded | Register directly and study online or in class | Career changers and people outside a finance role |
| Foundation route | Start with ACCA's foundation-level qualifications or AAT | People without the entry qualifications |
ACCA vs ACA vs CIMA
Choose ACCA if you want to keep options open between practice and industry, may work abroad, or need to start without a training contract. Choose ACA for the classic UK practice and audit route on a training agreement, and CIMA for finance roles inside businesses. Our accounting qualifications guide puts all three side by side.
Careers and pay
ACCA members work as accountants, auditors, financial analysts, tax specialists, financial controllers and finance directors. See the accountant, external auditor and tax adviser career guides, and the accountant salary guide for pay at each stage.
If you are not yet in a finance job, short courses in bookkeeping, Sage or Xero can help you land a finance assistant role while you start the Applied Knowledge exams - the bookkeeper career guide lists some. Not sure finance is right for you? Career Compass ranks careers against what matters to you.
See the accountant career guide
Frequently asked questions
How many exams does ACCA have?
Thirteen: three Applied Knowledge exams, six Applied Skills exams, and four Strategic Professional exams (two compulsory plus two options). Exemptions can reduce the number you sit.
How long does ACCA take to complete?
Around three to four years for most people studying alongside work, plus 36 months of relevant experience, which most build at the same time.
Can I do ACCA without a degree?
Yes. You can start through ACCA's foundation-level qualifications or AAT, or via a Level 7 accountancy apprenticeship. No training contract is required.
Is ACCA recognised in the UK?
Yes. ACCA members are chartered certified accountants, work across UK practice, industry and the public sector, and can obtain audit rights with the right experience and registration.
What is the difference between ACCA and ACA?
The ACA (ICAEW) is usually studied on a training agreement with an authorised employer and is strongly linked to UK practice and audit. ACCA is more flexible about where and how you gain experience and is widely recognised internationally.
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