The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a global professional accounting organization based in London. The ACCA qualification is a training and examination program that gives aspiring accountants a globally recognized professional standard in accounting. Passing 14 different exams, meeting experience requirements, and demonstrating understanding of professional ethics are all required to receive the certification. If aspiring accountants only meet the minimum entry requirements when enrolling, it will take them three to four years to complete all requirements for the ACCA qualification. Those with accounting degrees and experience, on the other hand, may enter with advanced standing and complete the qualification requirements in a fraction of the time.
Future accountants who have completed two A levels and three General Certificates of Secondary Education may enter the ACCA qualification program at the entry level (GCSEs). Otherwise, prospective students will need to take a foundational accounting course and may be required to complete at least part of their A levels and GCSEs, or the ACCA’s Diploma in Accounting and Business. Graduate students with a degree from an ACCA-accredited university, on the other hand, may be exempt from the first nine exams. In some cases, ACCA may grant exemptions to students who have earned a degree from a non-ACCA accredited university. Exemptions are usually granted in this situation based on how closely a student’s courses match the ACCA curriculum.
The ACCA qualification program includes flexibility, which is designed to meet the needs of mature learners, though it is open to anyone who meets the entry level requirements. Due to the various entry levels and individual situations, completion times vary greatly between students, with the average being three to four years, though ACCA allows up to ten years to complete the qualification. Students can enroll in courses part-time during the day or evening, full-time, or online. Furthermore, the ACCA has over 380 exam centers around the world as of 2011, allowing students to complete the program without having to travel to the United Kingdom.
The examination process is divided into two levels: fundamentals and professional. The completion of nine modules and examinations is required for Fundamentals. Professional certification will necessitate the completion of four modules as well as examinations. Basic and advanced business, managerial, and financial accounting; corporate and business law; taxation, ethics, and governance; business management, corporate reporting, and business analysis; assurance and auditing; and assurance and auditing are among the topics covered. To receive the ACCA qualification, students must complete an ethics module and demonstrate three years of accounting experience.