You can register online to become an ACCA student at any time of the year.
Applying online allows you to upload all your supporting documents. This means your ACCA application will be processed much quicker and you will know at which level you can start your studies shortly after submitting your application.
Ready to begin your application? Apply to become a student.
To avoid delays in the application process please include all supporting documents at time of registration.
The minimum entry requirements for the ACCA Qualification are:
Two A-Levels and three GCSEs (or their equivalent). These need to be in five separate subjects including English and maths.
To check if your qualifications meet our minimum entry requirements, please check the minimum entrance requirements database.
There are no minimum entry requirements - you can start at any level. However, we strongly recommend you start at the ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting (RQF Level 2) if you have no formal qualifications, especially if it has been a while since you completed any studies.
This is because students who start at the ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting (RQF Level 2) and work their way through the Foundation level-qualifications perform better in the higher level exams.
You will need to supply the following:
Your educational documents must:
If you have changed your name after obtaining your qualification documentation please submit a copy of an official document for this change.
We can accept the following as proof of identity
If you are providing your documents in a language other than English, you'll need to provide an official translation as well as a copy of the documents in their original language.
Official translations must be performed and stamped by a licensed translator.
You can upload copies of all your documents during the online application process.
Please note that in order to fully complete your application online you will be required to pay your registration fee by credit or debit card.
Ready to apply? Start your application today.
The online application should take no more than 10 minutes to complete, providing you have all the documents you need ready before you start. You can also save a part-complete application and return to it a later date.
If you complete your application fully online, and we receive all the information and documents we require, you should be registered as a student within 5–7 working days.
If you have to send documents or payment to us by email, you should be registered as a student within 10 working days. Please note this timescale is from receipt of the documents.
We aim to process all applications within the timescales stated above following receipt of the application. You will then be sent a communication via email or letter confirming your application has been processed. Should we require further information to support your application we will contact you.
The following video explains what happens after you submit your application.
This section focuses on the fees payable when you register. For full details of all of our fees, see our current fees list
A subscription fee is charged in addition to the initial registration fee in your first year as an ACCA student if you are eligible to sit at three or more exam sessions in a calendar year.
New students will be charged a subscription fee in addition to their initial registration fee.
Thereafter the annual subscription fee is due and payable on or before 1 January each year you wish to remain an active student.
ACCA has a tiered pricing approach to exam entry. This means that the earlier you enter for your exams, the less you pay. For more information on exam entry fees, visit the apply now page in the Related Links.
There is also a charge for every exemption awarded.
Please note, exemptions for the ACCA Qualification are available for the first nine exams (Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills) only.
Tuition
We strongly recommend studying with an Approved Learning Partner, as research shows this will maximises your chances of success. Whether it be full time, part time, classroom based or through online learning your tuition fees will be separate and paid directly to the tuition provider. A list of approved ACCA learning partners can be found here.
Unfortunately, an application cannot be finalised without the relevant fee. Please ensure that a payment is submitted as part of your application.
Please note, until your application is finalised and you have been issued with official confirmation of your registration, you will be unable to attempt any examinations. Students are also advised not to book tuition until their registration is confirmed.
You may be exempt from some of our exams based on the qualifications you already have. These will be assessed as part of your online application, but you can use our Exemptions calculator to get an idea of what you might receive before you apply.
Should you have any additional questions, please visit the exemption FAQs for further information.
Please note: Exemptions are not awarded until after your education documentation has been assessed and registration application completed.
In order to complete the ACCA Qualification and qualify as an ACCA member, you will need to complete:
The exams are detailed below:
Applied Knowledge exams
Business and Technology (BT)
Management Accounting (MA)
Financial Accounting (FA)
Applied Skills exams
Corporate and Business Law (LW)
Performance Management (PM)
Taxation (TX)
Financial Reporting (FR)
Audit and Assurance (AA)
Financial Management (FM)
Strategic Professional exams
Essentials
Strategic Business Leader (SBL)
Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)
Options (two to be completed)
Advanced Financial Management (AFM)
Advanced Performance Management (APM)
Advanced Taxation (ATX)
Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA)
To help demonstrate to potential employers that you can apply your knowledge in the workplace and have practical skills, you are required to complete three years relevant work experience. You can gain your practical experience before, during or after you complete your exams
As part of your ethical development, you are required to complete the Ethics and Professional Skills Module. This will give you exposure to a range of ethical perspectives and includes several self-tests which require you to reflect on your own ethical behaviour and values. The module becomes available to you online when you have completed the first three exams of the ACCA Qualification (Accountant in Business (AB), Management Accounting (MA) and Financial Accounting (FA)), although it is recommended that you complete all nine Applied Knowledge and Skills exams before taking it.
The Foundation-level qualifications are detailed below:
FA1 – Recording Financial Transactions
MA1 – Management Information
FA2 – Maintaining Financial Records
MA2 – Managing Costs and Finance
FBT – Business and Technology
FMA – Management Accounting
FFA – Financial Accounting
FA1 – Recording Financial Transactions
MA1 – Management Information
FA2 – Maintaining Financial Records
MA2 – Managing Costs and Finance
FAB – Accountant in Business
FMA – Management Accounting
FFA – Financial Accounting
To achieve this award you need to complete all of the above exams and two of the following exams:
FTX – Foundations in Taxation
FFM – Foundations in Financial Management
FAU – Foundations in Audit
To gain any of the above awards, and receive a certificate you are required to complete the Foundations in Professionalism Module. This will give you exposure to a range of ethical perspectives and includes several self-tests which require you to reflect on your own ethical behaviour and values.
To help demonstrate to potential employers that you can apply your knowledge in the workplace and have practical skills, you are required to complete one year’s relevant work experience. You can gain your practical experience before, during or after you complete your exams
Exemptions can be awarded from Foundation-level exams based on qualifications held and work experience achieved (this relates to the CAT Qualification only).
We run four exam sessions per year. Students can sit a maximum of four exams at each session, and a maximum of eight distinct exams each calendar year. 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.
Once you are a registered Foundation-level student you have an unlimited amount of time in which to complete the qualification, however it can be completed quite quickly.
The first three Foundation-level qualifications are:
These consist of two exams and the Foundations in Professionalism module, which could be completed in 6 months.
The ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business (RQF Level 4) could be completed in 1 year, as could the Certified Accounting Technician qualification provided you achieve your required work experience whilst studying.
As an awarding body, ACCA relies on its global network of third party tuition providers to help our students prepare for their exams. Please note, ACCA does not provide tuition for its qualifications. ACCA recommends that you use one of our approved tuition providers. You can access the Tuition Provider Directory in the Related Links at the top left of the page.