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ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) certifications

ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, trains and admits accountants through one long qualification rather than a menu of short certificates. It prices in pounds, examines by computer across over a hundred countries, and expects a student to stay registered for years.

Exam delivery: Computer-based exams at centres in more than 100 countries, on demand or in four sessions (March, June, September, December); remote sittings where no centre exists

ACCA's main route is the ACCA Qualification. Three exam levels, an ethics module and three years of relevant experience lead to membership, and the association awards milestones on the way: an Advanced Diploma once the first two levels and the ethics module are done, benchmarked at UK bachelor's level, plus a University of London BSc, optional, for students who take that route in parallel. ACCA also runs a separate Foundations in Accountancy qualification, which this site does not cover.

  • What the qualification proves: breadth across law, tax, audit, financial and management reporting, finance and strategy, tested under exam conditions at thirteen sittings.
  • What it asks of you each year: an annual subscription, charged whether or not you sit an exam, until you qualify and then as a member.
  • How it meets other bodies: exemptions for recognised degrees and qualifications, and Joint Examination Schemes run with partner bodies, which carry their own fees.

The long view on cost

Because the fees recur, ACCA is easiest to cost per year of study rather than per exam. A student who passes steadily pays the registration once, a subscription each year and one entry per exam; a student who pauses still pays the subscription, and one who enters late pays far more for the same sitting. Planning the sequence of exams before registering, and checking exemptions first, is the most effective way to control the total.

Expert

Frequently asked

What is ACCA?
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a professional body that awards the ACCA Qualification and admits members who complete it.
Why are ACCA fees in pounds?
ACCA publishes its fees in GBP. The cost table on the qualification page lists the 2026 amounts as read; check the fees page for your region before paying.
Can I stop and restart ACCA?
You can pause exams, but the annual subscription is still due. Leave it unpaid and ACCA can strike you off the student register, after which returning costs a re-registration fee.

Official certification portal: www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/getting-started/acca-qualification-structure.html

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Last reviewed 26 September 2026 · Getting Digital