One of the fundamental things to consider before preparing yourself for the course to study or for examination is to have in depth knowledge about the exam pattern, structure, and dates. This will be beneficial for you in terms of allocation of your time to different subjects, preparing yourself to plan different areas of the course accordingly. Here’s a guide with an objective to help aspiring accountants and finance professionals to provide in depth knowledge on ACCA exam structure, different subjects within each level and how the examination is conducted, and scheduled for each paper in different levels.
The ACCA Exam Structure
The ACCA qualification is divided into three key levels:
1. Applied Knowledge Level
- Subjects: Business and Technology (BT), Management Accounting (MA), Financial Accounting (FA).
- Exam Format: Computer-based exams (CBE), most of the questions are objective based.
- Duration: 2 hours per exam.
- The applied knowledge exams are on demand exams which allow students to give their exams at any time during the year.
2. Applied Skills Level
- Subjects: Corporate and Business Law-Glo (LW), Performance Management (PM), Taxation (TX), Financial Reporting (FR), Audit and Assurance (AA), Financial Management (FM).
- Exam Format: A mix of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) divided into two unique sections. Section A consists of unique 2 marks 15 questions while Section B has MCQs divided into 1 pool of 5 questions which is based on a single scenario. There will be 3 pools of 3 different scenario and a total of 15 questions in Section B. Apart of MCQs, longer scenario-based questions are also tested.
- Duration: 2 hours for LW, 3 hours for the others.
- LW is one and only skills level paper which is given on demand.
3. Strategic Professional Level
- Subjects: Two compulsory exams (Strategic Business Leader – SBL, Strategic Business Reporting – SBR) and two options from Advanced Financial Management (AFM), Advanced Performance Management (APM), Advanced Taxation (ATX), and Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA).
- Exam Format: Longer, case-study-based questions requiring in depth analysis and critical thinking.
- Duration: 3 hours and 15 minutes for each exam.
- Differentiation: The total 100 marks is divided into 80 technical and 20 professional marks. 20 professional marks is awarded and divided on your ability to present: Communication, Analysis and evaluation, Scepticism and Commercial acumen in the attempted technical portion of the exam.
Note that every skills and professional level exams apart from LW are scheduled on the fixed date at different times during the year. Discussions about the dates are presented below.
Key Features of the ACCA Exams
- Pass marks: A minimum score of 50% is required to pass each paper. Note that each exam consists of total 100%.
- Flexibility: Students can take up to four exams per session and up to eight exams in a calendar year. They can take exams in any order they want of the level they are in.
- Result pattern: The on-demand exams will allow you to have access of your results write after your exam submissions. While all other paper results are scheduled after around 1 month of the examination.
- Remote exam: In absence of the seats on your center of at your ease, ACCA allows you to give the center based exams remotely from your home or any convenience space.
ACCA Exam Dates
ACCA exams are conducted four times a year: March, June, September, and December. Of each of the month mentioned ACCA schedules each paper on different dates. This dates normally does not go beyond the 10th of the month.
Students are required to book their exam before deadline.
Information on timetable can be accessed from: https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-entry-and-administration/exam-timetables.html
Conclusion
Understanding the ACCA exam pattern and staying updated on exam dates is crucial for effective preparation. With consistent effort, strategic planning, and the right resources, you can ace these exams and take a significant step toward achieving your professional aspirations. Remember, the journey to becoming a Chartered Certified Accountant is challenging but immensely rewarding!
