Kim Smith FCCA explains the factors you should consider when planning your ACCA exam journey.
I have been looking after OpenTuition’s General ACCA Forum for more than three years, and the most frequently asked questions concern exam progression — e.g. which exam(s) can be done when, choosing a next exam or exam combination, and other related questions such as when to complete the Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM).
It is important to remember when reading this article, which covers a wide range of related issues, that every student faces a unique set of circumstances; there is no “one size fits all” pathway to exam success and you should be best placed to decide on your next course of action.
When to Plan
Ideally, you will have planned your progression from the outset of your ACCA journey. Setting the milestone for which exam(s) you will sit at each exam session will help you measure your progress in achieving the target of ACCA Affiliate status. If you have not, then now is the time to make a plan for the exams you have remaining.
Getting Started
Exam progression rules: Exams must be taken in modular order; however, you can attempt the exams within each module in any order. If you wish to enter to sit exams in the next module, you must also enter for all outstanding exams in your current module.
Exam format: ALL ACCA exams are computer-based exams (“CBE”). It is important, however, to distinguish between:
“On-demand” CBE — BT, FA, MA and LW-GLO and LW-ENG only.
“Session” CBE — everything else, according to the published ACCA exam timetable.
Implications for Exam Order
Two-hour Computer-Based Exams
BT introduces a wide range of topics which “set the scene” for understanding businesses and a lot of the terminology that will feature in the other Applied Skills exams. It also underpins SBL.
FA requires no underpinning knowledge, though some terms will have been introduced in BT. FA underpins not only FR, but also AA.
MA — unless you have basic bookkeeping from prior learning, it is preferable to study FA before or alongside MA. MA underpins BOTH PM and FM.
LW does not directly underpin any exam and requires no prior knowledge. As 70% of the marks are for objective test questions, it makes sense to pass this two-hour exam before embarking on the three-hour Applied Skills exams.
Three-hour Applied Skills Exams
As long as all the Applied Knowledge exams have been passed or exempted, the order does not strictly matter — but note:
TX-UK — the “exam year” runs from June to the following March. As each year’s Finance Act brings changes, it is preferable to avoid sitting TX-UK for the first time at a March sitting unless confident of passing.
AA — a common misconception is that AA assumes FR knowledge. This is incorrect; AA assumes a good understanding of bookkeeping (FA), excluding group accounting topics.
FM — a basic grasp of taxation (especially capital allowances) is useful, though not vital.
Your choice of two Options is particularly relevant to Applied Skills order, as all Options build on the assumed knowledge of the corresponding Applied Skills exam. Ideally, aim for as short a gap as possible between studying for an Option and sitting the relevant Applied Skills exam(s).
Strategic Professional
If you wish to enter for a Strategic Professional exam but have not completed the Applied Skills module, you must also enter for all outstanding Applied Skills exams. The EPSM can be started once you are eligible to enter for Strategic Professional exams; ACCA strongly recommends completing it before attempting any Strategic Professional exam.
If you plan to sit AAA, you should be studying (if not sitting and passing) SBR before AAA. The main benefit of planning to sit SBL last is that you can study for Options and SBR closer to sitting Applied Skills exams.
Sitting More than One Exam
Students are advised to think very carefully before entering for more than one session exam at a time — especially for first exams. Professional exams are likely very different to anything you have encountered before, so familiarise yourself with the format before you register. Even our prize-winning students have commented how tough they found studying for two exams.
“Best Combination”
After the September 2021 exam session, OpenTuition surveyed students on the “best” combination. In summary, at Applied Skills level:
Best combination | Benefits | “Alerts” |
|---|---|---|
LW/TX | Both “rules-based”; balances a non-computational with a computational exam. | None — a sound combination. |
PM/FM | Both founded on assumed knowledge of MA. | The assumed MA knowledge is on different topics; the similarity starts and ends with “Management”. |
FR/AA | Balances a non-computational with a computational exam. | Assumed knowledge of AA is FA, not FR. |
At Strategic Professional level, a majority of students for all exams except AAA responded that they are better taken “standalone”.
Conclusion
As one student commented, “ACCA exams are a marathon, not a sprint.” The best way to “fast track” yourself to success is not to overreach by sitting more than one exam in a session, but rather to plan a sure and steady route to your goal of Affiliate status.