What other qualification to get alongside Acca?

@kim2311 said:
1) A fully qualified member of ACCA with 5 years’ membership who meets all other necessary criteria (e.g. compliance with CPD requirements) can apply for direct membership of ICAEW – this arrangement is reciprocal between the two professional bodies and has nothing to do with exemptions.

That’s interesting Kim, I didn’t know that! Could possibly be worth doing as occasionally I see job adverts expressing a preference for ACA over other qualifications, although I suspect this may be because they prefer a practice background.

@jetavi said:
Hi All!

So it’s like along with completing my Acca qualification i plan to do other courses too.
And i have realised that Acca students get a really good advantage to have an add on to their qualifications.
Being a professional qualification Acca students seem to get significant exemptions in other qualifications and programmes.
I have come across some things which drew my interests:
1) ACA- ICAEW
2) Msc in professional accountancy from UoL
3) Msc in Applied Accounting from OBU
4) CIA (I would like to pursue a career as an internal auditor)

Any advice/thoughts/say or add-ons please on the above? Would be really appreciated! Many Thanks!

I would say there’s not much point doing more exams to get the ACA qualification as well. ACCA and ACA are both respected qualifications and it would be a waste of effort to study for both. It might be worth getting the reciprocal membership as Kim describes but even then when applying for jobs I’d only put one of them on my CV. Putting both might make you come across as a perennial student.

The BSc from Oxford Brookes is probably worth doing if you don’t have a degree already. Some employers do prefer graduates and that would get you through that hurdle.

The MSc I’m not sure would make a great deal of difference.

If you did want to become an internal auditor then doing the CIA would be sensible. ACCA is a general accounting qualification where you learn different fields such as audit, tax and financial management. Other qualifications cover these areas in greater depth if you want to specialise.

Not automatically or as a right – there are 6 eligibility criteria https://www.icaew.com/en/membership/becoming-a-member/members-of-other-bodies/campaigns/pathways-to-membership/eligibility-criteria – you would need a sponsor and submit an “examination of experience”. These are only the current requirements which could obviously change before you meet the criteria.