ACA in India

The ACA from ICAEW is internationally recognised as a premier financial business qualification in more than 160 countries around the world.

The qualification is valued in practice, business and government for the depth and breadth of finance and business skills it teaches.

Qualified individuals can further enhance their skills and knowledge by progressing from their existing qualification on to the ACA from ICAEW. This can help to open up a wide range of international career opportunities.

• Read more on ICAEW 
• Benefits of joining ICAEW 

Who can study for the ACA?

ICAEW and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 20 November 2008. This allows members of one body to join the other subject to certain conditions.

You will need to meet one of the agreed criteria to be able to study for the ACA from ICAEW:

• Members of ICAI living in India who have obtained ICAI membership by complying with its training and examinations requirements can study for the ACA and apply to join ICAEW.
• Members of ICAI living outside of India who have obtained ICAI membership by complying with its training and examinations requirements can study for the ACA and apply to join ICAEW.

What does the ACA look like for you?

For ICAI members, the ACA from ICAEW is a combination of exams and ethics training. ICAI members are eligible for credit for prior learning (exam exemption) on 12 of the 15 ICAEW exam modules. This would mean you have to complete three ICAEW exams and the online ethics training and assessment programme to become a member of ICAEW.

If you are an ICAI member with two or more years' of ICAI full membership and two or more years' appropriate work experience, you may be eligible for credit for prior learning (exam exemptions) for 14 of the 15 ICAEW exam modules. This would mean you have to complete one ICAEW exam and the online ethics training and assessment programme to become an ACA chartered accountant with ICAEW.

For further details of your route to membership, please see our progression route diagram (PDF 34KB/1 page), which outlines timing and your progression route.

Steps to completing the ACA

Step 1: Register with ICAEW

ICAI members must register with ICAEW to study for the ACA qualification and become eligible to join ICAEW.

The registration process will also include your application and payment for credit for prior learning (exemptions).

What do I need to register?

When you register with ICAEW, you will need to complete an application form and include some supporting documents.

These must include:

• A copy of your ICAI membership certificate;
• A letter of good standing from ICAI;
• Confirmation of appropriate work experience (where applicable); and
• Payment of fees.

Please note: If you are an ICAI member with two or more years of ICAI membership and two or more years' appropriate work experience, then you must also include confirmation of appropriate work experience with your application form. This needs to be a letter from your employer to confirm that the work you have undertaken matches the learning outcomes of the two Technical Integration papers that you are claiming credit for.

• Download ICAEW registration form for ICAI members (PDF 179KB/3 pages) 

Registration costs

This cost includes all relevant credit for prior learning fees, a one-off ICAEW registration fee and the fee for sitting the ACA Case Study exam.

In 2012, the costs are:

• • £1,065.00 (or £1,098.00 where VAT is applicable)
  • for ICAI members sitting the ICAEW Advanced Stage Technical Integration papers and the Case Study
• • £1,395.00 (or £1,428.00 where VAT is applicable)
  • for ICAI members with two or more years of appropriate work experience who are applying for credit for ICAEW Advanced Stage Technical Integration papers plus the fee for the Case Study exam

Please note: VAT is applicable to those who live in the EU, EEA or Continental Europe.

Where do I send my completed application form?

Please return your fully completed application form and all required supporting documentation to: ICAEW Finance, PO Box 6173, Milton Keynes, MK10 1TW, United Kingdom.

Or you can fax to: +44 (0)1908 248 064.

Step 2: Exams

ICAI members with two or more years' appropriate work experience and two or more years of ICAI membership will need to complete and pass the final ICAEW exam - the Case Study.

ICAI members with less than two years’ appropriate work experience and less than two years of ICAI membership will need to sit and pass the final three ICAEW examinations.

The three ICAEW exams which you must sit and pass are:

• Technical Integration - Business Reporting
• Technical Integration - Business Change
• Case Study

The two Technical Integration papers cover all aspects of the syllabus, and require you to demonstrate your knowledge, ability to plan, analyse, interpret and give advice. Each paper is three hours and 30 minutes long.

The Case Study covers all areas of the syllabus and tests your professional skills in the context of a specific business issue. It is four hours long.

To qualify for ICAEW membership, you must also complete ICAEW's structured training in ethics (STE) online training and assessment programme. There are three stages to complete during your studies. We strongly recommend that you have completed all three stages of this ethics training before attempting the Case Study.

Exam applications

As an ACA student, you must apply online for each of the exams you will sit. There are no restrictions on the number of attempts you are allowed at each of these Advanced Stage exams. However, we would always recommend that you are fully prepared for each exam. You can also find past papers, examiners comments and support for these exams at icaew.com/examresources.

The ACA exams you need to sit and pass are held in July and November each year.

Please make sure you understand the relevant exam dates and deadlines (PDF 107KB/2 pages) and the ACA exam regulations before your exams.

ICAI members in India: Exams are held at the British Council. Further details will be available when you apply for an exam sitting.

ICAI members located outside of India : A full list of UK and international exam centres can be found on the examination entry form (PDF 300KB/5 pages) or once you have registered will be available on the exam applications online section.

• Apply for your exams

Exams costs

Each Technical Integration exam costs £165 sterling per sitting.

The Case Study exam costs £255 sterling per sitting.

Prices are accurate as at December 2011.

ACA learning materials

You will need to buy the learning materials for the ACA exams: Technical Integration - Business Reporting, Technical Integration - Business Change and the Case Study.

For the Technical Integration papers, the learning materials are a study pack which includes a study manual and a question bank. The 2012 study pack covers both Technical Integration modules and costs £150 sterling (plus postage and packing).
 
The Case Study 2012 learning materials cost £75 sterling (plus postage and packing) and consist of a study manual and practise case studies, a marks key and answer book.

Please note: ICAI members who are only required to sit the Case Study examination are strongly advised to purchase and read the learning materials for the Technical Integration examinations. This will help you with your revision. The Case Study examination assumes prior knowledge of the technical topics covered at the Technical Integration level. 

Buy now from www.gillards.com/icaew.

• Read more on learning materials

Tuition

Tuition is available for the Technical Integration - Business Reporting, Technical Integration - Business Change and the Case Study exams.

ICAI members in India: Tuition is provided by the ICAI. Please visit the ICAI website to find out more about studying for the ICAEW Advanced Stage papers in India. ICAI have teamed up with Get Through Guides (GTG) in India to deliver training for ICAEW’s Case Study.  Find out more about GTG Case Study tuition programme (PDF 142KB/3 pages) in India.

ICAI members in Dubai: Tuition is provided by ICAEW's 'Partner in Learning' Phoenix Financial Training. Phoenix Financial Training run ICAEW classes specifically tailored towards ICAI members. These classes are based in Dubai. For more information, please email Erica Johnson at Phoenix Financial Training or call +971 (0)50 295 6331.

ICAI members in Kuwait: Tuition is provided by ICAEW's 'Partner in Learning', Ernst & Young Training. For more information please email ey.training@kw.ey.com.

ICAI members in any other location: Please refer to our tuition pages for a full list of UK and international tuition providers.

Exams support

ICAEW provides ACA students with a range of exam resources to help you study for each exam module. You can access the syllabus for each exam, past papers, examiners feedback as well as useful articles, webinars and links to ICAEW’s award-winning library.

Once registered with ICAEW, you have access to the online student community. This allows you to share views and exchange ideas on topics that are important to you. There are regular Ask an expert and Ask a tutor sessions. The student community is reserved for students only.

Exam results

Exam results for paper-based exam sessions are usually released five weeks after the exam week.

• Access your exam results

For all questions relating to exams, see Exam FAQs.

Step 3: Structured training in ethics (STE)

As professionals, ICAEW members have a duty to act ethically and in the public interest at all times and not just in isolation whilst they are working. Therefore, all students studying for the ACA qualification have to complete ICAEW’s structured training in ethics (STE) programme. Ethics is also embedded in all relevant ACA exam modules.

STE is an online training and assessment programme which involves interactive case studies, scenarios and self-test questions.

There are three stages to complete during your studies:

• You must complete this online programme as you study for your exams.
• We would strongly recommend that you complete all three stages before attempting the Case Study.
• When you have completed all three stages, you will need to submit the ICAEW structured training in ethics (STE) declaration. This declaration confirms that you have successfully completed all three stages and is part of your admission to ICAEW membership application.

At the end of the STE programme, you will need to sign off a declaration to acknowledge that you have completed the online ethics programme. This declaration is part of your admission to ICAEW membership application.

• More on STE and access the online programme

For all questions relating to structured training in ethics, see STE FAQs.

Step 4: Apply for ICAEW membership

You will be invited to apply for membership once you have passed all of your three ACA examinations and successfully completed all three stages of the structured training in ethics programme (STE). You will be advised of ICAEW membership costs when you are invited to join ICAEW. You will need to apply within 12 months of finishing your exams.

Once your ICAEW application has been successful, you will be able to use the prestigious designation 'ACA'.

While you are an ICAEW member, you must make sure you comply with ICAEW CPD regulations and Code of Ethics.

Practising certificates and regulated areas

Membership of ICAEW does not by itself grant practising rights. ICAI members who join ICAEW will be eligible for a practising certificate on the same terms as other ICAEW members.