The ACA from ICAEW is internationally recognised as the premier financial business qualification in more than 160 countries around the world.
It is valued in practice, business and government. The ACA teaches students the depth and breadth of finance and business skills they need to succeed as a chartered accountant and helps teach individuals to become the leaders of the future.
Once you are qualified as a chartered accountant with ICAEW, you are entitled to use the prestigious letters, ACA, after your name. The ACA from ICAEW is then your international passport to a successful career anywhere in the world.
Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) who have obtained ICPAK membership by complying with its training and examinations requirements can study for the ACA and apply to join ICAEW.
There are two ways you can study for the ACA qualification.
The ACA is a combination of exams, technical work experience, initial professional development and ethics training.
- Step 1: Register with ICAEW
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- If you are an ICPAK member, you will automatically be awarded credit for prior learning (exam exemptions) from 12 of the 15 ACA exam modules as part of your ICAEW registration process.
- If you hold a ICPAK Practising Certificate you will be awarded credit for one year work experience (including 150 days technical work experience).
What do you need to register?
When you register with ICAEW, you will need to fully complete a registration form:
You will also need to include some supporting documents:
- a copy of your ICPAK membership certificate;
- a letter of good standing from ICPAK;
- a copy of your ICPAK Practising Certificate (this is not a requirement but you will be credited for a year of work experience if you have one); and
- payment of fees.
Please email icpak@icaew.com for an application form.
Registration costs
If you are training within an ICAEW Authorised Training Employer (ATE), your employer will pay an annual fee of £165 sterling (+ VAT where applicable) for your ACA training.
If you are an independent student there is a one-off ICAEW registration fee to pay. This is £165 sterling (+ VAT where applicable).
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.
- Step 2: Exams
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ICPAK members will need to pass ICAEW’s final three 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, analyze, 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.
Exam applications
As an ACA student, you must apply online for each of the exams you will sit. 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.
ICPAK members in Kenya: Exams are held in Nairobi. Details of the exam venue are sent to you approximately two weeks before the examination date.
ICPAK members located outside of Kenya: A full list of UK and international exam centres can be found on the examination entry form (PDF 208KB/5 pages) or once you have registered will be available on the exam applications online section.
Costs
Each Technical Integration exam costs £165 sterling per sitting.
The Case Study exam costs £255 sterling per sitting.
Prices are accurate for 2012 exams.
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 study pack covers both Technical Integration modules and cost £150 sterling (plus postage and packing).
The Case Study learning materials cost £75 sterling (plus postage and packing) and consist of a study manual and case studies, a marks key and answer book.
Buy now from www.gillards.com/icaew.
Tuition
A number of tuition providers offer ACA tuition in a variety of delivery methods around the world. To find out what tuition is available in your region, please go to ACA tuition providers page.
Exam support
ICAEW provides ACA students with a range of exam resources to help you study for each exam module. You can access:
Exam results
Exam results for paper-based exam sessions are usually released five weeks after the exam week.
- Step 3: Technical work experience (TWE)
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Technical work experience is an essential element of the ACA programme. During your day-to-day ACA training, you will need to do 450 days (or 300 days if you have an ICPAK Practising Certificate) of 'real' work of a financial, business and/or commercial nature. It should relate to at least one of the following: Accounting, Audit and Assurance, Taxation, Financial Management, Insolvency and Information Technology.
You cannot qualify as an ACA or apply for ICAEW membership without completing your technical work experience requirements.
- Step 4: Initial professional development (IPD)
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Throughout your ACA training, you are required to develop your professional skills. These are the key skills that help set you apart as an ACA chartered accountant. Initial professional development (IPD) asks you to consider your experience in five key areas that define a chartered accountant:
- ethics and professionalism
- personal effectiveness
- technical and functional expertise
- business awareness
- professional judgement.
We provide regular webinars, online Ask an expert sessions and written articles to support students with their professional skills development.
- Step 5: Structured training in ethics (STE)
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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 which you’ll need to complete on your own during your studies.
- You must complete this online programme as you study for your exams.
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We would strongly recommend that you complete all three stages before you attempt the Case Study.
- When you have completed all three stages, you will need to submit the ICAEW structured training in ethics (STE) declaration. This confirms that you have successfully completed all three stages.
- Step 6: Apply for ICAEW membership
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You will be sent an invitation to apply for membership once you have successfully passed all three ACA examinations, technical work experience, initial professional development and all three stages of the structured training in ethics programme (STE). You will need to apply within 12 months of finishing your ICAEW exams.
Once your ICAEW application has been successful, you will be able to use the prestigious designation 'ACA'.
As an ICAEW member, you must always adhere to ICAEW's Code of Ethics.