The ACA CTA Joint Programme at a glance
The ACA CTA Joint Programme allows employers to fast-track their students to become ICAEW Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers. You will need to pick a specialism for your student to follow based on what will be most relevant to their workplace, experience and training. The taxation specialisms include:
- Larger companies and groups
- Owner managed businesses
- Indirect tax
Who is the ACA CTA Joint Programme for?
Students can join the programme once they are registered as an ACA student, providing they work in tax.
How long will the ACA CTA Joint Programme take?
The programme typically takes students three to four years to complete.
The four elements of the ACA
ACA CTA students will need to complete all of the elements of the ACA and CTA qualifications. The ACA is made up of four elements, each designed to build the technical knowledge, professional skills, and practical experience your trainee needs to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.
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Practical work experience
Students need to complete a minimum of 450 days of practical work experience as part of their training. This does not need to include audit work.
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The ACA exams
The ACA is made up of 15 exams spread over three levels: the Certificate Level, the Professional Level, and the Advanced Level. Each exam has been designed to fit students practical experience as they progress through the qualification and gain an in-depth knowledge of accountancy, finance, and business.
Students on the ACA CTA Joint Programme will only complete 14 of the 15 ACA exams – they will not complete the ACA Professional Level Business Planning: Taxation exam.
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Professional development
ICAEW Chartered Accountants are known for their professionalism and expertise, building trust, spotting, and communicating risks and utilising technology. Students are required to work their way through seven professional skills areas to prepare them for the situations they will encounter throughout their career in accountancy.
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Ethics and professional scepticism
Ethics is integrated throughout the ACA, developing trusted advisors who know how to make ethical decisions and justify them. Throughout their training, students will learn the principles that underpin the ICAEW Code of Ethics, and importantly, they will learn how to apply these principles via an Ethics Learning Programme, a series of Ethics in Practice scenarios and the exams.
Getting started with ACA CTA
How the ACA CTA Joint Programme works
An overview to the ACA CTA Joint Programme. Find out what it is, how it works and what’s involved.
Find out more
Why choose the ACA
Attract top quality professionals to your organisation. Discover the benefits ACA training can bring to your business.
Discover the ACA
Become authorised to train
You must become an Authorised Training Employer to train ACA students. Find out what is involved and how to apply.
Getting started
Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship
Organisations in England can access government funding and offer this route as a Level 7 apprenticeship.
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