Failing an ACCA exam can feel devastating - especially when it’s your final paper.

For Hannah, failing her final ACCA exam left her questioning herself and wondering whether all the hard work had been worth it. But instead of giving up, she regrouped, reached out for support, and came back stronger - meaning she passed her resit and became fully ACCA qualified.

Her story is one many ACCA students will recognise: balancing studies around a full-time job, struggling with motivation at times, and learning how to overcome setbacks along the way.

“Accountancy wasn’t always the plan”

Hannah didn’t originally set out to work in finance. After studying Physical Education at university, she found herself unsure what direction she wanted her career to take.

“I wasn’t sure how I wanted to develop my career,” she says. “But I was made aware of an opportunity to start a career in accountancy, and it appealed to me because I’ve always enjoyed maths.”

She began her finance career as an Accounts Assistant while studying AAT alongside work. As her confidence and experience grew, she progressed into a Management Accountant role before eventually deciding to continue her studies with ACCA.

“After completing AAT, I knew I wanted to progress further,” Hannah explains. “I wanted to challenge myself and put myself in the best possible position to develop my career and reach my full potential.”

Studying ACCA while working full time

Like many ACCA students, Hannah quickly realised that one of the biggest challenges wasn’t necessarily the technical content - it was finding the time, energy, and motivation to study consistently around work and life commitments.

“To succeed in ACCA, I knew I needed to commit a significant amount of time to studying,” she says.

Her solution was structure and consistency. At the start of each exam cycle, Hannah created detailed but realistic study plans to help her stay organised and avoid falling behind.

“Setting aside dedicated study time each week really helped me stay on track,” she says.

Balancing work, studying, and personal life inevitably meant making sacrifices at times.

“There were definitely moments where I missed out on time with family and friends,” Hannah admits. “But I also recognised how important it was to maintain balance and avoid burnout.”

One technique that helped her maintain momentum throughout her ACCA journey was immediately moving onto the next exam.

“I’d often register for my next exam before I’d even sat the current one,” she explains. “It stopped me losing momentum or taking extended breaks that might have made it harder to restart.”

Failing her final ACCA exam

Despite years of progress, Hannah faced one of her toughest moments when she sat AFM - her final ACCA exam - in December 2025.

“When I received the result, it was significantly lower than I’d hoped and unfortunately a fail,” she says. “I genuinely felt like I’d let myself down.”

After coming so far in her ACCA journey, the setback hit hard.

“It was difficult because it was my final exam. I think that made the disappointment feel even bigger.”

But after taking some time to process the result, Hannah decided she wasn’t going to let one exam define the outcome of everything she had worked towards.

“After some reflection, I refocused and booked my resit for the next sitting.”

How ACCA resit support helped Hannah succeed

Preparing for the resit meant approaching things differently. Hannah focused more heavily on time management and revisited the areas of the syllabus she had struggled with most.

Crucially, she also reached out for support.

“I contacted Kaplan’s ACCA Resit Support Line and received really helpful guidance and encouragement,” she says. “It made a huge difference to my confidence and motivation.”

Hannah specifically credits Kaplan Academic Support Tutor Paula with helping her rebuild confidence during the process.

“She was incredibly reassuring and helped confirm I was on the right track with my preparation,” Hannah says. “She also highlighted Kaplan resources I hadn’t previously used, which really helped strengthen my understanding of some of the more challenging topics.”

The extra support paid off. Hannah passed her resit with 67%.

“There were definitely happy tears”

Passing her final ACCA exam marked the end of a long and demanding journey - and the emotions were overwhelming.

“It felt amazing,” Hannah says. “A huge sense of relief and achievement.”

Having also completed her PER requirements and practical experience sign-off, qualifying represented years of hard work finally paying off.

“I’m not ashamed to say there were definitely a few happy tears!”

Growing in confidence through ACCA

Alongside developing technical knowledge, Hannah says ACCA helped build her professional confidence and encouraged her to take on new challenges.

“It’s rewarding when you encounter something at work and recognise concepts from your studies,” she says. “You approach tasks with much greater confidence and understanding.”

The qualification has also helped her feel more comfortable stepping outside her comfort zone professionally.

Hannah has recently accepted a new role with another organisation and sees it as an opportunity to continue growing her career in a new industry.

“With the knowledge and confidence I’ve gained through ACCA, I feel well-equipped to take on this challenge,” she says.

Hannah’s advice for ACCA students

For anyone currently studying ACCA - especially those struggling with motivation, balancing commitments, or dealing with exam setbacks - Hannah’s message is simple: don’t give up.

Her top study tips are:

Create - and stick to - a realistic study plan

“Consistency is key. Staying disciplined really helps you stay on track.”

Reach out for support when you need it

“At the beginning, I worried about bothering the support team,” Hannah says. “But reaching out made a huge difference.”

Don’t let setbacks define you

“There will absolutely be moments where you doubt yourself,” she says. “But the sense of achievement at the end makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

“Keep going - even when it feels tough”

Looking back on her ACCA journey, Hannah believes the challenges were all part of the process.

“To anyone currently studying ACCA, I’d say keep going - even when it feels tough,” she says.

“The journey can be demanding, but it builds not only your technical knowledge, but also your confidence and resilience. And that’s invaluable in your career.”

Ready to start - or restart - your ACCA journey?

Whether you’re studying for your first exam, balancing learning around a full-time job, or preparing for a resit, the right support can make all the difference. Explore Kaplan’s ACCA courses, study methods, and learner support to find the approach that works for you - and take the next step towards becoming ACCA qualified.