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ACA CTA Joint Programme

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Overview

The ACA CTA joint programme gives you the opportunity to achieve two respected qualifications — ACA and CTA — more quickly. This means you can qualify as both a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser in less time.

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Average duration

3-4 years

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Assessments

16 exams

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Kaplan pass rate

Surpasses the global pass rate at all levels

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Award

Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser

Who it’s for

Entry requirements

You can join the joint programme at the start of your ACA training agreement or later, as long as you work in tax. No prior tax knowledge is required, but you’ll need to demonstrate ongoing tax work experience to complete the qualification.

The following requirements also apply:

  • You must have completed the ACA's Tax Fundamentals Certificate Level paper before the CTA Tax Knowledge and Skills paper.
  • You must sit the Tax Knowledge and Skills paper before, or at the same time as, sitting your choice of CTA Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills paper.
  • You must register as a joint programme student with the CTA at least four months before your first CTA exam.
  • You must pass the Ethics and Law CBEs before entering for your choice of Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills paper.

For full details of the ACA/CTA Joint Programme, including FAQs and transitional arrangements, please refer to the CIOT website.

Learning outcomes from the course

  • Comprehensive knowledge of accountancy and taxation Develop a strong understanding of core accountancy principles and specialised taxation practices, equipping you to manage complex financial and tax-related matters with confidence.
  • Specialist expertise in taxation Choose from two tax specialisms — Larger Companies and Groups (LCG) or Owner-Managed Businesses (OMB) — to tailor your skills to your career goals.
  • Ethical and professional standards Learn how to apply professional ethics in practice, ensuring you uphold the highest standards of integrity and responsibility throughout your career.

Apprenticeships

You may be eligible for a Level 7 Apprenticeship through your employer, depending on your circumstances. This can cover the ACA CTA joint programme, except for the CTA Professional Responsibilities and Ethics CBE and the final CTA Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills exam paper.

For more information, contact our Student Services team.

Pathways

The ACA and CTA joint programme offers two distinct pathways, allowing you to tailor your expertise to your career goals.

The two pathways

Choose one tax specialism paper at the Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills level.

Larger Companies and Groups (LCG)

Focus on the tax affairs of large corporates, including FTSE 350 companies. This pathway is ideal if you work with multinational businesses, complex group structures, or corporate tax strategy.

CTA specialism paper

Taxation of Larger Companies & Groups

Owner-Managed Businesses (OMB)

Specialise in the tax needs of private businesses, from start-ups to established enterprises. This pathway is suited to those advising entrepreneurs, SMEs, or family-run companies.

CTA specialism paper

Taxation of Owner-Managed Businesses

Each pathway provides in-depth technical knowledge and practical application, ensuring you develop the specialist skills needed for your chosen career in tax.

Not sure where to start? Get in touch with our expert team who can help advise which is the best route for you.

Exams

To complete the ACA CTA joint programme, you must pass the ICAEW’s Tax Fundamentals Certificate Level paper before sitting the CTA Tax Knowledge and Skills Paper. You must sit the Tax Knowledge and Skills paper before, or at the same time as, sitting your choice of CTA Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills paper. Finally, you’ll need to pass the CIOT Professional Responsibilities and Ethics exam before sitting your final specialism CTA exam (Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills).

Beyond these requirements, you can decide the order in which to take your exams.

ACA - ICAEW

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

As part of the joint programme, you must successfully complete all ACA Certificate, Professional, and Advanced level exams except for Tax Compliance and Planning.

For a full breakdown of ACA exam subjects, please see the ACA - ICAEW overview.

CTA

Chartered Tax Adviser

In place of the ACA Specialised Learning and Development (SLD) module, you will take a CTA Advanced Technical or Application and Professional Skills paper—either Taxation of Larger Companies and Groups (LCG) or Taxation of Owner-Managed Businesses (OMB). You’ll also need to pass the Professional Responsibilities and Ethics CBE.

For full details on CTA exam subjects, please see the CTA overview.

Work experience

Alongside passing your exams, you must complete all ACA professional development, ethics and professional scepticism, and practical work experience requirements. You’ll also need to demonstrate at least three years of relevant professional experience to qualify for CIOT membership.

Courses

Inc VAT, excludes exams

Full qualification

from £17,786

Register your interest

Take our bridging course

Designed to support your transition from ACA to CTA, this course helps joint programme students build the tax knowledge they need for the next stage of their studies.

Go to bridging course

Everything you need to succeed

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Specialist ACA and CTA expertise

With years of experience delivering ACA and CTA training, we understand exactly what it takes to pass. Our courses are designed to align with both qualifications, helping you master technical content while developing the skills and confidence to succeed in your career.

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Expert material

Our study materials are designed by subject specialists to give you the best possible preparation. You'll get printed and digital resources, marked mock exams, and a vast bank of practice questions to reinforce your learning.

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Academic support

Our team of 50+ finance experts and advisors provide gold-standard personalised academic support 7 days a week. We offer exam strategies, study plans, and proactive resit advice.

Gold-standard support

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Skills for career success

Free access to our award-winning OnDemand skills and behaviours modules — designed to help you thrive in your career.

Build career skills

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The science of learning

We offer dynamic courses based on insights from learning scientists and industry professionals. Our data-driven teaching methods ensure student success and progression.

Discover the science of learning

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Accessibility and well-being support

We're committed to inclusive learning environments, accessibility and support for all. From our extensive resource library to confidential well-being guidance, we empower every learner to succeed.

Our social responsibility

ACA study materials

All study methods include online and printed materials. These differ depending what study method you choose to study with.

  • WorkbookKaplan produced workbook that brings out key areas of the syllabus, integrates with online content and provides question practice.
  • ICAEW workbookExamining body workbook of all technical content that could be examined.
  • ICAEW question bankExamining body past exam questions that are set in class.

CTA study materials

All study methods include online and printed materials. These differ depending what study method you choose to study with.

  • Study ProgrammeThe Study Programme guides you through key aspects of your CTA course, helping you organise studies effectively and use resources for exam success.
  • Study Manuals and accompanying Question BanksThe Study Manuals cover the course syllabus and serve as your primary learning material, while the Question Banks test your understanding of key principles from each chapter.
  • Course Workbooks and Workbook Q&AAvailable to Classroom and Live Online learners. These detail the core areas of the syllabus, incorporating worked examples. Additional questions to attempt in class are provided in the workbook Q&A section.
  • Pre-revision question bank*The pre-revision question bank contains more challenging questions for you to consolidate your knowledge of the full syllabus for each paper.
  • Revision question bankThe revision question bank contains exam standard questions and recent past papers (all with answers updated to the relevant Finance Act), providing excellent final preparation for the exam.
  • Memory Joggers*Memory Joggers summarise key rules and proformas from each Study Manual chapter, helping refresh your knowledge while using the revision question bank.

Please note: Ethics and Law CBE study manuals must be purchased from the CIOT website.

*Pre-revision question bank and Memory joggers are not applicable for application papers.

All courses include

Personalised online learning portal called MyKaplan. Access your additional online materials, contact your tutors, and take part in discussion forums.

Learn more about MyKaplan

Study methods

Get everything you need to succeed, along with tailored features depending on which study method you choose.

Feature

Classroom

Live Online

OnDemand
ACA Only

Free trial

Distance Learning
CTA Only

Live, tutor-led classes at set times
Re-watch your lessons
Interactive elearning modules
Speak face-to-face with tutors and other learners on the same course
Speak online with learners on the same course
Skills and behaviours modules
Study at your own pace

Ways to pay

Pay for your course using a debit card, credit card, or PayPal. We also offer alternative payment methods to suit your needs.

Invoice your employer

Your employer may fund the costs of your studies if you're already working in a related field and want to develop your learning.

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PayPal Pay in 3

A buy now, pay later service that splits your purchase into three equal interest-free payments. Offering a flexible way to spread the cost.

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Become a Kaplan client

If you're looking to train your staff and upskill your organisation, you can register as a Kaplan client.

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Alternatively, you can apply for one of our payment plans. Spread the cost by paying monthly, so you can focus on learning and passing exams.