Skip to main content
Buy course Book exam
shopping_basket Basket

ACA Advanced

The ACA Advanced Level offers comprehensive and specialised training, equipping you with advanced knowledge and skills across diverse disciplines in accounting, finance, and business management.

Select subjects Download enrolment form (PDF)
Woman working on a laptop

Overview

ACA Advanced will build on the knowledge you gained in the Certificate and Professional Levels. Coupled with the experience you gain in work, you'll attain a deeper understanding of accountancy and finance within businesses, and become eligible for chartered accountancy status upon qualifying.

Earn Learn pictogram

Average duration

12 months

Earn Learn pictogram

Assessments

3 exams

Earn Learn pictogram

Kaplan pass rate*

Surpasses the global pass rate at all levels

Earn Learn pictogram

Award

ICAEW Chartered Accountant

Timetables

View our timetables for scheduled Classroom and Live Online sessions to see when the next one is running.

View timetables

Who it’s for

Entry requirements

You are advised to have passed the ACA Professional exams before progressing to the Advanced level.

Learning outcomes from the course

You will develop advanced expertise across diverse disciplines with the ACA Advanced level, mastering complex concepts in accounting, finance, and business management, and emerging as a trusted leader in the field.

Apprenticeships

You may be eligible for an apprenticeship through your employer, depending on your circumstances.

Learn more

Studying with Kaplan has been a great experience, as there is a massive variety of learning resources available to you inside and outside of tuition.

Nathan Webb
Nathan Webb Kaplan ACA learner

Compulsory

Corporate Reporting (CR)

You’ll learn how to employ your technical knowledge, analytical techniques and professional aptitude to resolve compliance and business ideas in corporate reports and auditing. You’ll learn how to analyse financial statements across a range of industries over time, explain the control and planning used in auditing, create and evaluate corporate reporting policies, and identify and explain ethical issues.

from £2520.60inc.VAT

Buy now
  • Advanced financial reporting standards
  • Consolidation techniques
  • Disclosure requirements
  • Analysis of financial statements

Compulsory

Strategic Business Management (SBM)

You'll demonstrate your quantitative and qualitative skills to make business recommendations in complex scenarios. You'll apply professional judgement to examine quantitative and qualitative data from many sources, to evaluate different solutions. When you complete this unit, you'll be able to evaluate the implications of strategic choices and recommend strategies to achieve stakeholder objectives; advise appropriate finance requirements and evaluate financial risks; use ethics to determine safeguards against threat; explain and implement assurance; and interpret and apply corporate reporting.

from £1746.60inc.VAT

Buy now
  • Strategic analysis
  • Organisational leadership
  • Corporate governance
  • Strategic decision making

Compulsory

Case Study (CS)

The Case Study assesses your knowledge of complex business issues, using everything you've learned across all three levels. You'll use your ability to analyse financial and non-financial data, and use professional and ethical reasoning to provide insight and solutions. Ahead of the exam, you'll be given background details (known as ‘Advance Information') on the organisation and its business environment. The exam is four hours long. All areas of the syllabus may be tested over time.

from £1,703.40Inc. VAT

Enrol
  • Financial statement analysis
  • Strategic evaluation
  • Finance decisions
  • Ethical issues
  • Application of judgement and professional scepticism
  • Practical, commercial recommendations and conclusions

Exams

ACA Advanced Level

Computer Based Exams

At the Advanced Level, CR/SBM are 3.5 hours long, and Case Study is 4 hours. The pass mark is 50%. You must be in the final years of a training contract to sit the final Case Study exam. It must be taken after or alongside CR/SBM exams. To complete the qualification, you’ll also need to have a minimum of 450 practical work experience days.

ICAEW exam software

ICAEW's exam software has been developed to ensure the ACA reflects modern accountancy practices. This includes:

  • Spreadsheet software that reflects commonly used applications. The spreadsheet contains standard functionality that allows you to make your calculations and adjust them if needed, just as you would in the workplace
  • A word processor that auto-adjusts to the size of the response that you are writing, and allows you to copy in the data from the spreadsheet as part of the report (only the word processing section will get marked)
  • Digital copies of relevant permitted texts such as the tax tables within the exam so that you can easily search for the content that you need.

Resits

If you have failed an exam, don't worry. There are exam resits and resit courses available. Contact Student Services to book exams and courses. Please be aware resit fees may apply.

Contact us

Prior to exam preparation course you will get:

  • A resit diagnostic video, including examiner top tips, common issues, and study guidance
  • Additional articles, tricky topic tutorials and additional questions
  • A resit mock
  • A resit guidance document
  • Syllabus update document for any students resitting under a new syllabus
  • Study planner
  • Access to soft copies of the Kaplan integrated workbook
  • Access to Kaplan's Academic Support team to answer technical queries.

You then attend a classroom-based exam preparation course and get:

  • Access to Kaplan tutor
  • Final marked mock.

Courses

Inc VAT, excludes exams

OnDemand from £1,746.60
Select subjects

For all other study methods, please complete the enrolment form.

Everything you need to succeed

Vision pictogram

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.

Learn more

Target pictogram

Skills for career success

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

Learn more

Support pictogram

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.

Learn more

support pictogram

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.

Learn more

Course includes

  • ICAEW digital materialsAccessed via the ICAEW Bookshelf where you can view, annotate, and highlight key passages.
  • Kaplan workbookKaplan-produced workbook that brings out key areas of the syllabus, integrates with online content and provides question practice.
  • eLearning modulesInteractive modules that teach the whole syllabus.
  • Marked mock exams and lots of additional practice questionsEnsure you’re exam ready with our preparation materials.
  • Personalised online study spaceMyKaplan is your online learning portal that allows you to access your course content, contact your tutors, and take part in discussion forums. Learn More

Study methods

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

Feature

Classroom
from £1,787.40

Live Online
from £1,703.40

OnDemand
from £1,746.60

Free trial
Live, tutor-led classes at set times
Re-watch your lessons
Learn face-to-face with tutors
Speak face-to-face with other students
Engage online with students 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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

Become a Kaplan client

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

Find out more

Related ACA courses

Kaplan is recognised as an ICAEW Partner in Learning, working with ICAEW in the professional development of learners.

  1. Certificate

    Go to Certificate

  2. Professional

    Go to Professional

  3. Advanced

    You’re viewing this level