1. Structure and syllabus
Structure
This level consists of six exams that build on existing Certificate Level knowledge. You’ll typically take 12 months to finish this level.
Entry requirements
It’s recommended you pass the ACA Certificate exams to progress onto this level.
If you're a graduate, you can apply for up to eight subject credits including the following Professional level ACA (ICAEW) exams:
- Business Strategy and Technology
- Financial Management
Check the ICAEW website to find out more on credits for prior learning. You can also do a combined AAT-ACA course, which takes four years.
Syllabus
Professional Level subjects can be studied in any order but we recommend sitting Tax Compliance (TC) before Business Planning Tax (BPT) due to assumed knowledge. All subjects are compulsory.
Subjects:
Compulsory
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FARI)
Financial Accounting and Reporting: IFRS
You’ll learn how to prepare complete single entity and consolidated financial statements according to IFRS Standards. After completing this unit, you’ll also be able to explain the limitations of financial statements, and the application of IFRS.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 8 days (Tuition*) and 4 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 16 sessions (Tuition*) and 8 sessions (Exam Preparation).
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Compulsory
Audit and Assurance (AA)
You’ll learn about the essentials of managing an assurance engagement: acceptance, planning, managing, concluding, and reporting. You’ll also learn to advise of regulatory, professional, and ethical issues in assurance engagements; understand the processes and planning involved; and report in agreement with the terms of the engagements.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 3 days (Tuition*) and 3 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 6 sessions (Tuition*) and 6 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Compulsory
Taxation Compliance (TC)
You’ll learn how to prepare tax computations for individuals and companies. In this unit, you’ll gain the understanding to recognise ethical issues in performing tax work, and calculate: VAT, stamp taxes, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax liabilities, and National Insurance.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 8 days (Tuition*) and 3 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 16 (Tuition*) and 6 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Compulsory
Financial Management (FM)
You’ll learn how to suggest solutions to financing a business, and manage financial risks to make investment decisions. When you complete this unit, you’ll be able to identify capital requirements and risks facing a business, and use applicable appraisal techniques in investment decisions.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 6 days (Tuition*) and 3 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 12 sessions (Tuition*) and 6 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Compulsory
Business Strategy and Technology (BST)
You’ll learn how companies establish and carry out strategy, considering ethical ramifications. Upon completing this unit, you’ll be able to: analyse the aftermath of a company’s objectives, use of technology, and market position; use data to judge strategic decisions and recommend strategies; and recommend suitable ways to carry out strategy and measure performance.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 4 days (Tuition*) and 3 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 8 sessions (Tuition*) and 6 sessions (Exam Preparation
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Business Planning units (choose one):
You’ll need to choose one Business Planning unit, from: Taxation (BPT), Banking (BPB), and Insurance (BPI).
Compulsory
Business Planning Tax (BPT)
You’ll learn how to resolve tax issues and advise on tax-efficient solutions for individuals and businesses. You’ll use your knowledge to explain alternative tax solutions, considering the clients and commercial context.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 7 days (Tuition*) and 4 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 14 sessions (Tuition*) and 8 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- OnDemand: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Compulsory
Business Planning Banking (BPB)
You’ll learn how to apply your knowledge and professional skills to solve technical compliance and ethical matters, when providing audit and assurance work in the banking industry.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 7 days (Tuition*) and 4 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 14 sessions (Tuition*) and 8 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- Recorded Online: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
from
£1,014.00 - £1,560.00
(inc.VAT)
Enrol
Compulsory
Business Planning Insurance (BPI)
You’ll learn how to apply your knowledge and professional skills to solve technical compliance and ethical matters, when providing audit and assurance work in the insurance industry.
- Number of lessons:
- Classroom: 7 days (Tuition*) and 4 days (Exam Preparation)
- Live Online: 14 sessions (Tuition*) and 8 sessions (Exam Preparation)
- Recorded Online: study at your own pace
Subject assessment: computer-based exam
*Tuition phase may include some personalised days/sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
from
£1,014.00 - £1,560.00
(inc.VAT)
Enrol
2. Study methods
Do you prefer face-to-face learning? Online in your own time? Have family or work commitments? We have study methods that suit different learning styles, to fit around your life. You’ll benefit from award-winning tutors, practical learning methods, and ongoing support, even after your exams.
Study methods available in this level
You can be confident in your exams whatever study method you choose, as we offer hundreds of practice questions and marked mock exams. We provide expert support during evenings and weekends, and we have flexible study methods and course start dates.
Study method comparison table keyboard_arrow_down
| What |
Classroom |
Live Online - full day |
Live Online - evening |
OnDemand |
| Live, tutor-led classes at set times |
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| Re-watch your lessons |
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| Learning materials available - including study text, and exam/revision packs |
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| Access to motivating, award winning, online learning resources |
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| Marked mock exams and lots of additional practice questions |
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| Access to Academic Support 7 days a week |
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| Progression Advisors (previously Learning Coach) offering advice, guidance and support to help keep your learning on track |
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| Interact with other students studying the same course |
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| Classes capped at 40 students |
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| Study at your own pace |
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Award winning tutor-led online course with flexibility to start anytime, anywhere.
Not available for BPB and BPI.
- Unique online resources designed to keep you motivated
- Tutors guide you efficiently through the whole syllabus
View OnDemand 5 day free trial
Every module and topic has been through a detailed learning design process, which means we‘ve considered how to best explain each area and cement your understanding of the subject. This includes a variety of concise learning formats such as bite-sized tutor-led lectures, and activities to help link topics together. Every module is scripted and links on screen animations with graphics found within your integrated workbook. This provides a high quality online learning experience, which is so much more than a live recorded tutor session or even a tutor narrating highlighted text book visuals.
In addition to Academic Support, our team of Progression Advisors offer advice, guidance and support, on how to best learn and progress through your course. They use data to identify if you need extra support and will help you get back on track if you need it.
OnDemand is a complete course, which includes tuition and exam preparation.
A traditional scheduled programme with face to face tutor-led classes.
- Classes with your peers at set times of day
- Centrally located in most major cities: View all classroom locations
- Split into two phases: Tuition and Exam Preparation
- Tuition phase may include some Personalised days, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Tuition
Prepare through an understanding of the core technical knowledge. Practise this knowledge using exam based scenarios and real life work situations.
Exam Preparation
Additional question practice with an emphasis on developing exam technique. This phase also includes a final mock exam. These will be classroom days.
The same as classroom, but live interactive online classes at a set time.
- Interactive live lectures delivered online by our expert tutors
- Re-watch and replay lessons through recordings
- Weekday, weekend, or evening classes available
- Split into two phases: Tuition and Exam Preparation
- Tuition phase may include some Personalised sessions, allowing you to study from home with the guidance of MyKaplan online modules.
Tuition
Prepare through an understanding of the core technical knowledge. Practise this knowledge using exam based scenarios and real life work situations.
Exam Preparation
Additional question practice with an emphasis on developing exam technique. This phase also includes a final mock exam. These will all be tutor-led online sessions.
Recorded tutor-led sessions, covering all syllabus content. Available for BPB and BPI to the September and December exam sittings.
- Study when you want, where you want
- Re-watch and replay lessons
- Includes two marked practice exams, with feedback to improve your exam technique and study focus.
- Easily accessible via MyKaplan portal
- Access to dedicated tutor support 7 days a week via LiveChat, email or phone.
Recorded Online
Study for your Professional level September and December (BPB and BPI only) exam sitting using our recorded lecture courses which includes Tuition, and Exam Preparation lectures.
MyKaplan Access
With online content material and testing, studying outside of the classroom is easy and accessible using the MyKaplan learning portal.
Expert Support
Access to dedicated tutor support when you need it - including evenings and weekends - by LiveChat, email or UK based students can request a call back.
Wealth of material
Recorded lectures covering all syllabus content which can be watched repeatedly ondemand. The Kaplan Workbook will help guide you through the course with further reading and practice questions.
Test your progress
The course includes a marked mock exam written by the ICAEW. The feedback provided by our markers will help you improve exam technique, study focus, and increase your confidence.
Timetables - Classroom and Live Online
Please click the link below for timetables of your chosen centre.
date_rangeView timetables
3. Exams and sittings
Timings and working towards a sitting
The ACA qualification is made up of 15 exams, advancing your knowledge across accountancy, finance, and business. When you complete the qualification, you will be an ICAEW chartered accountant.
You can take the exams in any order, apart from the Case Study, which needs to be attempted last, in the final year of an ACA training agreement. However, we recommend starting from the Certificate Level units first, then finishing with the Advanced Level exams.
At the Professional Level, all exams are 2.5 hours long, with the exception of Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) being three hours. The pass mark is 55%. You will receive your results within six weeks of the exam week. There are four exam sittings in a year - March, June, September, December.
You may be eligible for credit for some exams, if you’ve studied a relevant qualification or degree. Check the ICAEW website to find out more on credits for prior learning.
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.
The Audit and Assurance (AA) exam also includes Data Analytics software.
How long does it take to pass?
ACA Professional takes around one year to complete, but this depends on your preferred way of learning. The ACA qualification is made up of three levels, each of which will take six to 12 months to finish. To complete the qualification, you’ll also need to have a minimum of 450 practical work experience days. Students usually complete the qualification in three years.
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.
What's included
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
Resit fees
| Subject |
Fee |
| Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) |
£506.40 |
| Audit and Assurance (AA) |
£506.40 |
| Taxation Compliance (TC) |
£506.40 |
| Financial Management (FM) |
£506.40 |
| Business Strategy and Technology (BST) |
£506.40 |
| Business Planning Tax (BPT) |
£506.40 |
| Business Planning Banking (BPB) |
£506.40 |
| Business Planning Insurance (BPI) |
£506.40 |
If you need to take a resit, please get in touch with Student Services.
4. Study materials and delivery costs
Study materials
Classroom, Live Online and OnDemand students will receive printed and online study materials.
Materials included in the price of every course:
-
Kaplan workbook
Kaplan-produced workbook that brings out key areas of the syllabus, integrates with online content and provides question practice.
ICAEW materials
Purchased in addition to course price but needed for every subject.
All ACA and ICAEW CFAB learning materials are published in a digital format.
Students will access their materials through the ICAEW Bookshelf, and will be able to view, annotate and highlight passages.
Compulsory
ICAEW workbook
Examining body (ICAEW) workbook of all technical content that could be examined.
ICAEW question bank
Examining body past exam questions that are set in class.
Open books
These materials are specific to the subject you're studying and are purchased in addition to the course price.
Compulsory
IFRS book
You will need this book if you have selected the Financial Accounting and Reporting IFRS framework option.
Compulsory
UK Accounting Standards and Company Law
You will need this book if you have selected the Financial Accounting and Reporting (UK GAAP) framework option.
Compulsory
Hardman's Tax Rates and Tables
This book is needed for when you study Taxation Compliance and if you select the Business Planning: Taxation unit.
Optional
Practice Notes (19 and 20)
You will need this book if you have selected either the Business Planning: Insurance or Business Planning: Banking units.
Compulsory
Audit Standards book
This book is required to assist you in your studies for Audit and Assurance.
Delivery costs
subscriptions
How much it costs to deliver your study materials and how long it takes depends on where in the world you live.
Delivery fees are as follows:
- UK - £7.20 (£6 + VAT) for the first package, £7.20 for subsequent packages
- Isle of Man residents - £30 (£25 + VAT) per transaction
- EU - £35 (£29.17 + VAT) for the first package, £30 for subsequent packages
- Rest of the World - £50 (£41.67 + VAT) for the first package, £50 for subsequent packages
Please note that due to varying interpretations of the post-Brexit EU/UK trading agreement, some EU countries are imposing import duty on the value of the goods received from the UK. It is payable by the end consumer via the delivery company and your delivery may be withheld until paid. This may vary from country to country and be up to a value of 20% of the value of the study material.
A package relates to all the materials for a specific subject, for example ACA Financial Management (FM). If purchasing a course for more than one subject, the additional package charges will apply.
Delivery fees are capped at 3 × the cost, per single order. So, if you buy 5 courses for UK delivery in a single order, it will be £7.20 × 3, rather than £7.20 × 5.
Our standard delivery times for Live Online, OnDemand, Online and Distance Learning are:
- UK – 3 to 5 working days, subject to publication dates.
- EU – 5 to 7 working days, subject to publication dates.
- Rest of the World – 7 to 10 working days subject to availability and publication dates.
Our standard delivery time for UK classroom courses is one week prior to the first course date.
Delivery charges apply to all Classroom, Live Online and OnDemand courses which include printed materials.
5. MyKaplan: online learning environment
MyKaplan is an online learning portal with additional resources, including mock exams, to help you prepare for your exams. Your MyKaplan account forms the core of your study experience with Kaplan and includes the following:
Online features
- View your online materials in one place and access your content in a few clicks
- Contact a tutor directly using live chat. You can also email or request a call back
- Complete practice tests and get instant feedback
- Take part in forum discussions with students and tutors and find answers to common questions
- See instantly when your assessments have been marked
Access duration
Your chosen study method determines how long you can access your content for.
Classroom
6 months after exam sitting
Live Online
6 months after exam sitting
OnDemand
6 months after exam sitting
computer Minimum system requirements for MyKaplan
6. Tutor support
We’ll support you every step of the way throughout your ACA learning experience with us. You can contact a tutor and get the help you need quickly and easily.
Provided by our Academic Support team (our dedicated team of expert tutors):
- Live chat (instant response via online messenger system)
- Email (we'll get back to you within 4 hrs)
- Discussion forum (we’ll get back to you within 4 hrs)
- Request a callback so you can speak to a tutor (we'll arrange a call with you within 24 hours). Please note, request a callback is only available to UK based students.
Academic Support opening times
Monday - Thursday: 8am - 8pm
Friday: 8am - 5:30pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 9am - 1pm
7. Testing and mocks
We have a wealth of materials to help you revise for and pass your exams. All study options come with the following:
-
Online learning modules
MyKaplan interactive modules that guide you through each syllabus area.
-
Knowledge checks
Multiple choice questions to help assess your understanding of a topic before you move onto the next one.
-
Consolidation Test
Short assessments consisting of multiple choice questions, designed to be attempted mid way through the course. Computer marked with immediate feedback provided directly to you.
-
Progress Tests
Progress tests are exam-style tests to check your progress and get you ready for sitting your mock exams. They are marked by the Kaplan marking team and a recorded debrief of the tests will be provided after you’ve attempted them so you can tailor any follow-up work and concentrate on areas that need more attention.
-
Tricky topic tutorials
10-15 minute tutor debrief on challenging areas of the syllabus.
-
Mock exams
Mock exams mimic the real exams. They are taken during the Exam Preparation phase of the course and can be found on MyKaplan. They are marked by the Kaplan marking team, who will provide tailored feedback so you can focus on areas you found difficult or could improve.
8. Pricing structure
Subject prices can differ depending on your study method and location.
Subjects are all priced individually, so you can purchase them altogether, or separately as you need them. This also helps you split the cost to make it more affordable.
| Scheduled |
Flexible |
| Classroom |
Live Online |
OnDemand |
Recorded Online |
| from £1,273.20 (inc. VAT) |
from £1,146.00 (inc. VAT) |
from £1,146.00 (inc. VAT) |
from £1,014.00 (inc. VAT) |
picture_as_pdf Download ACA Course Fee Sheet (Jan-Jul 2024)
picture_as_pdf Download ACA Course Fee Sheet (Aug-Dec 2024)
Enrol now
To enrol, download the form, fill in your details and send it to us via post or email.
picture_as_pdf Download enrolment form
Funding options
Your employer may fund the costs of your studies if you’re already working in a related field and want to develop your learning. You’ll need to speak to them to see if you’re eligible.
You may be eligible for an Apprenticeship through your employer, depending on your circumstances. For more information, contact our Student Services team.