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ACCA Applied Skills

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Overview

Develop your understanding of accounting in business and learn how to interpret financial information. Build on your existing knowledge and gain strong practical finance skills that accountants can use in any organisation.

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Average duration

12-18 months

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Assessments

6 exams

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Kaplan pass rate*

25% higher than the global average

*Versus the global average pass rate of 56% across all levels in 2023. Valid as of March 2024.

Timetables

Programmes are running regularly throughout the year. 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

If you have completed the Applied Knowledge level, the final level of AAT, or the Foundation Diploma, you will start studying at the Applied Skills Level.

You can check whether you're eligible and should apply for any exemptions on the ACCA website before you start applying.

Learning outcomes from the course

Applied Skills builds on existing knowledge and understanding, and develops strong, broad, and practical finance qualities required of strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry. During the course you will learn about law, tax, reporting, financial management, and auditing, coming away with a good broad knowledge of each.

Once complete, you can move on to Strategic Professional.

Apprenticeships

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

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Kaplan's OnDemand platform with all the supporting study materials and mocks was simply fantastic. I have no doubt that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve first-time passes on all my ACCA exams if it weren’t for the brilliant structure of the programme.


Compulsory subjects

Compulsory

Performance Management (PM)

You’ll develop knowledge to apply management accounting techniques to quantitive and qualitive information for planning, decision-making, performance evaluation and control.

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  • Management information systems and data analytics
  • Specialist cost and management accounting techniques
  • Decision-making techniques
  • Budgeting and control
  • Employability and technology skills
  • Performance measurement and control

Compulsory

Taxation (TX-UK)

You’ll learn the knowledge and skills relating to the tax systems for individuals, single companies and groups of companies.

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  • The UK tax system and its administration
  • Income tax and NIC liabilities
  • Chargeable gains for individuals
  • Inheritance tax
  • Corporation tax liabilities
  • Value added tax (VAT)
  • Employability and technology skills

Compulsory

Financial Reporting (FR)

You’ll learn the skills to apply accounting standards and the theoretical framework required to prepare financial statements of entities and how to analyse and interpret those financial statements.

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  • The conceptual and regulatory framework for financial reporting
  • Accounting for transactions in financial statements
  • Analysing and interpreting the financial statements of single entities and groups
  • Preparation of financial statements
  • Employability and technology skills

Compulsory

Audit and Assurance (AA)

You’ll understand the process of implementing the assurance engagement and its application in the context of the professional regulatory framework.

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  • Audit framework and regulation
  • Planning and risk assessment
  • Internal control
  • Audit evidence
  • Review and reporting
  • Employability and technology skills

Compulsory

Financial Management (FM)

You’ll understand the process of implementing the assurance engagement and its application in the context of the professional regulatory framework.

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  • Financial management function and environment
  • Working capital management
  • Investment appraisal
  • Business finance
  • Business valuations
  • Risk management
  • Employability and technology skills

Optional subjects - choose 1

If you intend to work in England, choose the ENG module. If you plan to work internationally, select the GLO module. Please note that you must choose either the LW ENG module or the LW GLO module, but not both.

Optional

Corporate and Business Law (ENG) (LW)

You’ll learn the general legal framework, as well as the specific legal areas that are relevant for business, to help you understand and identify the need to ask for specialist legal advice when necessary.

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  • Essential elements of the legal system
  • The law of obligation
  • Employment law
  • The formation and constitution of business organisations
  • Capital and the financing of companies
  • Management, administration and the regulation of companies
  • Insolvency law
  • Corporate fraudulent and criminal behaviour

Optional

Corporate and Business Law (GLO) (LW)

You’ll learn the general legal framework, as well as the specific legal areas that are relevant for business, so help you understand and identify the need to ask for specialist legal advice when necessary.

Only available via Distance Learning.

from £349.00Inc. VAT

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  • Essential elements of legal systems
  • International business transactions
  • Transportation and payment of international business transactions
  • The formation and constitution of business organisations
  • Capital and the financing of companies
  • Management, administration and the regulation of companies
  • Insolvency law
  • Corporate fraudulent and criminal behaviour

Exams

Computer Based Exams

Corporate and Business Law

The Corporate and Business Law (LW) exams, both English and Global, are two-hour, on-demand exams that can be scheduled with Kaplan.

from £147.00Inc. VAT

Buy an LW exam

Computer Based Exams

All other Applied Skills exams

All other Applied Skills exams are three-hour, computer-based exams. These exams must be booked through the ACCA. To complete this level, you must pass all six mandatory exams.

Book an exam with the ACCA

Your roadmap to exam success

ACCA run four exam sittings a year in March, June, September and December. When planning your studies, consider your workload, personal life, learning approach, and progression timeline. You can sit two exams per sitting twice a year or one exam per sitting four times a year. Kaplan is here to support you with advice on which subjects to sit first and how the four exam sittings can work for you.

Learn more exam sitting advice

Courses

Inc VAT, excludes exams

Live Online from £1019
OnDemand from £899
Distance Learning from £349
Classroom from £289

Everything you need to succeed

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Expert material

Our courses include expert content, designed to help you pass your exams. As an ACCA Content Partner, we provide printed and digital study materials, as well as marked mock exams and practice questions.

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Pass Guarantee

If your results aren't as expected, we provide free access to extra content, extended tutor support, and guidance for resitting until you pass your exams.

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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.

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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.

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Well-being support

Access well-being support through our resource library or speak confidentially with Kaplan's Mental Health First Aiders, safeguarding team, or your tutor and talent coach.

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Accessibility

We're committed to an inclusive learning environment, ensuring accessibility and personalised support for all students to succeed.

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Guarantee your success

Give yourself the best chance of ACCA success when you combine Tuition, Revision and a Pre Exam Workshop (PEW). It's statistically proven to increase your chance of passing by 22%, compared to studying Tuition only.*

Tuition

Revision

Pre-Exam Workshop

*Kaplan's Complete Course pass rate vs Kaplan's tuition-only pass rate across all levels in 2023. Valid as of January 2024.

What’s included

Classroom and Live Online learners can explore a detailed breakdown of what’s included below. If you choose our OnDemand, Distance Learning, or LW ENG courses, you’ll receive the Complete Course package, which encompasses elements of Tuition, Revision, and Pre-Exam Workshop.

Tuition courses

Work your way through the full syllabus and focus on the key areas likely to come up in the exam. Tuition courses include:

  • Study Text

    Textbook covering the full subject syllabus with worked examples and activities.
  • Integrated workbook*

    The integrated workbook helps you work through the syllabus, with room to write your notes. It helps you keep everything in one place to make it easy to study and revise from.
  • Application modules

    Core study material that all learners receive. It’s tutor-led with interactive tasks to help deepen your understanding of key topic areas.
  • Study modules*

    Engaging, online modules including bite-sized tutor-led lectures taking you step by step through the whole syllabus.
  • Testing

    A diverse range of regular assessments and tests, designed to continuously improve your understanding, assess your areas of strengths and weaknesses, and prepare you for the revision process.

*Not included in Distance Learning.

Revision courses

Apply your knowledge to exam questions, learn how to structure an answer and how to understand a requirement. Revision courses include:

  • Exam Kit

    Gives you plenty of exam style questions and answers to test your knowledge and practice. Study smarter, not harder, it includes our recommended revision approach and a revision plan, and exam technique guide.
  • Pocket Notes

    Pocket-sized, brief revision notes that highlight and prioritise the essential topics you need to understand to pass ACCA’s exams.
  • Testing and mocks

    With a wide array of tests, mock exams*, recaps, and feedback, you will solidify your knowledge and be equipped with the right strategies to succeed in the real exam.
  • Exam preparation guidance

    Master your exams with a guide to preparation and revision, a strategic exam countdown, and insightful software tutorials to ensure you're fully equipped.

*Not included in Distance Learning LW GLO.

Pre-Exam Workshop courses

Exclusive practice questions taken under exam conditions. Get personalised feedback and recorded debriefs. Pre-Exam Workshop courses include:

  • Interactive PEW session

    Features question debriefs with personalised marked feedback, tailored advice on further practice questions, and focused tuition on challenging topics.

Classroom and Live Online only.

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
from £1,807

Free trial

Live Online
from £1,607

Free trial

OnDemand
from £949

Free trial

Distance Learning
from £349

Free trial
Live, tutor-led classes at set times
Re-watch your lessons
Speak face-to-face with tutors and other learners on the same course
Speak online with learners on the same course
Pass Guarantee
Study at your own pace
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Great availability of resources and help. Kaplan tutors are really friendly and great at what they do. There are endless practise questions and other resources for self study and revision.

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Could not pass the exams without Kaplan!


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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Payment plan

Pay for your course with our flexible payment plan. Spread the cost by paying monthly, so you can focus on learning and passing exams.

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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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