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CTA Application and Professional Skills focuses on applying your tax knowledge to real-world scenarios. It develops your ability to analyse, communicate, and provide effective tax advice, ensuring you’re prepared for the challenges of a professional tax adviser role. This level sharpens your practical skills, helping you make informed decisions in client-facing situations.
You should choose the Application and Professional Skills subject that matches one of your chosen Advanced Technical specialisms.
Average duration
6 months
Assessments
One written exam
Kaplan pass rate
13% higher than global average*
*Versus the global average pass rate of 53%, across all levels in 2024. Valid as of May 2025.
Programmes are running regularly throughout the year. View our timetables for scheduled sessions (Classroom and Live Online) to see when the next one is running.
There are no entry requirements to commence the CTA qualification. However the CIOT strongly recommends those without an accounting or law qualification should first study ATT.
Upon completing the Application and Professional Skills, you’ll be able to apply your technical tax knowledge to complex, real-world situations. You’ll develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, enhancing your ability to evaluate client scenarios and deliver clear, practical tax advice. This course also focuses on refining your communication and professional judgement, preparing you to handle client interactions confidently and make well-informed decisions in a dynamic tax environment.
You may be eligible to sit the exams and become CTA qualified as part of an apprenticeship, depending on your circumstances.
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The course was very helpful, and the tutor was great at explaining the content and applying it to exam questions.
Optional
You’ll learn the skills needed to apply the knowledge gained in sitting the Advanced Technical Taxation of Owner Managed Businesses paper and the Awareness paper to a practical case study, and to demonstrate how the various taxes interact. You’ll learn how to interpret and explain complex tax matters and to provide relevant advice to a client. You’ll also gain an understanding of the presentation and writing skills needed to achieve the higher skills marks awarded in this paper.
from £417.60inc.VAT
You’ll learn the skills needed to apply the knowledge gained in sitting the Advanced Technical Taxation of Individuals paper and the Awareness paper to a practical case study, and to demonstrate how the various taxes interact. You’ll learn how to interpret and explain complex tax matters and to provide relevant advice to a client. You’ll also gain an understanding of the presentation and writing skills needed to achieve the higher skills marks awarded in this paper.
You’ll learn the skills needed to apply the knowledge gained in sitting the Advanced Technical Inheritance Tax, Trusts and Estates paper and the Awareness paper to a practical case study, and to demonstrate how the various taxes interact. You’ll learn how to interpret and explain complex tax matters and to provide relevant advice to a client. You’ll also gain an understanding of the presentation and writing skills needed to achieve the higher skills marks awarded in this paper.
You’ll learn the skills needed to apply the knowledge gained in sitting the Advanced Technical Taxation of Larger Companies and Groups paper and the Awareness paper to a practical case study, and to demonstrate how the various taxes interact. You’ll learn how to interpret and explain complex tax matters and to provide relevant advice to a client. You’ll also gain an understanding of the presentation and writing skills needed to achieve the higher skills marks awarded in this paper.
You must register with CIOT as a student at least four months in advance of taking your first exam. CTA Application and Professional Skills exam details include:
Sittings: Every six months, with exams in May and November.
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes with no reading time.
Questions: Paper is worth 100 marks and the question (i.e. subject) is selected when you register for the exam.
Format: Case study.
Pass mark: Weighted grade of 2.5 and above.
There are two pathways to achieving this qualification, depending on whether you're exempt from the Awareness paper.
Complete in 12 months
Law, Ethics, Accounting
Select first Advanced Technical Paper
Select second Advanced Technical Paper and the matching Application and Professional Skills Paper
Complete in 18 months
Awareness Paper
Tip: If you are a qualified accountant (ACCA with ATX, ICAEW, ICAI, ICAS) or qualified ATT, you may be exempt from the Awareness paper.
Also, because the technical knowledge required for the Application and Professional Skills paper closely aligns with the related Advanced Technical paper, it’s recommended to take both at the same time.
Inc VAT, excludes exams
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For Classroom and Live Online, we offer both tuition and revision courses for CTA Application and Professional Skills. On tuition courses the focus is on learning the key areas of the syllabus covered in the course workbook, laying down a foundation of technical knowledge. Revision courses build upon this knowledge, focusing upon exam question practice and technique to prepare you for the real exam. Distance Learning is a complete course so you do not need to choose the individual elements.
* Available for Classroom or Live Online learners.
Personalised online learning portal called MyKaplan. Access your additional online materials, contact your tutors, and take part in discussion forums.
Get everything you need to succeed, along with tailored features depending on which study method you choose.
Classroomfrom £1,810
Classroom Live Streamedfrom £1,810
Live Onlinefrom £1,629
Distance Learningfrom £397
The material provided is very easy to understand and there's plenty of resources where required.
I have found the tuition to be useful and the revision course has been extremely useful in terms of exam technique and answering exam style questions.
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Flexible option
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