ACCA Qualification

The ACCA is the world's leading accountancy qualification for financial professionals. It's designed for those who want to progress to more senior positions or train as an accountant. Studying ACCA courses online allows you to become ACCA-certified on your own schedule.

The ACCA certification is for anyone who’s working in (or looking for) an entry-level finance role or considering a career change. It’s best suited to ambitious, motivated learners who want the freedom and flexibility that comes with studying ACCA online.

To start studying for ACCA’s foundation level course, Applied Knowledge, you must be qualified to university entrance level. This means you need three GCSEs and two A Levels in five separate subjects including maths and English to meet ACCA entry requirements.

If you have relevant education, such as a university degree from an ACCA-accredited university, you could start at the Strategic Professional stage of the ACCA qualification. Once you’ve completed this level, you will be ACCA part-qualified meaning you are eligible to go on to study the rest of the course.

Our ACCA course subscription includes all the materials needed to complete ACCA qualification online. The vast majority of StaySharp students can complete the course by using all provided materials and working within the ACCA-recommended study hours, making us one of the leading ACCA learning providers.

It can take, on average, around three years to complete your ACCA courses online and secure your qualification. However, this varies depending on the pace that you study. Generally speaking, it takes between three and five years to study ACCA online and complete the full qualification, including exams, work experience and ethics modules. This timeframe can vary depending on the number of exams taken in each session – either three or four over a six-month period – as well as the difficulty level of each paper.

Theoretically, you could complete all of the exams in two years. However, you need three years of practical experience before you can become an ACCA member and be considered a qualified accountant.

If you begin your ACCA training but do not complete it, you’ll be considered ACCA part-qualified. This means you’ve completed part of the ACCA training programme but have not yet achieved full professional status as a qualification.

To become fully qualified with the ACCA, you must complete three levels of study, pass 14 examinations, demonstrate three years’ relevant work experience, and agree to abide by the organisation’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. Once all requirements are successfully met, you’ll be awarded your final certificate from ACCA which confirms their designation as an accredited chartered certified accountant.

The ACCA exams are available both online and offline, so it’s important to find out which option best suits your lifestyle and needs.

The truth is that how hard you find the ACCA training depends on your own approach and attitude. Many successful candidates have commented that it's not the amount of work involved that makes the ACCA difficult; instead, they recommend taking a focused approach to learning each subject thoroughly. Dedication, discipline and attention to detail are invaluable skills when preparing for the exams and can make all the difference between success and failure.

For those taking an online multiple-choice assessment, ACCA recommends an average of 20 hours of study time. This equates to approximately four hours per week over five weeks or two hours per day over ten days; however, this can vary depending on the individual’s knowledge level and style of learning.

ACCA is a professional qualification that’s recognised worldwide. Completion of the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills papers is the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. When you complete the Professional level, it is the equivalent of a master's degree.

Our monthly subscription cost includes access to all the learning resources you will need, but you will book and pay for your ACCA exams separately with ACCA. Information about exams and how to book them can be found on the ACCA website.

Due to intellectual property laws, it’s not possible to download the majority of course materials. You’ll need an active internet connection to authenticate your account and access your learning content. However, some course videos are available to download and watch later.

The 14-day free trial is limited to one per course, per customer. If you want to re-subscribe to a course you have subscribed to previously, please purchase it as normal. You’ll be automatically moved to the paid subscription within three working days.