Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The ACCA is a globally recognised accountancy qualification. It is a badge of quality and professionalism, and ensures that your knowledge and skills are of the highest professional standard. The ACCA can enhance your reputation, strengthen your position in the marketplace, and deliver added value to your business.
Taking the ACCA course with BPP equips you for a range of roles in business, accountancy and management. With genuine tutor expertise in these subject areas, plus industry-leading materials, we'll help you develop the skills you need to build your career and stay competitive.
Key details: Dates and prices | Ways to study | ACCA FAQs | ACCA Blog
Key Information
- Performance and pass rates which consistently exceed ACCA's Platinum targets
- The best learning media on the market – BPP Learning Media is the only ACCA Platinum Approved provider for content
- A proven approach to exam success based on ‘learn – practise – rehearse’
- ACCA Platinum approved expert tuition from tutors with practical experience
- Exam-focused online learning resources and support via Virtual Learning Environment
Excel with a Platinum-approved provider
The international recognition of the much sought-after ACCA qualification, combined with our expert provision, will equip you for long-term success.
Why study ACCA with BPP?
By choosing BPP, you’ll have a significant advantage over other students.
- We are the only provider with ACCA Platinum approval for both student tuition (face-to-face at all our study centres and online) and study materials. This guarantees you the highest levels of tuition and top-quality learning materials.
- Our ACCA Platinum status means we exceed the rigorous Platinum performance targets set by ACCA.
- BPP has a great track-record of ACCA success. Our students pass with confidence and achieve excellent results, performing consistently higher than ACCA Global pass rates.
- Our a range of study options allows you to tailor your mode of study to suit your personal needs and circumstances.
3 steps to success
Our approach is based on our 3 Steps to Success; Learn, Practise, Rehearse. ACCA Gold Medal Winner and BPP student, Helen Gunnell, describes how this approach helped her to achieve outstanding results:
Flexibility, support and success
As with all BPP programmes, our ACCA offering is entirely flexible. You'll also be provided with ongoing support and guidance – however you prefer. Our expert tutors will be on hand to give you advice when you need it, by email, on the phone or in the classroom.
It's all part of our student-centric approach to professional study – an approach that gives you the best chance of success in your ACCA exams. So, once you've completed the ACCA with us, you will find that more doors open for you in your professional career.
Dates and prices
Select a location to download date and price details:
- Birmingham
- Birmingham Full Time
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- Leeds
- Leeds Full Time
- Liverpool
- London and Croydon
- London Full Time
- Maidstone
- Manchester
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Reading
- Southampton
Online learning:
Distance learning:
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Revision and question days
Our approach to teaching ACCA is based on three steps to success: Learn (taught course), Practise (revision courses) and Rehearse (question days).
Knowledge module
Offered face-to-face or online, our Knowledge module courses are delivered in an 'integrated' format, which means they combine all three elements of our three steps to success.
Learning, practice and rehearsal are wrapped into one course, aimed towards Computer Based Examinations (CBEs). Your tutor will help you build and apply your knowledge of key topics using exam-standard questions, to prepare you to take your CBE in your own time after the course finishes.
A dedicated Free Pass Assurance scheme is available at Knowledge level.
Skills, Essentials and Options modules
Taught courses
Offered face-to-face or online, our taught courses give you the perfect foundation on which to prepare for the exam. Taught courses are the first step in our proven three steps to success method.
As well as guiding you through all the key topics and building up your knowledge, your tutor will help you to make an early start towards understanding how different topics are examined.
If you book both a Taught and Revision course you will be covered by our Free Pass Assurance.
Revision courses
Offered face-to-face or online, our revision courses help you to consolidate your knowledge. Revision courses are the second step in our proven three steps to success method.
Your tutor will focus your attention on key skills and techniques. You’ll gain an understanding of what the examiner is asking for and how to structure your answer to get the most marks.
In recent exam sittings, pass rates have shown that you are more likely to pass your exam if you attend a revision course as well as a taught course.
If you book both a Taught and Revision course you will be covered by our Free Pass Assurance.
Question days
Delivered primarily face-to-face, our question days allow you to rehearse for the big day under exam conditions. You will attempt a full exam paper and will receive detailed 1:1 feedback on your performance, including specific areas where you can make improvements.
Question days are the third step in our proven three steps to success method.
Knowledge module
The Knowledge module introduces you to the core areas of financial and management accounting. The module comprises:
F1 – Accountant in Business
F1 develops your understanding of business in the context of its environment, including economic, legal, and regulatory influences on such aspects as governance, employment, health and safety, data protection and security.
Additionally, you will be introduced to certain aspects of the regulatory framework affecting auditing and governance, examine the roles of internal and external auditors and be introduced to the importance of internal control. The syllabus also introduces key management and people issues such as individual and team behaviour, leadership, motivation, personal effectiveness and professional ethics in accounting and business.
Subjects include:
- Business organisation, structure, governance and management
- Environmental influences and constraints on business and accounting
- History and role of accounting in business
- Specific functions of accounting and internal financial control
- Leading and managing individuals and teams
F2 – Management Accounting
F2 develops your knowledge and ability to apply appropriate management accounting concepts and foundations in accountancy techniques for decision making, planning and control including forecasting techniques, the preparation of budgets and standard costs and performance measurement.
Subjects include:
- The nature and purpose of cost and management accounting
- Cost classification, behaviour and purpose
- Business mathematics and electronic spreadsheets
- Cost-accounting techniques
- Short-term decision making techniques
F3 – Financial Accounting
F3 develops your knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles and concepts relating to financial accounting. It will enable you to demonstrate technical proficiency in the use of double entry techniques, including the preparation and interpretation of basic financial statements for sole traders, companies and simple groups of companies.
Subjects include:
- The context and purpose of financial reporting
- The qualitative characteristics of financial information and the fundamental bases of accounting
- The use of double entry and accounting systems
- Recording transactions and events
- Preparing a trial balance
- Preparing basic financial statements
- The basics of group accounting
All of the Knowledge papers are assessed via two-hour Computer Based Exams (CBEs) which can be taken at BPP study centres throughout the year.
Key details: Dates and prices | Ways to studySkills module
The Skills module comprehensively covers the main technical areas of law, performance management, taxation, financial reporting, auditing and financial management. The Skills module is positioned at an intellectual level equivalent to a Bachelors’ degree.
F4 – Corporate and Business Law
F4 develops your skills and knowledge of the general legal framework relating to business.
Subjects include:
- Essential elements of the legal system
- The law of obligations
- Employment law
- The formation and constitution of business organisations
- Capital and the financing of companies
- Management, administration and regulation of companies
- Legal implications relating to companies in difficulty or crisis
- Governance and ethical issues relating to business
F5 – Performance Management
F5 teaches you how to apply management accounting techniques to quantitative and qualitative information. It builds on the knowledge gained in paper F2, so you’ll need to re-familiarise yourself with topics such as absorption and marginal costing.
Subjects include:
- Specialist cost and management accounting techniques
- Decision-making techniques
- Budgeting
- Standard costing and variance analysis
- Performance measurement and control
F6 – Taxation
F6 helps you to develop knowledge and skills relating to the tax system, as it applies to individuals and companies.
Subjects include:
- The UK tax system
- Income tax liabilities
- Corporation tax liabilities
- Chargeable gains
- National insurance contributions
- Value added tax
- The obligations of tax papers and/or their agents
F7 – Financial Reporting
F7 enables you to prepare, present, analyse and interpret financial statements which conform to UK standards. It builds on the knowledge gained in paper F3. So if you’re exempt from F3, you’re advised to revise double entry techniques before attending the F7 course.
Subjects include:
- A conceptual framework for financial reporting
- A regulatory framework for financial reporting
- Financial statements
- Business combinations
- Analysing and interpreting financial statements
F8 – Audit and Assurance
F8 develops your knowledge and understanding of the process and application of undertaking an audit assurance engagement.
Subjects include:
- Audit framework and regulation
- Internal audit
- Planning and risk assessment
- Internal control
- Audit evidence
- Review and audit reporting
- Audit reporting
F9 – Financial Management
F9 gives you an understanding of what is expected of a financial manager, including issues affecting investment and financing.
Subjects include:
- Financial management function
- Financial management environment
- Working capital management
- Investment appraisal
- Business finance
- Cost of capital
- Business valuations
- Risk management
The Skills module is assessed by three-hour written exams, in June and December each year at official ACCA exam centres.
Key details: Dates and prices | Ways to study
Essentials module
These three exams build upon the technical skills acquired at the Fundamentals Level. They explore advanced professional skills, techniques and values that you will require to act as an expert accountant in an advisory or consultancy role at senior level.
P1 – Governance, Risk and Ethics
P1 teaches you how to apply relevant knowledge, skills and judgment gained from previous papers when carrying out the role of an accountant.
Subjects include:
- Governance and responsibility
- Internal control and review
- Identifying and assessing risk
- Controlling risk
- Professional values and ethics
P2 – Corporate Reporting
P2 teaches you how to evaluate financial reporting principles and practices. It builds on the knowledge gained in papers F3 and F7. If you book P2 course – either online or in the classroom – you will be given online access to BPP’s Assumed Knowledge resources for F7, to help you get back up to speed for P2.
Subjects include:
- Professional and ethical duty of the accountant
- Financial reporting framework
- Reporting the financial performance of entities
- Financial statements of groups of entities
- Specialised entities
- Implications of changes in accounting regulation on financial reporting
- Appraisal of financial performance and position of entities
P3 – Business Analysis
P3 teaches you how to apply knowledge and skills gained from previous papers to the assessment and implementation of business strategy.
Subjects include:
- Strategic position, choices and actions of an organisation
- Modelling and redesigning business processes
- Information technology solutions
- Quality initiatives to implement and support an organisation’s strategy
- People management
- Role of finance in formulating and implementing business strategy
- Role of leadership and people management in business strategy
The Essentials module is assessed by three-hour written exams, in June and December each year at official ACCA exam centres.
Key details: Dates and prices | Ways to studyOptions module
P4 – Advanced Financial Management
This module allows you to specialise in particular topic areas, equipping you with the knowledge needed to give you a head start along your anticipated career path.
You must study two of four optional exams.
P4 gives you an understanding of what is expected of a senior financial executive, in terms of the financial management of an organisation. Subjects include:
- Role and responsibility towards stakeholders
- Advanced investment appraisal
- Acquisitions and mergers
- Corporate reconstruction and re-organisation
- Economic environment for multinationals
- Treasury and advanced risk management techniques
P5 – Advanced Performance Management
P5 teaches you how to evaluate business performance through the application of strategic management accounting techniques. Subjects include:
- Strategic planning and control
- Economic, fiscal and environmental factors
- Performance measurement systems and design
- Strategic performance measurement
- Performance evaluation and corporate failure
- Current and emerging issues in management accounting and performance management
P6 – Advanced Taxation
P6 teaches you how to apply relevant knowledge and skills gained from previous papers to evaluate the impact of major taxes, focusing on the financial decisions of both individuals and organisations.
It builds on the essential knowledge and grounding you gained when studying for F6 taxation. As part of this module we provide introductory chapters to help you to master any rule changes that may have occurred since you last studied taxation.
Subjects include:
- Knowledge and understanding of the UK tax system
- Importance of taxation to personal and corporate financial management
- Impact of relevant taxes
- Tax planning measures
- Communicating with clients, HMRC and other professionals
P7 – Advanced Audit and Assurance
P7 teaches you how to obtain, plan, control and conclude both audit and assurance engagements.
At P7 you’re expected to build on your knowledge from F8 – the basic mechanics of assurance engagement and obtaining evidence – and apply it to audit management. So awareness of the risks associated with practice management comes in, alongside more detailed technical financial reporting experience, which you would have gained from P2.
Subjects include:
- Regulatory environment
- Professional and ethical considerations
- Practice management
- Assignments
- Reporting
- Current issues and developments
The Options module is assessed by three-hour written exams, in June and December each year at official ACCA exam centres.
Key details: Dates and prices | Ways to studyACCA Free Pass Assurance
With pass rates consistently above the ACCA Global average, we’re proud of the quality of our education and training. But we're also proud of the peace of mind we offer students with our free Pass Assurance.
BPP's Pass Assurance will protect you if you fail the exam on your first attempt. The scheme varies dependent on how you study, and at which level.
Download Pass Assurance information for your level or paper:
- ACCA Knowledge (F1 to F3), FIA Diploma (FAB, FMA, FFA)
- ACCA Skills (F4 to F9), Essentials (P1 to 3) , Options (P4 to P7)
Learning materials
Please note that Pass Assurance covers the cost of tuition only. Additional BPP Learning Media physical study materials are not included. You will get full online support with updated and refreshed content.
Additional support
Should you fail your exam at the second attempt we can still offer you support. Please contact your tutor or call customer services so we can advise you on your next steps.
Dates for your diary – 2012
Student registration is available online all year round. Study options and CBEs for FIA exams and ACCA F1-F3 are also available throughout the year.
June exam cycle
- 31 January: six-month exam cycle ends
- 1 February: six-month exam cycle begins (you can complete a maximum of four exams before 31 July)
- 13 February: Exam results released for December exams
- Early March: BPP 'Learn' phase begins for June exams (taught courses)
- 8 March: Early registration date for June exams
- 8 April: Standard registration date for June exams
- Mid-April: BPP 'Practice' phase begins for June exams (revision courses)
- 8 May: Late registration date for June exams. Latest date to swap variants change other exam details
- Late May: BPP 'Rehearsal' phase begins for June exams (question days)
- 11 June: ACCA exams start
- 20 June: ACCA exams end
- 31 July: Current six-month exam cycle ends
December exam cycle
- 1 August: Six-month exam cycle begins (complete max four exams before 31 January)
- 8 August: June exam results released
- 1 September: 'Learn' phase begins for December exams (taught courses)
- 8 September: Early registration date for December exams
- 8 October: Standard registration date for December exams
- Mid-October: 'Practice' phase begins for December exams (revision courses)
- 8 November: Late registration date for December exams. Latest date to swap exam variants (eg from International to UK variant papers) or to change any other exam details
- Late November: 'Rehearsal' phase begins for December exams (earliest start date of Question Days)
- 3 December: ACCA exams start
- 12 December: End of ACCA exams
Ways to study
Our ACCA courses are highly flexible, enabling you to study in the way that's most convenient and effective for you.
You can study at one of our UK or international centres, in your own time via our Online Classroom, or with our online and paper-based distance learning packages. Whichever study option you choose, we'll keep you focused on what you need to know to pass your exam.
BPP Online Classroom Live – NEW for 2012
The new BPP Online Classroom Live is ideal if you like the discipline and motivation of a structured and timetabled course and can commit to scheduled sessions. Live, interactive sessions are all recorded so you can re-watch any you miss.
Online Classroom Live courses are currently available for the Knowledge and Skills modules. Essentials and Options modules are due to commence in September towards the December 2012 exam sitting.
For the knowledge module we offer a single, integrated course and provide Free Pass Assurance*.
For Skills, Essentials and Options modules we offer separate taught and revision courses. You will be covered by our Free Pass Assurance* if you book both a taught and revision course.
Face-to-face
This is an ideal solution if you:
- want to study at a steady pace
- can commit to specific study times
- enjoy the dynamics of a classroom
- want the best chance of exam success.
Our expert tutors bring their passion and enthusiasm to the classroom making sessions highly engaging and motivational.
Classes run on weekdays, evenings or weekends. You may also be able to mix and match your sessions, subject to availability.
For Knowledge module papers we offer a single, integrated course. You also get Free Pass Assurance*.
For each Skills and Professional level paper we run:
- Taught course
- Revision course
- Question Day course
You also get Free Pass Assurance*
Online Classroom
A dynamic study experience that combines the flexibility of distance learning with the support of a traditional classroom. Available for all papers for part-time students, it's ideal if you can't, or don't want to commit to fixed study sessions. Free Pass Assurance* included. Learn more about BPP Online Classroom.
Distance learning
Our Basics packages reflect BPP’s uncompromising quality and expertise whilst offering you very cost-effective ways to study. You can start whenever you want and work at your own pace. Read more about our distance learning options.
*Subject to terms and conditions.
Entry requirements
Our ACCA course has multiple entry routes, allowing everyone from school leavers to established professionals to pursue the qualification. And if you have prior experience in some of the ACCA subject areas, you might be exempt from certain papers within the Fundamentals Level modules.
It's important to note that students need to be registered with the ACCA in order to sit an exam with BPP, but don't need to be registered to be booked on to a course. To register with ACCA, please contact them directly on 0141 582 2000.
International ACCA students must be registered with the ACCA before they are enrolled on to a course with BPP. This is due to home office requirements.
Minimum entry requirements
The minimum ACCA entry requirements are two A-Levels and three GCSEs - or equivalent - in five separate subjects, including English and Mathematics.
International entry requirements
The international entry requirements for the ACCA are set by the awarding body. Students will need to have completed IELTS tests in order to gain admission, and the required score will depend on which country you are from.
Foundations in Accountancy
If you do not meet the minimum entry requirements to start the ACCA Qualification, you will need to apply for Foundations in Accountancy (FIA) and take some or all of the awards. On completion of the Diploma in Accounting and Business, you can transfer to the ACCA Qualification at paper F4 (claiming exemptions from papers F1, F2 and F3).
ACCA entry for graduates
If you have a relevant degree from a university accredited by ACCA, you may be eligible for exemption from up to nine exams at the Fundamentals Level - meaning you can progress straight to the Professional level.
ACCA paper exemptions
Even if your qualification isn't from an ACCA-accredited institution, you may still be eligible for paper exemptions. Check the ACCA exemptions enquiry database to find out how many exemptions you can claim.
Study locations
You can study for the ACCA via our Platinum approved face-to-face classroom or online classroom options, or with a Basics distance learning package.
Face-to-face classes are available at the following BPP study centres. Each centre offers state-of-the-art facilities and comfortable, high-quality classroom environments.
BPP ACCA study centres are located in:
- BPP Birmingham
- BPP Bristol
- BPP Cambridge
- BPP Cardiff
- BPP Croydon
- BPP Glasgow
- BPP Leeds
- BPP Liverpool
- BPP London City
- BPP London King's Cross
- BPP London Liverpool Street
- BPP London Shepherd's Bush
- BPP London Waterloo
- BPP Maidstone
- BPP Manchester
- BPP Milton Keynes
- BPP Newcastle
- BPP Nottingham
- BPP Reading
- BPP Southampton
International students can only study the ACCA in the following locations:
- BPP London King's Cross
- BPP London Liverpool Street
- BPP London Shepherd's Bush
- BPP Birmingham
- BPP Leeds
- BPP Manchester