“HOW LONG UNTIL YOU BECOME ACCA-QUALIFIED IN THE UAE?”
Students usually plan their academic journey before they officially begin it, especially when it involves a professional qualification like ACCA. This is an effective practice as planning makes decision-making easier and effective by allowing you to walk on a strategically planned path. But to understand and structure a plan, students must first know all about the ACCA course duration in the UAE; once you know the timeline, academic levels, and areas to focus on, you can create a personalized study plan that can fast-track your learning experience.
Do you want to know how long does it take to complete ACCA? Knowing this will help you create an academic chart for that specific time period. Through this guidebook, you can explore all about the timeline, academic levels, and also take a look at a breakdown of ACCA course duration in the UAE to accelerate your academic journey.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE ACCA QUALIFICATION?
It is nearly impossible to specify an accurate ACCA course duration as it varies depending on an individual’s learning pace, academic success, and learning paths (part-time/ full-time). However, students normally complete this qualification between three and five years; full-time students who are more academically focused tend to complete the qualification earlier. Whereas, part-time students who have to manage academic and professional responsibilities side-by-side might take a bit longer to become a fully-qualified ACCA professional as they have shared responsibilities, hence, shared focus. The estimated timeframe of three to five years also includes the completion of the ACCA PER requirement, which is an essential part of completing the ACCA course in the UAE.
CONCEPT OF ACCA AFFILIATE STATUS
When it comes to the completion of the ACCA qualification or discussing the ACCA course duration, students tend to confuse between ‘ACCA Member’ and ‘ACCA affiliate’ titles, wondering which one marks the completion. ACCA affiliates are the individuals who have passed all thirteen exams of ACCA; this status can be achieved in the timeframe of around 2.5 years; however, it doesn’t mark a completion of the course.
On the other hand, the ‘ACCA member’ title is granted to those who have completed the exams, EPSM modules, and PER (work requirement); this marks the completion of the qualification, and the timeframe it usually takes to fulfill all these requirements can take approximately three to five years.
ACCA LEVELS AND TIMEFRAMES
For a better understanding of the aspirants, here is a breakdown of academic levels and the expected average duration each ACCA level takes to complete; this duration can vary depending on the passing ratio of each student.
| ACADEMIC LEVELS | MODULES INCLUDED | EXPECTED TIMEFRAMES |
| Applied Knowledge | Business & Technology (BT), Financial Accounting (FA), Management Accounting (MA) | 12 months |
| Applied Skills | Business & Corporate Law (LW), Financial Management (FM), Performance Management (PM), Audit & Assurance (AA), Taxation (TX), Financial Reporting (FR) | 12-18 months |
| Strategic Professional | ESSENTIALS:
Strategic Business Leadership (SBL), Strategic Business Reporting (SBR). OPTIONALS: (Any 2) Advanced Financial Management (AFM), Advanced Performance Management (APM) |
18 months or more |
KEY FACTORS TO INFLUENCE ACCA COURSE DURATION
Usually, the ACCA course duration is highly affected because of certain factors; these factors can either fast-track your academics or completely slow them down.
1: ACCA EXEMPTIONS
ACCA exemptions allow students to fast-track their learning experience by exempting multiple papers depending on their educational history; students who are eligible for exemptions and avail themselves of them tend to complete their qualification much quicker, comparatively. Hence, students who have a strong academic background in business, accounting, or finance should take advantage of this opportunity and elevate their learning experience.
2: PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME STUDY ROUTE
ACCA students who choose part-time studying are either busy with personal or professional commitments, hence, can not give their hundred percent contribution to studies, which results in slow academic progress in comparison to those who are full-time students. Full-time students can take more exams in one sitting and, hence, complete the qualification quickly.
3: ACADEMIC COMPETENCIES OR LEARNING STYLE
How competent you are academically and how quickly you tend to absorb complex accounting concepts affect your course duration. If you are competent and a fast learner, it is expected that you might complete the course faster with good grades.
ACCA TIME LIMITS FOR THE QUALIFICATION IN THE UAE
ACCA has a very commonly known seven year rule; according to this rule students are obliged to complete their Strategic Professional exams (last academic level) within the seven years of attempting the first paper from this level; students who are unable to do so and their limit expires after seven years, they will have to retake the already passed exams from this level again. Hence, it is best advised for students to take care of the ACCA course duration and its limitations to avoid any retakes or unwanted delays in the completion of the qualification.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that ACCA course duration in the UAE can not be predetermined as it fluctuates depending on several external factors such as students’ academic competencies, number of exam exemptions (if any), learning pattern, etc. However, it should normally take a student between three and five years, ideally, to complete all academic requirements and become an ACCA member in the UAE.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q1: How can I take ACCA exemptions in the UAE to fast-track my studies?
Ans: ACCA exemptions are the best way to fast-track your studies; however, they have certain eligibility criteria. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for exemptions. This criterion requires you to have a degree from a well-acknowledged university in business, accounting, or finance-related fields.
Q2: Is it possible to complete my ACCA course in the UAE in one year or less?
Ans: Absolutely no, completing the full ACCA qualification in one year is totally unrealistic and impossible; students need a minimum of three years to complete their qualification.
Q3: Which one is the ideal ACCA learning pattern between the part-time or full-time route in the UAE, and why?
Ans: Your choice should depend on your personal preferences and lifestyle; if you want to fast-track your qualification and don’t have any other responsibilities, the full-time study route is the most ideal for you; however, if you are a working professional who has to deal with work commitments as well, then you should go for part-time studies.
