How to apply

Applying for the Approved Employer programme is free and applications are open to all organisations.

Before you apply

The application process should take no more than 15 to 20 minutes, if you prepare some basic information before you start.

1. Decide your stream(s) and level(s)

Make sure you know which stream(s) and level(s) of approval are right for your organisation. More information is available in the Approved Employer programme handbook (PDF, 515 KB), or in our support section for approval types and their scope.

2. Review the stream and level guidance

Read through the approval criteria for your chosen stream(s) and level(s) - can you confirm that your organisation meets the targets? You can use the Approved Employer assessment matrix (PDF, 27 KB) as a quick reference, or read our detailed guidance for individual targets.

3. Get information about your organisation

Take a note of the following information about your organisation:

  • total number of employees
  • number of directors/partners
  • number of finance employees
  • number of ACCA students and members.

4. Nominate a primary contact

You need to nominate a primary contact for your approval. More information about what this means is available in the application support section.

5. Gather documentary evidence

We'll need any relevant documentary evidence relating to the evidenced targets for your chosen approval stream(s) and level(s) for Trainee Development or Professional Development. In the application support section, you'll find guidance on the documentary evidence you can provide.

We’ll ask you to upload these as part of the application process.

Start your application

Ready to apply?

If your organisation is based in China please contact our local ACCA staff at ChinaAE@accaglobal.com prior to submitting your application.