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Qualification elements and levels

Students who meet the minimum entry requirements will be eligible to study the redesigned ACCA Qualification, just as they are today. Those who don’t meet these requirements will be able to enter the ACCA Qualification on completion of our Foundations level.

To qualify for ACCA membership, students will need to complete:

  • Exams
  • Essential Employability Modules
  • The Practical Experience Requirement (PER), including 36 months of supervised experience and completion of Performance Objectives

The redesigned ACCA Qualification will continue to be structured across three levels: Knowledge, Expertise and Strategic Professional. Each level will combine exams with an Essential Employability Module, enabling students to build both technical and workplace-ready skills throughout their journey. Students will also achieve an award on completion of each level.

Flexibility and progression rules

Progression rules will remain in place to support student success. Students will progress sequentially through the levels of the redesigned qualification and must enter all the outstanding elements within their current level, including exams and the Essential Employability Module, before they can progress to the next level. 

Exams will now be numbered to show the recommended study order. However, within each level, students will still have the flexibility to enter both the exams and the Essential Employability Module in any order they choose.

Current ACCA Qualification level Redesigned ACCA Qualification equivalent level 
Applied Knowledge Knowledge
Applied Skills Expertise
Strategic Professional Strategic Professional

Access specific support for you

Select the ACCA Qualification award you are currently working towards for more level specific support guidance.

Applied Knowledge - ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Business (RQF Level 4)

Elements required

  • FA Financial Accounting
  • MA Management Accounting
  • BT Business and Technology
  • Foundations in Professionalism (FiP) module (students can progress to Applied Skills without doing FiP but will not be awarded the Diploma)

The equivalent of the ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Business (RQF Level 4) in the redesign will be the Higher Diploma in Accounting and Business (RQF Level 4), which will be awarded on completion of the Knowledge level. All ACCA Qualification students who are at the Applied Knowledge level at transition will move onto the Knowledge level of the redesigned ACCA Qualification and will receive credit for any equivalent elements already completed. 

In the current structure, the exams making up the ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Business (RQF Level 4) can also be taken by students as part of Foundations in Accountancy (where they appear as FFA/FMA/FBT) should students not yet meet the minimum entry requirements for the ACCA Qualification. As part of the simplification of the entry route into the future ACCA Qualification, we are removing this duplication. The Foundations level will be benchmarked at Level 3 whilst Knowledge will be benchmarked at Level 4, each consisting of different exams and a different Essential Employability Module.

Redesigned Knowledge level (Higher Diploma in Accounting and Business) Completed elements required for credit to be given

K1 Financial Accounting

FA Financial Accounting

K2 Management Accounting

MA Management Accounting
K3 Business Law LW Corporate and Business Law*
Responsible Business Management Essential Employability Module BT Business and Technology

(students who have not passed BT but who have completed the Foundations in Professionalism module will receive credit for the first 12 units of the Responsibility Business Management Essential Employability Module) 

*The LW Corporate and Business Law exam is currently part of our Applied Skills level. Students who have completed the existing Applied Knowledge level prior to transition will still be required to take the LW exam as part of the ACCA Qualification requirements.

If you wish to gain the ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business (RQF Level 4) prior to transition, you will need to:

  • complete all the exam requirements (FA, MA and BT) by mid-July 2027, and 
  • complete FiP by mid-July 2027 (exact dates to be confirmed).

Students who have completed all the exam elements but not FiP at transition will not be awarded the ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business (RQF Level 4) until they have subsequently completed the K3 exam.

You may wish to prioritise your studies and exam choices based on the transition impacts.

For example:

  • FA Financial Accounting and MA Management Accounting have exam equivalents, whereas BT Business and Technology does not. If you do not complete BT Business and Technology before transition, you will be required to complete the Responsible Business Management Essential Employability Module in the redesigned qualification. This module will be chargeable (price to be confirmed in January 2027) and is expected to take approximately 60 hours to complete.
  • If you complete the Applied Knowledge level requirements ahead of transition, we would encourage you to study for the Corporate and Business Law (LW) exam as your first Applied Skills exam. Both the Global (GLO) and England (ENG) variants can be taken on-demand and provides foundational knowledge to support your future studies. All students yet to complete the LW exam prior to transition will be required to enter the K3 Business Law before or at the same time as entering for Expertise exams.

Applied Skills – ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business 

Elements required

  • LW Corporate and Business Law
  • TX Taxation
  • FR Financial Reporting
  • AA Audit and Assurance
  • FM Financial Management
  • PM Performance Management
  • Ethics and Professional Skills Module (students can still progress to Strategic Professional level without completing this module, but will not be awarded the Diploma until doing so)

All students who are at the Applied Skills level at transition will move onto the Expertise level of the redesigned ACCA Qualification and receive credit for any equivalent elements already completed. On completion of the Expertise level, students will be awarded with the same award issued for completing the Applied Skills level - the ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business. Students who have completed the Applied Skills level in full by transition will move onto the Strategic Professional level of the redesigned ACCA Qualification.

  • To gain the ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business under its current requirements, students must complete:
    • all the Applied Skills exams in or before the June 2027 exam session.*
    • The Ethics and Professional Skills Module by mid-July 2027 (exact date to be confirmed).
  • Students who have not completed the Corporate and Business Law (LW) exam will be required to pass the K3 Business Law exam – which is part of the Knowledge level of the redesigned qualification. They will be required to enter for this exam before or at the same time as entering for other Expertise exams in the redesigned qualification.

* The LW-ENG and LW-GLO exam variants can be taken on-demand and as such have a slightly later completion date of July 2027.

The Expertise level of the redesigned ACCA Qualification will consist of the elements shown in the table below. 

redesigned Expertise level (Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business) Completed elements required for credit to be given 

E1 Taxation

TX Taxation

E2 Financial Reporting

FR Financial Reporting

E3 Audit, Risk and Control

AA Audit and Assurance

E4 Finance and Investment

FM Financial Management
E5 Performance with Data Analysis PM Performance Management
Digital Tech and Innovation Essential Employability Module Students who have completed all Applied Skills exams (including LW Corporate and Business Law) prior to transition will not be required to take this module.

You may wish to prioritise your studies and exam choices based on the transition impacts.

For example:

  • You may wish to complete the Corporate and Business Law (LW) exam ahead of transition. Both the Global (GLO) and England (ENG) variants can be taken on-demand and provides foundational knowledge to support your future studies. All students yet to complete the LW exam prior to transition will be required to enter the K3 Business Law before or at the same time as entering for Expertise exams in the redesigned qualification.
  • If you do not complete the Applied Skills level in full you will be required to complete the Digital Tech and Innovation Essential Employability Module. This module will be chargeable (price to be confirmed in January 2027) and is expected to take approximately 100 hours to complete. As part of our progression rules, this module will need to be purchased before you can enter for Strategic Professional exams.

Strategic Professional

On completion of Strategic Professional students can currently:

  • achieve the ACCA Strategic Professional certificate
  • become an affiliate
  • complete the exam element of the ACCA member requirements

Elements required – Essentials.

  • SBL – Strategic Business Leader
  • SBR – Strategic Business Reporting

Elements required – Options.

Choose any 2 of the following:

  • AAA – Advanced Audit and Assurance
  • AFM – Advanced Financial Management
  • APM – Advanced Performance Management
  • ATX – Advanced Taxation

On completion of the above you not only achieve the ACCA Strategic Professional Certificate but also become an ACCA affiliate. 

Currently, to become an ACCA member, affiliates are also required to complete the following:

  • Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)
  • ACCA Practical Experience Requirement (PER) - 36 months of supervised experience and completion of Performance Objectives.

Students at Strategic Professional level will move onto the redesigned Strategic Professional level at transition and receive credit for any equivalent elements already completed.

Achieving the Strategic Professional Certificate in the redesigned qualification

To achieve the Strategic Professional Certificate, students must complete:

  • both Essentials exams (S1 Business and Sustainability Reporting and S2 Strategic Business Leader), and
  • one Options exam - this replaces the current requirement to complete both Essentials exams and two Options exams.

Becoming an affiliate in the redesigned qualification

Students who have not completed EPSM before transition will need to complete the Ethical, Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module to become an affiliate.

Refer to the EPSM guidance for further information.

Becoming a member

To become a member, students and affiliates must also complete the Practical Experience Requirement (PER).

Refer to the PER guidance for further information.

The redesigned Strategic Professional level of the ACCA Qualification will consist of the elements shown in the table below.

Redesigned Strategic Professional level (Strategic Professional Certificate*) completed elements required for credit to be given
Essentials – both exams required to be completed

S1 Business and Sustainability Reporting

SBR Strategic Business Reporting

S2 Strategic Business Leader

 SBL Strategic Business Leader
Options – in the redesigned qualification, students will only be required to complete 1 Options exam.
SAA Audit and Assurance Professional AAA Advanced Audit and Assurance
SCF Corporate Finance Professional AFM Advanced Financial Management 
STA Taxation Advisory Professional ATX Advanced Taxation
SDS Data Science Professional N/A
SPI Performance and Insights Professional APM Advanced Performance Management
Module – required for affiliate status
Ethical, Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module Ethics and Professional Skills module*

*Completion of the Ethics and Professional Skills (EPSM) module is not required to be awarded the ACCA Strategic Professional certificate. However, those who complete EPSM prior to transition will not be required to complete the Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module in the redesigned qualification.

  • To achieve the ACCA Strategic Professional Certificate prior to transition you will need to meet all the current exam element requirements (both Essentials exams and two Options exams).
  • If you receive credit for both Essentials, one Options exam and the Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module at transition, then you will be awarded the ACCA Strategic Professional Certificate.
  • Please refer to our EPSM Module guidance to understand how completion of this module impacts existing and future ACCA affiliate/membership status and qualification requirements.
  • Please refer to our Practical Experience Requirement (PER) guidance to understand transitional PER impacts.

You may wish to prioritise your studies and exam choices based on the transition impacts. For example:

  • Fulfilling the current requirements and continuing your progression to membership ahead of the changes will support your continuous development, career and demonstrate a strong commitment to your professional growth – an essential value for any future ACCA member.
  • Regardless of whether you complete one or two Options exams prior to transition, each exam provides valuable learning and deepens your technical expertise. All of which will support your current and future career progression.
  • We would continue to recommend completing EPSM ahead of taking any current Strategic Professional exam to maximise your chances of success. EPSM takes approximately 20 hours to complete and costs approximately £83. The Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module is expected to take approximately 60 hours to complete and will be chargeable (price to be confirmed in January 2027).
  • You must complete the Strategic Professional level exams within seven years of passing your first Strategic Professional exam. This rule is unchanged in the redesign.

Learn more about the 7 year rule

  • If you have currently completed one Options exam and have yet to complete both Essential exams, prioritising completing your remaining Essential exams may support your faster progression to membership.

Ethics and Professional Skills Module 

The Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM) will not be part of the redesigned ACCA Qualification. Students who have completed EPSM ahead of transition will receive credit for the Ethical, Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module, part of the redesigned Strategic Professional level. 

Students who wish to complete EPSM must do so by mid-July 2027 (exact date to be confirmed). 

To become an affiliate under the redesigned Strategic Professional level, students will be required to complete both the exams and the Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module.

Affiliates who have completed EPSM at transition

Affiliates who have already completed EPSM at transition will not be required to complete the Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module to retain affiliate status or become a member. Credit will be awarded for completion of EPSM.

Affiliates who have not completed EPSM at transition

Affiliates who have not completed EPSM at transition will retain their affiliate status. However, they will be required to complete the Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module as part of the requirements for ACCA membership.

  •  We would continue to recommend completing EPSM ahead of taking any current Strategic Professional exam to maximise your chances of success.
  • EPSM takes approximately 20 hours to complete and costs approximately £83. The Ethical Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module is expected to take approximately 60 hours to complete and will be chargeable (price to be confirmed in January 2027).

Practical Experience Requirement

There will be no changes to the existing Practical Experience Requirement (PER) in 2027. To become an ACCA member, students and affiliates will continue to be required to complete the ACCA PER, which consists of a minimum of 36 months of supervised practical experience in a relevant role and the completion of relevant Performance Objectives. 

In future, students and affiliates will be able to gain up to 6 months of PER through the completion of simulated experience from completing selected Optional Employability Modules. More detail on these modules and how simulated experience can be used towards PER will be available at a later date. 

  • Students and affiliates should continue to work towards completing the ACCA Practical Experience Requirement as it remains an essential part of gaining ACCA membership. 
  • Changes in the ACCA Practical Experience Requirement are planned in the future, and more detail on this will be provided at a later date. 

To support their progression to membership, students should start recording their PER as soon as they start in a relevant role.

Learn more about PER requirements

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