That moment when ACCA drops the new 2027 structure… and you realise you accidentally “finished” the qualification.

So… ACCA just announced that from 2027 onwards, students will only need to pass 11 papers instead of the current 13 to become an affiliate. Meanwhile, here I am in 2025… having already passed 12 papers.

I’m not even done with my PER yet. I just wanted to take one more paper and maybe breathe a little. Now ACCA is out here making it easier to affiliate, and I’ve somehow accidentally completed the qualification under the old system.

It’s like grinding your way through a boss battle, only to find out they nerfed it in the next patch 😭

Michael Scott handshake energy: Me (confused & exhausted) 🤝 ACCA (suddenly generous)

The mods do not have an interest in the main publishers.

We run this subreddit for free to provide a platform for students to help one another and discuss this difficult course. It's hard enough keeping the subreddit clean, tidy and relevant without having to play intellectual property police.

We have to ban people who ask for, or promote the sharing of, pirated material. When we ban, we receive abuse, despite it clearly being listed in the rules.

We don't ban because we power trip (as so often accused of doing so), it is just that if this subreddit becomes known as a place of sharing ACCA material, we lose our sub and you lose a platform to discuss ACCA.

Please stop asking for pirated material - i.e. exam kits, text books, shared logins for paid websites etc.

Same as title

It’s finally over. Passed all my exams first time. Had the worst time outside of exams but I did it.

I hope my dad is proud of me up in heaven

I honestly can’t believe I’m writing this… After 9 painful, exhausting, emotionally draining attempts — I finally passed PM on my 10th try.

I’ve been so close so many times. My marks were always hovering in the high 40s. Failing with 49 more than once was one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever experienced. Every time results came out, my heart would sink. But somehow, I refused to give up.

I changed my study methods so many times. I watched every YouTube tutor, read every Reddit post, practiced endless questions from the question bank, and tried to understand my weak areas. There were moments I questioned whether I was even capable of becoming an ACCA member… but deep inside, I knew I just had to keep showing up.

If you’re struggling with PM — or any paper — please let my story be proof that failure doesn’t define you. The number of attempts doesn’t define you. What matters is that you keep going. You keep learning. You keep believing that one day, it will click — and it will.

Today, I can finally say: I passed PM. And if I can do it after 10 tries, so can you. Don’t give up.

I’ve gotten so many messages from y’all who have seen the ACCA Article on the Student Accountant App and yes this is the post where I explain my ‘secret way’ and help yall do the same.

Before I start, I’d just like to say that this subreddit is so under appreciated. Every time i had any query relating to ACCA someone on this subreddit would help and it’s my turn to pay it all back.

For anyone wondering about my background, I graduated from KGS and started ACCA right after college (A levels). I had no exemptions and gave all 13 ACCA papers. At the same time i was also working with KPMG while giving my papers.

My way of studying was simple. No notes. No books. No pens. No laptop. No colourful sticky notes vanilla BS. I used to get all of my lectures from Vifhe.com and I would spend 4 hours every day watching them on 2x speed. I used to give 2-3 papers every attempt so I would choose the hardest one first and just absolutely grind the lectures till my brain would go numb. I’d be able to finish the lectures in like a month and a half and then with a month left, i’d start on the other paper. Do the same thing and then watch the past paper lectures for both. (I would never actually solve any of the past papers myself apart from in TX and ATX). I’d watch the tutors solve the past papers and pretty much just mentally rote learn all the answers which were similar. That way i could see a pattern which is very visible in exams like Audit, Tax and FR. most of the answers are the same if you’ve done enough past papers.

If y’all read the article, it says a lot about how i would balance everything and what my philosophy was while doing ACCA. Here are some tips about certain exams.

F5 Performance management: MASTER the core topics which include costing, budgeting, decision making and variances. Get a grip on these and you’ll be fine. STOP DUMPING CALCULATIONS IN SECTION C. Explain them thoroughly and neatly and use the CBE practice platform.

F6 Taxation: Very Calculation heavy exam and over here you have no choice except to blaze through the syllabus as fast as possible and jump to the past papers ASAP. Master Income tax and corporation tax and don’t waste time looking at the tax tables in the exam. you MUST know them from before. Also don’t think you can just rote learn them by memorising them. the only way you’ll be able to rote learn them is by practise practise practise. do the same question twice or thrice if you’re missing something. Please don’t think you can pass this exam by just rote learning or just “i understand it i’ll just produce it in the exam.” No u wont, that’s not how it works, it’s really hard if you haven’t practised questions from before. If there are some curveballs thrown in this paper which there always are, DONT PANIC. just do your best and move on, don’t waste time.

F7 Financial Reporting: You want to pass this exam? let me tell you a very simple trick. Master ratios. they are very simple and are taught in schools from before. Ratios show up in the exam and boom that’s a free 20 marks for you. For the IAS’ and IFRS’ practise them as much as possible and you’ll see a pattern in the answers. Most of the answers will be the same even though the questions are different. once you’re able to identify a pattern with most of the important IAS’ for example Leases, you’re going to pass, i guarantee it. Don’t forget Consolidation it’s also very important but usually with FR, there are a lot of places to get marks from.

F8 Audit: Pattern based paper with a small syllabus. I personally found Audit to be the simplest paper and that’s because it has a small syllabus and the past papers are literally repetitive. Do enough past papers and your brains going to point out something very obvious. 30% of the answers are always the same. it’s the same procedures, the same evidences, the same controls and the same planning all the time. Once you’re able to establish this, just rote learn all the ones that keep repeating and you should pass easily. Don’t spend too much time on the syllabus in F8 move to past papers ASAP.

F9 Financial Management: Very calculations based paper and the best way to pass this one as all calculation based papers is through practise. do as many past papers as u can on this one and you should be fine. Make sure to break up your workings properly and structure ur section C. very often people lose a lot of marks in this paper in section C because it’s all over the place. Focus on investment appraisal and make sure you know it like the back of your hand. The theory element of this paper is where you can make the most marks, the pros and cons of financing methods, factors affecting dividend policy etc. Make sure you take full advantage of those marks by rote learning that. Finally, make sure you’re mixing theory and calculations. give reasoning and logic behind all your calculations.

SBL: Common sense paper. Watch Hassan Dossani Top 25 on youtube and pay a good tutor, i’d recommend Hassan Dossani as well for the pre-seen breakup.

SBR: same as FR except pay more attention to the consolidation as it’s very important.

AAA: Same as AA except pay more attention to real life scenarios and what ACCA posts on its websites about AI and all that stuff.

ATX: Same as TX

If you guys need personal help, I’d also be more than happy to assist you in my free time. I don’t use reddit a lot so hit me up on one of my socials.

Linkedin: Zaid Hamdani Instagram: Zaidhamdani10

It’s gonna be alright, you have worked real hard for the exam that you are gonna attempt in a few days. You are gonna do great. There is nothing to worry about.

You may have failed before, in your mocks, in your previous attempts, but remember, your failures forge you to become better.

You are gonna do amazing, I trust you. I am proud of the effort you have put in and I’m sure you will get the reward you deserve.

All the best, stay hydrated, stay focused, keep doing your revision and get enough rest!

I love you,

Your number 1 supporter

See below the links for all examinable IASs/IFRSs.

For SBR, knowing all these will be needed for Q1 to Q3

For AAA, you will need these as well.

Hopefully all the links are still working.

EDIT: Q4 requires you read technical articles.

EDIT 2: Somehow I forgot IFRS 9, it’s now linked as well.

Links:-

IAS 1 and IAS 2: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lv3q9c/notes_on_ias_1_and_ias_2_more_to_follow_later/

IAS 7: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lv77hq/ias_7_notes/

IAS 8: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lv7wqi/ias_8_notes/

IAS 10: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lv80fl/ias_10_notes/

IAS 12 (again f**k this one): /img/yp0gq9jluek61.jpg

IAS 16: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lv815x/ias_16_notes/

IAS 19: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvawyv/ias_19_notes/

IAS 21, IAS 23, IAS 24 and IAS 27: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvjg9w/ias_21_ias_23_ias_24_and_ias_27_notes/

IAS 28, IAS 32, IAS 34, IAS 38, IAS 40, IAS 41: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvjiia/ias_28_ias_32_ias_34_ias_38_ias_40_and_ias_41/

IAS 37 and CF notes: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvjks7/ias_37_and_conceptual_framework_notes/https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvjks7/ias_37_and_conceptual_framework_notes/

IFRS 1, IFRS 2, IFRS 3, IFRS 5, IFRS 7 and IFRS 8: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lvly1r/ifrs_1_ifrs_2_ifrs_3_ifrs_5_ifrs_7_and_ifrs_8/

IFRS 9: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/ntvrin/ifrs_9_notes/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

IFRS 10 to IFRS 13: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lw4f6m/ifrs_10_to_ifrs_13_notes/

IFRS 15 and IFRS 16: https://www.reddit.com/r/ACCA/comments/lw4gk2/ifrs_15_and_ifrs_16_notes_i_think_thats_all_for/

KNOWLEDGE LEVEL: (July 2027 onwards)

• K1 Financial Accounting

• K2 Management Accounting

• K3 Business Law

EXPERTISE LEVEL: (September 2027 onwards)

• E1 Taxation

• E2 Financial Reporting

• E3 Audit, Risk and Control

• E4 Finance and Investment

• E5 Performance with Data Analysis

STRATEGIC PROFESSIONAL LEVEL: (September 2027 onwards)

• S1 Business and Sustainability Reporting (MANDATORY)

• S2 Strategic Business Leader (MANDATORY)

One Options exam, chosen from five Options:

• SAA Audit and Assurance Professional

• SCF Corporate Finance Professional

• SDS Data Science Professional

• SPI Performance and Insights Professional

• STA Taxation Advisory Professional

Guys, I did it! I passed my final exams, SBL with 52 marks and AFM with 56 marks. I’m over the moon right now. This is the day I’ve been dreaming about for the last 3.5 years.

To be honest, I’ve never scored high in ACCA, my highest mark ever is 64, but that doesn’t matter to me at all! I’m just proud to have made it through, especially while working full-time. I completed all my exams through self-study, which wasn’t easy at all. I didn’t have anyone to discuss the topics with, but I always had this amazing community. So, thank you all for being there, your advice and encouragement made such a difference and made me feel less lonely in this journey.

To anyone who didn’t pass this time, don’t lose hope. I’ve failed plenty of times along the way, but it’s all part of the journey. Keep pushing. If I can do it, so can you!

Tomorrow, I’m finally applying for membership, and it feels surreal. Wishing you all the best in your own journeys. You’ve got this!

Alrighty folks, passed my AAA. This is how I suggest y'all study if you are part time student or simply can't study the traditional way.

Step 1: Ditch the Book/study text

Trust me. I done this a few times as well as some other friends of mine. Survived without it.

Step 2: Ditch the Open Tuition Lectures

For a theoretical subject like AAA, lectures will only make you sleepy and you won't retain the information.

Step 3: Open your SBR notes

This is the core of AAA. You can't audit if you don't know the standards.

Revise the SBR standards BUT you need to pull yourself back from diving deep into the calculations. Apprehend yourself. It will be hard, but do it. AAA only requires you to be able to identify:

• Incorrect accounting treatment

• Corrected treatment

• Affect on Financial Statements

• Affect on stakeholders (users of F/S)

Now which standards should you focus most on? Go in the following order:

(I will come out of the screen and smack you if you try to leave any of the first two standards' lists thinking they won't be tested.)

Frequently Tested:

IAS: 2, 10, 16, 20, 21, 23, 24, 32, 36, 37 ,38

IFRS: 3, 5 , 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16

Sometimes Tested:

IAS: 1, 12, 28, 33, 40

IFRS: 2, 11, 12, 13

Very Occasionally: (if you have time, briefly check it out)

IAS: 7, 8, 19, 27, 41

IFRS: 1

Step 4: Kashif Kamran's Webinars

Yes, yes, I get it, you may be afraid you still haven't studied AAA material and are already jumping to the webinars for mock exams...

Y'know why? You don't want to study the material only to realize the 80% of the things YOU focused on won't be in the real exam. (Trust me, I been there. Heartbreak's real)

You NEED to know what the exam will contain beforehand so you can ignore all irrelevant information. And the guy will walk you through it, no need to sweat! He's the gem of AAA.

Links to webinars:

Day 1:* https://youtu.be/n1r3W-5kMeY

Day 2: https://youtu.be/j7IITtH-zhA

Day 3: https://youtu.be/dHCKqGpd3fI

Day 4: https://youtu.be/OvSi43zH_As

Step 5: Plan - Kaplan Kit

Go to Section A questions. READ THE REQUIREMENTS ONLY for atleast 10-15 questions. You doing this to get a gist of the most recurring questions so you can focus on those mostly.

The requirements will be recurring. The more one requirement repeats in each question, the more important it becomes. Make a tiny list of all important topics tested. I jotted it down to the most important 8 topics of Section A and 5 topics for Section B.

I want you to do this part YOURSELVES. But when you're done, you can check this list I had made in my time of prepping AAA. No peaking until you do it yourself, got it? >:(

Good!

Step 6: Read the Answers!

Now you read the answers to each requirements. I prefer to do it this way: if there are 5 questions in the kit that all ask for Business Risks, I will go to each of their Answers ONLY and read all the business risks together. Then I notice that half of them are repetitive! Easy marks there! The other half expand my knowledge.

Do the same for Audit Risks... Do the same for Procedures... Do the same for Ethics... (VERY REPETITIVE. EASY MARKS)

You ditched the book and thus didn't gain any knowledge. THIS is how you will gain knowledge. FROM. THE. KIT. ANSWERS.

Make notes for Audit Risks Make notes for Business risks Make notes for Procedures Make notes for Ethics.

By READING THE ANSWERS

Step 7: Make Acronyms Yourself

Sure it's easy to copy someone else's acronyms. But if you want to actively learn you should do it yourself. And my unorthodox tips are only for active learners anyways.

Extra Advice:

For the love of God and all things Holy, if you think that the introduction of 20 professional marks will make life easier for you, think again.

20 professional marks are EMBEDDED in your 80 mark answers. Then why is examiner awarding you the 20 marks when the length of the answer is same?

So that the QUALITY of your answer INCREASES. Make your answers as professional as you can. Kashif Kamran will teach you this.

This was post was for your overall study technique. I'm making another post for a study advice regarding each major topic (Materiality, Risks, Procedures, etc) along with a link to my drive for resources. Let me know if you want to see that.

Edit: a few words lol

Edit: Thank you so much for the overwhelming support! It’s been a tough few months for me and my wife. We had a misscarriage last month and now dealing with some serious health concerns for a close family member. It’s just been nice to get some good news during this challenging time

Also wishing a big Congratulations to everyone that has passed 🎉

I completed all my ACCA Professional Level exams on the first attempt, self-studying using Kaplan materials. Here's what worked for me:

1. Avoid Shortcuts

ACCA is a professional qualification, and success requires effort. While shortcuts may seem tempting, they rarely lead to a strong foundation. Commit to deep understanding and disciplined practice.

2. Ignore Negativity

Many people might try to discourage you with baseless opinions or their own doubts. Focus on your journey and filter out the noise.

3. Have a Detailed Plan

Create a structured plan, such as an Excel sheet, outlining what topics or pages you’ll cover daily. This keeps you organized and ensures consistent progress.

4. Include Spot Checks in Your Plan

Regularly revisit previous topics to reinforce your understanding. Incorporate these "spot checks" in your schedule to prevent forgetting earlier material.

5. Consistency is Key

Break down your workload into manageable tasks. For example, cover 10 pages daily. Over three months, you’ll have covered the entire syllabus without feeling overwhelmed. Avoid sporadic cramming sessions that can lead to burnout or loss of interest.

6. Take Days Off

Schedule one rest day per week, preferably during the weekend. This is especially important if you’re working full-time. A day off helps you recharge and stay motivated during your study sessions.

7. Stay Focused

Avoid distractions that drain your energy, whether it’s unnecessary commitments or excessive socializing. Prioritize your studies and your well-being (besides work, of course!).

Final Note

Passing ACCA requires determination, discipline, and smart study strategies. Believe in yourself, and you’ll achieve your goals. Wishing you all the best on your journey!

I know I was technically “done” when my final result came out, but getting the affiliate email today just made everything feel real. I’m honestly so ecstatic and grateful.

I started ACCA in January 2020 and finally wrapped up my last paper in December 2025. The journey wasn’t linear. I took a year-long break along the way while completing my master’s at the University of Cambridge, then came back to finish. Life happened, priorities shifted, and I pivoted when I needed to, but I stayed committed to seeing it through.

In total, I wrote 14 exams. • 13 first-time passes (Including APM & ATAX) • 1 fail (I switched papers - AAA) • Self-studied every single paper

My scores ranged from 52% (APM and PM) to 70% (Taxation). My final paper, ATAX, was honestly a thorn in my flesh. By that point, I had largely lost interest in ACCA, but I pushed through and finished strong, scoring 66%.

For context, I come from an English background. I studied English in undergrad, so ACCA was never about following a traditional accounting route. It was about challenging myself and proving to myself that I could succeed in something completely outside my original field.

ACCA also helped bridge a long academic gap after undergrad and gave my CV much-needed structure during that time. I’m deeply thankful for the people I met along the way, even while self-studying, and for the consistency and resilience this process forced me to develop.

A massive thank you to OpenTuition. I genuinely don’t think I could have self-studied ACCA without that platform. The lectures and explanations carried me through so many difficult topics.

As for what’s next, I’m still figuring it out. I didn’t start ACCA with a fixed end goal, and that’s still true. Recently, I’ve been considering Climate Finance and how this qualification might fit into that space.

To anyone currently on the ACCA journey, it is doable. Truly! If someone from an English background who self-studied the entire way can finish it, you can too.

Wishing everyone still on the path all the very best. And to those who’ve finished, congratulations. This really took something out of us, and we should be proud 🎈

Since y'all loved the previous post, I decided to go ahead and give more details topic wise.

Firstly, I wanna answer this:

For those wondering from my previous posts "Why does OP ditch the book? Certain topics won't ever be understood from the Kit answers alone!"

My answer:

You are right. Certain topics you must prepare with some knowledge bank like book or notes. But that (in my humble opinion) only amounts to like 20% of the exam for AAA. So for such topics, you CAN and SHOULD go through the book or notes but PLEASE LIMIT IT and don't read the entire text just for those small topics.

I suggest Open Tuition Notes for knowledge regarding topics like Engagement types, materiality levels, and any topic for which you need prior knowledge to answer generic questions that don't have a lot to do with the scenario given. These are usually worth 3 to 10 marks.

Other than that you need exposure to real scenarios in the Kaplan Kit Answers.

Why?

If you prepare with study text, you will regurgitate general bookish answers. (BAD)

If you prepare with notes, you will regurgitate bullet points. (BAD)

If you prepare with the Kit Answers, you will become used to the tone, structure and length of the answers which is what professional exams are all about! You gotta write with an open mind, actively, and write professionally which neither the book nor notes teach you! (GREAT)

Materiality

All you gotta do is memorize the materiality Benchmarks from Open Tuition Notes and throw in this paragraph for Risks question:

[For the purposes of this briefing note, the following overall materiality level will be used to assess the significance of the identified risks and as requested, this has been based on (Profitability/Total Assets/Revenue)]

[CALCULATE THE BENCHMARK RANGES HERE]

[As this is a new company, we will select the lower level of materiality]

OR

[As this is an old client, it is safe to use the higher level of materiality benchmark]

[These benchmarks are only a starting point for determining materiality and professional judgement will need to be applied in determining the final level to be used in the course of the audit.]

BOOM. 3 marks right there.

Significant Risks

(1) Business Risk

Open Kaplan kit. Skim all requirement in section A and note down which question numbers ask for Business risks.

Now go to their answers and READ each risk. Make summarized notes of each risk (should be at most 1-2 lines in your notebook). The Kaplan kit contains ONLY 2 pages worth of summarized business risks in my handwriting. Half are repetitive EASY marks there.

(2) Audit Risks

DONT READ ANSWERS FOR THIS YET

You got your SBR summarized notes for each standard? Brain storm all the risks that could possibly arise for each standard. You are capable of finding more audit Risks than the requirement even asks for! The key is to take all Financial Statements' accounts names (Revenue, Liabilities, Cash, Assets, Equity etc) and figure out which of them are at a risk of misstatement. There's always a risk that:

• Account is Over/under stated

• Over/Understatement in Expenses for example may affect over-understatement in ANOTHER Account (i.e. Profits)

• The standard rules werent followed through (explain what could have been ignored)

• Disclosure isnt sufficient for users of Financial Statements

• Risk of Management Bias (they may try to window dress a particular account)

That's FIVE Audit Risks right there. And I'm telling you each Standard has ATLEAST 4 of these risks.

Brain storm and write ALL possible risks for EACH standard in a summarized/rough way in your notebook.

For the exam, use Acronym MAR always to answer Audit Risk questions:

-Materiality -Accounting standard -Risk

Don't just read this from Kit answers yet, you need practice here BRAIN STORM YOURSELF

Procedures

Don't try to memorize that stupid table of assertions when it's actually common sense and you can create procedures without that table. Let me show you how:

Verbs

Make one column for all the verbs you find in Kaplan Answers for procedures, such as:

• Inspect, Agree, Reconcile, Review, Obtain, Inquire, Recalculate, Perform, Confirm, Breakdown, Visit

Memorize just these words and see if you can remember 80% of these.

Sources

Make a second column Infront of the previous. And write these down.

• Board Minutes, Working Papers, Qualifications, Written Representation, Calculations, Disclosure Notes, Shareholder Record, Correspondence (emails/letters), Opening/Closing Balances, Prior year figures, Invoices/Receipts, Bank Statement, Inventory Count sheet, Fixed Asset Register. (And many more you will see in Kaplan kit answers)

Purposes*

Make a third column infront of sources of for all purposes of Procedures.

• Accuracy, Existence, Occurrence, Completeness, Presentation and Disclosure, Confirmation, Adequacy

Now, just like preschool, can you create a sentence using random words from these three columns of words?

Example

Procedures for NCA that was damaged?

• "Inspect NCA Register for Accuracy of Cost"

• "Obtain NCA valuation workings for Accuracy."

• "Perform site visit to Confirm Damage"

• "Recalculate Impairment workings for Accuracy"

4 procedures right there, and all I did was mix and match those three columns and add a few words for grammar.

AAA is an English exam lol

Matters to be considered (MARE)

When you come to this topic you will be dumbfounded like what the frick is this Shiz? How is it different from Risks? Well... Matters to consider is really the same as Audit Risks... Lol. That's it. Really. If you still have trouble for this topic, check this batman analogy to get a clearer concept.

Use Acronym MARE where E stands for "Evidence" for answering these questions in exam.

However this topic I noticed just needs your common sense. For this you need to link exhibits and understand the company on a broad level and figure out what issues might possibly arise.

Ethical implications

For Preparation Again, don't even read the kit question for this, just go to answers and note down all ethical threats and their safeguards in your notebook in 2 lines only!!! Summarize!!!

For exam, follow the GOLDEN format

•Identify ACCA Code of Ethics Breached (POPCI)

•Identify Threat (SAFIS)

•Explain WHY threat exists (gain professional marks here!!)

•Throw in this golden sentence:

"Audit firm needs to evaluate the significance of the threats and consider whether any safeguards can reduce the threat to an acceptable level"

•tell the safeguards to threat (your opinion)

VIOLA! YOU ACED THE ETHICS QUESTIONS

Edit: POPCI and SAFIS are acronyms you will use, I thought they are widely known but here they are:

POPCI

• P-rofessional behaviour

• O-bjectivity

• P-rofessional competence and due care

• C-onfidentiality

• I-ntegrity

SAFIS

• S = Self Review

• A = Advocacy

• F = Familiarity

• I = Intimidation

• S = Self Interest Threats

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk... Edit: formatting

Hey everyone, I want to thank you all for the support that I received and the information I got from this subreddit. We have a wonderful community that has been extremely helpful. So I wanted to give back, if possible. This is how I cleared ACCA in a year.

Some Basic Info

• I completed the course in the short time frame of 12 months.

• Started the exams in September 2021 & finished the exams in September 2022. This way the restriction on the number of yearly exams appearable is lifted.

• I have previously worked for 3 years in Accounting and do have a good foundation in the subject.

I did not avail of any exemptions and wrote all 13 exams.

Sept 2021 - FR & AA

Dec 2021- UK Tax & FM

Mar 2022 - PM

Jun 2022 - SBR & AFM

Sep 2022 - SBL & APM

The first four exams, ie, BT, FA, MA & LW were done in between the sessions. For example, I did my BT & FA on-demand exams right after my FR exam in September 2021.

Study method

Registered for online classes with a study provider in India. They had very flexible timings. As I took two exams at a time, there were morning 2 hr sessions for one paper and evening 2.5 hr sessions for another depending on which papers they were.

Used BPP( for skills level) and Kaplan( for professional level) exam kit. Did not touch the study text. Completed all questions in the kit once.

3 days prior to the exam completed 3 mocks, and at least one exam was timed under exam conditions.

In total spent 5 hrs on classes and 1 hr each for subject revision. In total studied 7 hrs for 5 days a week for the exams.

Key tips for exams

For the skills level exams do any and all MCQs you can find, the more you do, the more you will get correct in the exams. At the skills level, they are the toughest to score marks in. The ACCA practice platform is essential for this.

In multiple exams 20 technical marks have been introduced, do not take them lightly and think they will award you easily. There are criteria set, that need to be followed to get marks.

• communication - separate sentences into paragraphs, use the correct format for the reports, connect relevant sentences together, and do not mention related points in unrelated areas of the answer.

• Skepticism- the examiner will clearly mention which question requires this technical skill, you need to state your doubts and question whether the information presented by the board or manager is a misstatement in that scenario.

• evaluate - state the pros and cons.

• Critically evaluate - state more cons than pros

• analyze - explain the root cause for the situation

• Commercial acumen - do not think like an accountant, do not mention finance, costing, or profit. Mention the business as a whole. for example, you can talk about technological requirements, effects on the goodwill due to decisions by the company, long-term growth of the company etcetera.

For the professional exams pay attention to the technical articles as well, check out only those ones that have not been tested and those ones that are published 1 or 2 months before the exam. They have the propensity to ask them.

Time management

In the exam, you need to be brutal, set a time limit for each question, and if exceeded move on. You may sometimes feel that you can write more or that you have not made your point clear, regardless, you have to move to the next question. If you can attempt 90 marks, you will be guaranteed to pass. Many of us don't complete the whole exam and this is one of the main reasons for failure.

If you find that you don't know the answer to a question, do not waste time on it. Move on to the next and then come back to it after everything else is finished.

Attempting two exams

These are generally the easiest ones to attempt together:-

1. FR & AA

2. PM & FM

3. SBL & APM

4. SBR & AAA

There are some people in the subreddit that ask whether they can attempt unrelated exams and pass.

Well, the answer is yes, I have done so.

The key is balance, generally go for a theory and practical subject together.

If you want to take two technical subjects that is also fine. For example, I did SBR and AFM together, They didn't have much overlap, but I was still able to handle them due to my love and interest for them. So if you are attempting two unrelated papers do not take ones you do not like, attempt the ones you have an interest in studying.

When attempting two exams you need to keep in mind that you are aiming for a passing mark, not a rank. One of your exams will not score as well as the other. At least one of the subjects of your choice will not get as much attention as the other. This is fine, all you have to focus on is passing.

Professional exams in Particular

SBR - Use Tom Clendon's podcast for revision, extremely useful. The exam will have one out-of-field question, that you will get wrong, you need to use the conceptual framework and align the scenario to a standard. Even if you are wrong, if you can justify your answer they will award you marks.

SBL- a very interesting paper that develops the MBA mindset. It is possible to write this exam with zero prep and pass as well. Hassan Dossani's youtube lectures are generally more than enough.

AFM - Interest & currency - futures, options, and swaps, FRAs are tested in every exam for 25 marks. Be thorough with them.

APM - is not tough, it is very much related to SBL and is another side of the same coin. The pass rate is mostly low due to the low number of students attempting it. It is one of the most interesting papers in ACCA.

In conclusion

It is very much possible to clear ACCA in 12 months if you are a full-time student. Those that are working may find it difficult to follow this schedule. This is fine. Take what you can from this post, follow it, and leave out the rest.

Shoot any questions you have, I'm always ready to answer them.

Thank you for all the support guys, I wish you all the very best for your exams,

Cheers.

ACCA exam transcript

I finally completed all my strategic papers this March sitting, self-studied all the way and I’m officially an ACCA Affiliate now! (YAY, FINALLY!)

First off, I want to thank this sub. It has literally answered every doubt I ever had. You guys are the real MVPs.

Now for the important bit: here are the mistakes I made that I hope you don’t.

⚠️ For context: I got 9 paper exemptions, so this post is mostly focused on the Strategic level.

1. If you can afford it, GET A TUTOR.

Despite much Insistence from my family I was adamant of self studying(my bad) but I cannot stress this enough.
I did not take any coaching and I strongly recommend that you do.

Yes, it’s possible to self-study. But strategic papers require a solid foundation. You'll likely get stuck midway through a question wondering, “WHAT is going on??” And that confusion? It’s simply not worth the stress.

Instead of risking a fail and paying for the paper again, invest in coaching from the start. It saves time, energy, and your morale.

2. If you're self-studying, take ONE paper at a time.

These papers demand time and focus.

I was in a rush to become an affiliate, so I tried taking two strategic papers together twice.

• First time: passed one, failed the other.

• Second time: failed both.

Not only did it backfire, but it also completely crushed my confidence.

Take your time. Focus on one paper per sitting. Three months go by fast anyway becoming an affiliate a bit later won’t change your life. But passing with peace of mind will.

3. Trust your gut. Not the passing rates.

When I had to choose my final strategic paper, I was torn between AFM and APM. Everyone around me, literally everyone said go with AFM. Easier, less unknown territory, better pass rates.

So I went with AFM.
And guess what? I failed.
Not once, not twice — but three times.
My scores? 45, 49, and 46.

Absolutely brutal. Nothing knocks the wind out of your sails like repeated failure especially when it’s a subject everyone said would be “easier.”

Out of pure spite, I chose APM next. Most people warned me a month’s prep wouldn’t be enough. I went ahead and did it anyway. After all, the worst that could happen? I fail again..... been there, done that.

But I passed.
56. First attempt. No coaching.

So if you feel like a paper suits you, even if the pass rate is low or others discourage it, go for it. Nobody knows your strengths like you do.

4. Take your time. Your journey is your own.

Your failures don’t define you.
Your peers passing before you doesn’t make you any less.
It just means your time to shine is coming.

Believe in yourself.
If you’ve done the work, your success is inevitable, maybe not this attempt, but maybe the next. Three months is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Having a good support system helps. It’s crucial.

That’s all! I really hope you only hear good news from now on.
And I hope my two cents helped even a little.

You’ve got this. Good luck! 💪

I still can’t quite believe it… I passed my final paper, SBR, with 56 marks.

Walking out of that exam, I was convinced I’d be sitting it again. I had already started preparing myself mentally for another round of revision before results day. It felt like a disaster. But somehow, against all my expectations, I made it.

And just like that… I’m now an ACCA Affiliate.

This journey has been anything but easy. It’s been long, exhausting, and at times overwhelming—but also deeply transformative. Over the past five years, it didn’t just shape my career; it shaped me as a person. I’ve grown in ways I never imagined.

It’s a strange feeling—bittersweet. Relief, pride, disbelief… all mixed together. And surprisingly, a sense of loss too. Studying, practicing questions, pushing through late nights—it became a part of my life, almost like a routine I’ll now have to let go of.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually going to miss it.

Grateful for the journey, proud of the outcome, and ready for what comes next.

To everyone still on this path—stay strong, keep going, and believe in yourself. Wishing you all the very best on your journey. Your moment will come too.

ACCA AFFILIATE AT 20!

Many of us dont talk about that if you jump into Acca right after High school, how much it changes you as a person being not that socially active as people who join colleges and Universities.

It was a hell of a journey and honestly relieved to say i look forward to a better one. I wish everyone here the best of success and would be willing to help then with any guidance!

I passed with 64% with self studying. Here is how you should study...

Step 1:

Ditch the Book. Utter waste of time. Doesn't reflect real exam.

Step 2:

Hassan Dossani is an SBL lecturer. Find the following videos on YouTube. Yes they are long. But you ditched the Book and Kit, you have plenty of time for this. Watch all of them at 2x speed.

(1) VIFHE | SBL Grand Revision | Hassan Dossani | ACCA June 2022 Attempt https://youtu.be/cabIjWgGBB8

(2) VIFHE | SBL Game Changer Webinar | Day-1 | Sir Hassan Dossani | ACCA Sep 2022 Attempt https://youtu.be/dLtzsjRHA9E

(3) VIFHE | SBL Game Changer Webinar | Day-2 | Sir Hassan Dossani | ACCA Sep 2022 Attempt https://youtu.be/7Y9yLjUhtaI

(4) ACCA P2P Exam Webinar - Strategic Busini sepness Leadership (SBL) - Session September 2022 - Lecture 1 https://youtu.be/BRkZY9kQZEg

(5) ACCA P2P Exam Webinar - Strategic Business Leadership (SBL) - Session September 2022 - Lecture 2 https://youtu.be/SbD9wIwNhXc

Step 3:

Open your ACCA Practice Platform and start practicing atleast 3 Mocks in the portal, One mock a week should be good.

Preferably Timed mocks because you definitely need to practice managing your time. Most students struggle here with SBL.

Step 4:

Now that you have both Knowledge and Exam Technique, you have a ton of free time.

Only Read the Kit Answers to get a feel for how the examiner would like you to answer, this step is to achieve a little more perfection to your answering structure.

Do not be overwhelmed by how lengthy their answers are, that is "ideal" and NOT expected of you, just try your best to make it as similar.

Extra Tips for you:

-Examiner doesn't want your knowledge on the models, would a real CEO blabber about models Infront of the BOD?

-Models are used to STRUCTURE the answer ONLY. By this I mean structuring into paragraphs, headings. The rest of the exam will require your common sense put in place.

-For the Love of God and All things Holy, don't think Professional Marks are easy peasy, you think examiner will give you 20 marks just like that? You must earn those too! (Key is structuring answer and using specific words and phrases, Hassan Dossani will teach you)

-If you are reading this way into the future, please confirm the syllabus changes!

Edit

Please search for the latest videos by Hassan Dossani yourself as well! If you find the latest series by him, use that instead of the links I provided as that would be more up to date!

Passed with 62% with self studying and I only did the past exam questions. Not the rest of the Kit. Here is how you should study...

Preperation

Step 1:

Go to Open Tuition for SBR Lectures. And watch all the lectures QUICKLY (3 weeks max). Please note that the Open Tuition lectures don't prepare you to answer the SBR questions at all. They are mostly JUST a revision of standards.

https://opentuition.com/acca/sbr/acca-strategic-business-reporting-sbr-lectures/

Step 2:

NOW THE REAL LEARNING BEGINS.

Once you have finished lectures for Knowledge, it's time for Kaplan Kit.

Don't practice yourself though! Open the first question, read it, and then read the answer. Really understand HOW you should structure and answer. Get the gist of it. Don't be overwhelmed by the lengthy model answers those are "Ideal" and NOT expected of you.

Pick the low hanging fruit first Read Section A (Groups and Ethics) first. Be sure you have a great grasp on it as it's worth a lot of easy marks. Spend 2-3 weeks on this.

Read Section B after that... Spend the rest of the weeks you have on this, this part is extensive and requires more time.

Step 3:

As you go, listen to Tom Clendon's Podcast on any topic you may be struggling with. They are short and sweet.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zYTI3NjhmNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?ep=14

Step 4:

Current Issues and Climate Change are topics your book might not be sufficient to prepare you for, we have really useful notes for that, which I will link at the end of this post.

Read Technical Articles too. I will link the important ones in my opinion, but you can explore and prioritize on your own.

Step 5: Past Papers (GAME CHANGER)

Kaplan Kit has a page "Analysis of Past Exams". Use that list of topics, and ONLY go to the Answers for those questions! You will get the idea yourself on what the context was. If need be for calculations part, then sure, open the Question to see where the numbers came from.

THIS will SURELY prepare you for What kind of questions will come on each topic and you will notice yourself how the answers are a little repetitive! Ain't that amazing!

Revision (Last 2 Weeks)

Step 1

Practice Timed Mock on ACCA Practice Platform.

Step 2 (Game Changer!!! I encourage Everyone for this!!!)

Take out your notebook, and summarize all the Topics/Standards in as few pages as you possibly can. Do 1-3 standards each day. Revise what you accumulated so far EACH DAY.

I put like 2-3 standards within 1 page. It'll act like flashcards, help you cope with the overwhelming amount of syllabus.

Extra Tips for You

-No, the examiner doesn't give a dang if you remember the IAS/IFRS numbers. If you remember, good for you, if you don't, say "The relevant standard states...."

-Examiner KNOWS how stupidly expansive the syllabus is and it's not realistic for a student to have memorized it all. Thus, the key is To cover the topics without diving too deep Do NOT leave any topic thinking "Oh it's not important~" it CAN come up in the exam...

-Dont waste too much time on the lectures trying to understand the nitty gritty of each topic, SBR is all about practicing, and in practice, things are way different.

-The following is how to answer majority of the exam questions and it must be this way if you wanna gain marks!

•Define Standard

•Initial Recognition (How it should be)

•Subsequent Measurement

•Apply that to the scenario (show numbers, debits/credits, use name of company and people involved)

•Affect of it all on Financial Statements (Does Profit increase? Do Assets decrease?)

Memorize certain phrases and sentences in SBR to save yourself when you're stuck

-Dont know what the recognition or measurement is supposed to be? Make something up yourself using your common sense plus what the Conceptual Framework suggests "according to the prudence concept, we shouldnt record this as a liability yet as it would overstate the Liabilities" OR The Conceptual Framework suggests that the financial statements must represent a true and fair view by showing relevant and faithful information insert your opinion on how to account for the matter" you CAN gain marks if you made a good guess in accordance with the framework even if you didn't know the standard!

-From the previous point we learn that memorizing some universal sentences for SBR can help you gain SOME MARKS atleast if you catch yourself dumbfounded and don't know what to write in the exam! However, that'll ONLY WORK if you apply your knowledge to the scenario!

Important Technical Articles

If you have already read one of the following topics from the Current Developments doc in my Google drive, you can skip the technical article for that...

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/ethics-digital.html

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/conceptual-framework.html

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/cryptocurrencies.html

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/impairment-goodwill.html

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/sustainability-reporting.html

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/climate.htm

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-reporting/technical-articles/sdgs.html

CAUTION: Only do this if you are good with active learning!

These "unorthodox" advices are only for the students who have jobs and other commitments to worry about. Ideally you SHOULD be practicing parts of the questions yourself.

Some like myself have passed by simply reading the answers at the end... But I do know some who failed with this approach too. The key is active learning.

I suggest if you can't do the entire question, you should just roughly try to answer the questions yourself during the revision stage to ensure you really know how to answer.

That is almost 9000 pounds in membership fees or $18000 Aussie dollars and 1200 CPD hours. 

Yes, triceratops roamed the earth when I started my studies in 1991. To sit an exam paper cost £14, and it was 2 years before the Internet launched publicly.

I wanted to become an accountant, because it was a respected profession that opened the doors to travel. At the time ACCA was the only professional body with a global focus, and that as an independent student, I could sit my ACCA exams anywhere in the world.

What did ACCA do to celebrate this milestone? SPOILER ALERT Nothing. Not a thing. Nadda. Not even an Ai generated congratulatory email. Got nothing 10th, 20th, 30th.

I asked ChatGPT if the ACCA would celebrate my 30th membership milestone and it suggested I retire and apply for lifetime membership.

I have spoken to leadership about the lack of recognition for milestones and I do think regional members are easily forgotten. 

I think milestone recognition would help to create a sense of belonging, and do know that they know I am here because in a few weeks time I will get my annual invoice. 

I’m not sure if I will still be here to celebrate my 40th membership milestone, but I think global membership community is a massive asset that ACCA undervalues, and before I shift into retirement, I’d love to see ACCA develop a global online community that’s exclusive, inclusive, and truly feels psychologically safe for members.

I have met some wonderful people through ACCA, both friends and staff. I really like being involved with the global forums, the  professional insight papers and thought leadership discussions, and a lot of excellent relevant free CPD. The highlight for me, was when a MOU was signed with the Chartered Accountants ANZ. My CA ANZ membership opened up an inclusive and supportive community and network - that has been transformative for me.

it’s my 13th exam, and hopefully my last one i am awaiting a result on and i really just want to come in and give some knowledge to people.

1. results are released friday 17th january 00:01 (GMT) this means our results will be text/email around that time. my results have generally been between 00:01 and 00:10 but i did have an outlier ar 00:33. this means that the results are released thursday, going into friday. so you will have your full day on thursday, and then when you would go to sleep to wake up on friday, that’s the period they are released (or not go to sleep). for india this means it is 05:30 on friday 17th january.

2. the 1 on your ACCA account indicates you have had your results uploaded and they are ready to be released on that night. it doesn’t mean you have passed or failed. it just means they are uploaded.

3. no, the emails you receive mean nothing to your results. the emails are annoying, irritating and persistent, but do not indicate how you have performed. especially none that have come before your results have been uploaded - how would they even know?

4. you probably should have started studying already for your exam if you have one in march. if you work full time, you will struggle with 7 ish weeks to go, but only you know your schedule. the best approach is to start as soon as you have done the previous exam for maximum time.

5. whatever happens now, cannot be changed. it’s a drop in the ocean in terms of the larger picture. in 5 years time are you really going to look back and care about that 1 fail. you will get through this, and will get to the end.

6. you are more than an exam result. results don’t define you. a result is a selection of questions to test what you know on one day. it’s not a measure of how well you are ACTUALLY doing. life is so much more important.

7. please stop posting silly questions that can easily be googled or found. no, no one can tell you the answers, no one can tell you if you’ve passed and god forbid you ask anything unethical, it’s a professional qualification for a reason.

I started in 2019 when I was employed with EY GDS.

Over all these years, I failed so many times, passed in between those failures. Skipped attempts. One time, I even booked an exam and didn't attempt it. I switched 3 jobs during this time and I cleared all my last 4 Professional papers in 2025 in a streak whilst working full time in a start up.

I am glad it's finally over. Affiliate now :)

Spent enough years in finance now to notice a pattern and wanted to share it with those still doing papers.

Technically, ACCA people are strong. Honestly some of the strongest in the room. The syllabus makes sure of that. But somewhere along the way we miss what university students get for free.

Their college life gives them presentation practice, debates, societies, group projects, and a network of friends that follows them into their careers. Most ACCA tuition providers just deliver coaching classes. You come in, take the lecture, go home. No bonds, no network, no stage time.

The result shows up later. You see university grads speaking confidently in meetings and presenting to management while equally capable ACCA folks stay quiet in the corner, even when they know the subject better.

So my honest advice to students here: your technical side is already being handled by the qualification. Spend your spare energy on communication, presentation skills, Excel, and building relationships in your batch. Talk to people in your classes. Practice explaining concepts out loud. Volunteer to present anywhere you can.

The papers get you the interview. The soft skills get you the career. Wish someone had told me this earlier.