ACCA- Is it worth it?

cc100

How much does the ACCA cost? Is funding available in the same way that there is for degrees?

Thanks.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1

Cortez

I'm a bit confused - I didn't know you could do ACCA at uni? And I'm pretty sure that to be ACCA qualified you need to have x years experience in a ACCA approved company/firm (think it's 3 years?).

Generally you get a job with an accountancy firm / in industry and they pay for you to study the ACCA which usually takes at least 3 years (hence you get your experience at the same time).

ACCA is quite expensive depending on how you want to study. Exams are about £50, membership is £60 a year. Then you need you study materials (£30 just for the book or £170 for the study/revision pack from BPP [training provider]) and revision courses are around the £500 mark for 3-5 days before the exam (again, BPP prices and per exam). If you want taught courses it's even more. There's 14 exams I think so it soon adds up!

What's your situation at the moment?

If I was you I'd look for trainee accounts jobs locally. Though they might put you through AAT qualification first as you normally start on ACCA if you have a degree or AAT.

Reply 2

cc100

Thanks for replying.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

maxmadx

Hi, just to clarify the other persons response- ACCA is not the same as the ACA- you dont need to be with a specific employer to be qualified- howrever you will need industry experience in an accounting role to become fully qualified.

My uncle did what you are planning to do at uni and was able to do well and finish the required exams in 2 years. Meanwhile he was working in a junior accounting role gaining the experience. Once you finish the exams you are part-qualified, which is what you see in job adverts etc.. quite often, and just means ytou know your s**t, but dont have the time under your belt to get the certified bit of your qualification. 27 is not old by any stretch of the imagination- part-quals get well paid anyway, and depending on whether you do get work whilst studying (i believe the uni courses are PT not FT), then you could be fully quald by 30-32. Not a bad age to be commanding 30k.

:woo:

cant go far wrong with ACCA imo, got your whole life to be successful, and its a brill qualifcation whatever you go on to do.

Reply 4

maxmadx

Oh and I have a friend doing AAT before the icas CA qualifcation - shes 24. for her it will take 2 years max since she has a degree with bits of accounting in it. gives her some exemptions.. but dont think you really need it before doing the acca.