ACCA exam papers details by VLS: How to prepare for exams?
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How should students prepare, study and revise for the ACCA exams? The complete guide to exam preparation, using the ACCA past exam papers for studying
The ACCA studies can be challenging, but often lead to a successful career in finance. Each year thousands of students worldwide take these exams. The subjects are demanding, but with proper preparation the exams are manageable.
The ACCA qualification is widely recognized worldwide and opens doors to higher-paying roles in accounting and finance. To pass, students need to understand the concept and apply their skills and knowledge.
Students should understand the exam types, syllabus, structure, question format, required skills and effective preparation strategies.
The ACCA Exams Papers:
An ACCA Exam is part of the qualification awarded by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (the ACCA) for students pursuing careers in accounting and finance. It is a professional qualification in accounting, finance and business that tests knowledge of:
Financial Management
Accounting
Business skills
The ACCA past exam papers cover these topics and are useful for exam preparation. VLS offers courses for all three levels, study notes, mock exams and weekly live sessions.
Educational Requirements:
Basic entry routes include a secondary-school route, such as:
Two A-levels and three GCSEs
Bachelor's degree (e.g., B.Com or BBA)
If students don't meet the entry requirements, they can take the ACCA Foundation Diploma and then progress to the main ACCA exams. University graduates with a relevant degree in finance, accounting or business are eligible for the ACCA exam.
Types of ACCA Exam papers:
ACCA exam papers are the official assessments used to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills of a student. ACCA has a total of 13 exams, divided into three levels, each testing different skills.
Applied Knowledge
Applied Skills
Strategic Professional
Applied Knowledge:
The Applied Knowledge level tests basic accounting and business concepts. The subjects include:
Business and technology
Management Accounting
Financial Accounting
Applied Skills:
Applied skill level evaluates more technical knowledge, including:
Corporate and Business Law
Performance Management
Taxation
Financial Reporting
Audit and Assurance
Financial Management
Strategic Professional:
This level assesses advanced practical abilities such as decision-making and strategic thinking. For this level, two exams are mandatory, while two are optional:
Mandatory Exams:
Strategic Business Reporting
Strategic Business Leader
Optional Papers:
Advanced Financial Management
Advanced Audit and Assurance
Advanced Performance Management
Advanced Taxation
Exam Syllabus:
The exam syllabus is designed to help with planning study and preparation for exams. The ACCA exam papers cover the following syllabus.
Applied Knowledge:
Subjects | Abbreviation | Syllabus |
Business and technology | BT | Covers business environment, corporate structure and role of technology |
Management Accounting | MA | Introduces topics related to costing, budgeting, performance analysis and performance management |
Financial Accounting | FA | Focuses on basic financial accounting, statements and accounting principles |
Applied Skills:
Subjects | Abbreviation | Syllabus |
Corporate and Business Law | LW | Covers contract law, employment law, and business legal systems |
Performance Management | PM | Advanced study of cost accounting, analysis and performance management |
Taxation | TX | Focuses on income tax, business taxation and tax calculation |
Financial Reporting | FR | Covers financial statements, reporting and accounting standards |
Audit and Assurance | AA | Introduces the principles of auditing and assurance, their application and process |
Financial Management | FM | Covers financial decision-making, business finance and investment |
Strategic Professional:
Mandatory Exams:
Subjects | Abbreviation | Syllabus |
Strategic Business Leader | SBL | Case study on strategy, leadership and critical analysis |
Strategic Business Reporting | SBR | Advanced study of financial statements, reporting and interpretation |
Optional:
Advanced Financial Management | AFM | Focuses on advanced knowledge of complex strategic financial management |
Advanced Performance Management | APM | Examines the advanced performance measurement, management and strategic planning |
Advanced Taxation | ATX | Covers advanced tax planning, calculations and complex tax issues |
Advanced Audit and Assurance | AAA | Studies about advanced auditing and assurance and other complex issues |
Exam Structure and Pattern:
The ACCA exam papers are divided into three parts with a total of 13 exams. Exams are computer-based. Students can take the exams online or at test centres, depending on their home location. Most exams are held four times a year, commonly in March, June, September and December.
Students should look for ACCA past exam papers for a guide to the exam structure and pattern. The exam structure and pattern for the ACCA exam papers are based on the different levels.
Applied Knowledge Level:
Structure:
Question types:
Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs)
Multi-task questions
Fill-in-the-blank items
Pattern:
Exam Format: Computer-based exams (CBEs)
Duration: 2 hours
Sections: Single-section exam with MCQs
Marking: Automated marking. Pass mark: 50%
Applied Skills Level:
Structure:
Section A: Objective questions
Section B: Scenario-based objective tests (OT) cases
Section C: Constructed response question
Pattern:
Exam Format: CBEs or Paper-based
Duration: 3 hours
Sections: Three sections (LW consists entirely of objective questions: 45 MCQs and five longer questions)
Marking: Total Marks: 100 Pass mark: 50%
Strategic Professional Level:
Structure:
Section A: Constructed response question (One long question)
Section B: Case-study based questions (Two questions)
Pattern:
Exam Format: Computer-based exams
Duration: SBL - 4 hours ; other strategic professional exam - 3 hours 15 minutes
Sections: Two sections (One long and the other has two questions)
Marking: The long question is worth 50 marks and each of the two shorter questions is worth 25 marks. Pass Marks: 50%
Exam Preparation:
The ACCA past exam papers are used to guide students for exam preparation, but they should not be completely dependent on the past papers. The exam preparation can be tough, but following some simple, effective tips can help with studying.
Start studying early.
Create a study schedule.
Understand the syllabus.
Use past exam papers ACCA.
Focus on the ACCA resources.
Test yourself with different questions.
Revise regularly.
Take breaks in between studying.
Don't panic and stay persistent.
Conclusions:
This qualification covers both basic and advanced topics in Business Management, accounting, finance, tax management, analysis and professional ethics in business. For complete, up-to-date information, consult the official ACCA website and prepare accordingly.
FAQs:
Q.1 Where can students find the latest ACCA past exam papers
Students can download past exam papers ACCA from the official ACCA website or ACCA student portal.
Q.2 Is there any age restriction for the ACCA Qualification?
There is no age restriction for this qualification, but the candidates are expected to complete their exams within 7 years.
Q.3 How many exam papers are there?
There are a total of 13 exam papers that are divided into three levels based on the skill and advancement level.
Q.4 Do ACCA exams papers include objective and written questions?
Yes, the applied knowledge level papers are mostly objective. Applied skills and strategic professional levels are a mix of both objective and written questions.
Q.5 Where can students find information about the ACCA exams?
Students can find information about the ACCA exam from the official ACCA website. The official notice is the most reliable source for getting the information related to exams.
Q.6 Are the past exam papers ACCA still useful after the pattern change?
Yes, but it is important to check the updates from official websites. Some topics can change, but the paper pattern and structure can be helpful for preparation.
Q.7 What is the average pass rate for the ACCA?
Average exam pass rates vary by papers and sitting, but commonly fall between 40% to 55%. The pass mark for each paper is 50%.
Q.8 Is the exam pattern for ACCA the same worldwide?
Yes, the ACCA exam pattern is the same globally. ACCA has a standardized structure and marking system across all countries.
Q.9 How often does the ACCA update the exam pattern?
Minor update in the paper pattern is made yearly after the review of the syllabus. It is better to check the latest syllabus for preparation.
Q.10 Are all ACCA papers available as computer-based exams?
Many ACCA papers are computer-based exams, particularly at the applied knowledge and skills levels, but the format can vary by paper and region.
Categories: : ACCA
