Yes, it is possible and advantageous to pursue ACCA along with CA (ICAI). They are complementary, as CA provides deep local (India) knowledge, while ACCA offers global financial expertise. CA-qualified students receive 9 exemptions out of 13 ACCA papers, making it highly achievable. Many students manage both during articleship.
Can you do ACCA during your CA articleship? Surely, you can do your articleship along with your CA! It will help you in your CA course studies as well. The articleship in CA will be considered as practical experience in ACCA also, so you will get your ACCA membership as soon as you finish the course.
You can do ACCA after completing CA Final. A qualified CA receives 9 exemptions. So, qualified CA's are required to attempt only 4 papers of professional level in ACCA. In 6–12 months a CA can Become an ACCA.
If you have completed your CA and passed the Final CA exams, you will probably be eligible for exemptions of 9 out of the 13 ACCA papers: exemptions of all papers from the Knowledge and Skills levels. You will be able to finish the remaining ACCA exams in about 6 to 8 months after the exemptions.
bachelors and masters in business, finance and economics can complements the ACCA best.
While ACCA has a wider global reach as compared to CA, the salary one can achieve as an ACCA has more growth. CA, on the other hand, has a great demand in India.
Can I pursue both ACCA and CS certifications simultaneously? You can work on getting two qualifications at once. However, balancing two big courses and their practical experience can be hard. You need to manage your time well and know your career goals clearly.
Pursuing ACCA after CA: Is it beneficial? If someone is considering what to pursue after CA to strengthen their financial career, ACCA is a highly valuable choice. It is especially beneficial for professionals aiming to work with multinational firms or explore opportunities abroad.
The typical duration for ACCA is 2–3 years, depending on exemptions, study pace, and exam planning. Class 12 students may take 3–3.5 years, while CA Inter and commerce graduates complete it faster.
In terms of difficulty, ACCA is more difficult to complete than accounting degree as it incorporates the difficulty levels of a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree into one qualification.
In this blog, we have addressed the most asked questions about the ACCA qualification like, can you finish ACCA in 2 years? On average, it takes two to three years to prepare for all 13 exam papers, but you may earn the qualification in 18 months if you focus on the major eight.
Individuals who describe themselves as Chartered Certified Accountants must be members of ACCA and if they carry out public practice engagements, must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, carrying liability insurance and submitting to inspections.
What is the total cost of ACCA? The total cost of doing ACCA can vary depending on the qualification level of individual. On an average it costs around 72k to 2 lakhs in India.
The starting pay for a fresh ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) student in India is INR 5.5–11 lakhs per year while the senior positions can offer INR 19–30 lakhs per year.
Yes, ACCA is often considered easier due to its flexible structure, application-based questions, and higher pass rates. However, it still requires dedicated study and preparation.
As a CA student, you can avail upto 9 exemptions out of total 13 papers in ACCA . On the basis of cleared CA Inter level, you can get upto 5 exemptions out of Total 13 papers in ACCA.
Registration and Subscription Fees
The one-time registration fee for the ACCA qualification is £89. If you want to continue studying for the certification beyond your first year, you must also pay an annual subscription fee of £122 per year. Remember to settle your payables on time to avoid an £89 re-registration fee.
Hardest ACCA Papers Based on Syllabus Complexity
Does age matter when it comes to studying ACCA? There is no age limit for people wanting to study ACCA. In fact, ACCA is a popular and powerful facilitator for career change. What's important when considering ACCA is understanding that it's challenging, but then ultimately incredibly rewarding.
Initial Salary Advantage:
CA professionals typically earn ₹6-8 lakhs annually at entry level, slightly ahead of ACCA holders at ₹5-7 lakhs. This reflects intensive articleship training and immediate applicability in India's regulatory environment.
All Big 4 accountancy firms – Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG – are active recruiters of ACCA-affiliated accountants. Choice often depends on your interest area: audit, consulting, tax, or advisory.
Is ACCA qualification and CA a good combination? Having a dual degree is always beneficial and combining ACCA with CA is definitely a good combination, as both of them are most respected professional certifications in finance and accountancy.
An ACCA Member is someone who has completed all the academic and practical requirements of ACCA qualification, including the relevant work experience and approval of membership application. ACCA members are considered fully qualified professionals in the finance and accounting sector.
ACCA-qualified professionals are highly sought after in the consulting sector, with BIG 4 firms (EY, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG) and multinational giants like Citicorp, JP Morgan, Microsoft, HSBC, Siemens, Nestle, Accenture and actively recruiting them.