ACCA December 2021 pass rates have landed (2024)

FAQs

Which is the toughest paper in ACCA? ›

Applied Skills ACCA exam order

For most students, Audit Assurance is generally considered to be the toughest paper, especially at this level. For the Applied Skills exams, along with Performance Management, this is the subject that I get the most queries about. (You'll find plenty of videos on these on my channel.

87,305 entered for the March sitting, which saw 102,770 exams completed. A total of 3,278 students completed their final exams to become ACCA Affiliates.

Commonly the CA course is considered to be harder than ACCA, considering the number of years, the number of papers, course levels and versatility of both courses. Finplan ACCA institute makes it easier to clear ACCA examination, over 1000+ ACCA students clear their examination with good marks.

There are various factors to consider when it comes to understanding the difficulty levels of ACCA vs CPA. Both examinations are challenging and need hard work and diligence to clear. While the average pass rate for ACCA is around 55%, for CPA, the percentage is around 40-50%.

So what are some of the reasons leading to a low ACCA pass percentage? The first reason is the amount of study hours that are necessary to understand and remember all the course content. The more knowledge you possess of each subject, the higher your chances are of passing.

For this level, the Performance Management (PM) module and the Audit and Assurance (AA) module are the hardest to navigate through. The PM and FM modules require lots of practice using mock exams. Once you have passed these exams, you progress onto the Strategic Professional level.

ACCA exams can vary in difficulty, depending on the subject. Generally, exams such as Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Financial Reporting and Auditing and Assurance are considered to be easier than Taxation, Corporate and Business Law, and Advanced Financial Management.

There is no restriction to the number of exams you may attempt, allowing you to choose to sit as many or as few papers as you like at each exam session. You are, however, recommended to attempt a maximum of four exams in a six-month period.

If you want to be an accountant in the UK or Australia, your CA destination won't be applicable. The ACCA certification is valued in over 180 countries, including the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, UAE, Switzerland, UK and Australia.

Is ACCA obsolete? ›

Having said this, the impact does not affect the accountants in a negative way. Hence, it's important to note that AI is not expected to replace human accountants or render the ACCA course obsolete. Instead, we can now perceive this as a tool that can augment and ameliorate the capabilities of ACCA professionals.

ACCA has a reputation for excellence globally. With ACCA certification, you can expect to work in different parts of the world as an accounting and finance specialist or in related roles. The certification is accredited globally and accepted by almost 170+ countries worldwide.

ACCA is challenging due to its comprehensive syllabus and rigorous exams. It's considered slightly less difficult than the CA qualification but on par with CPA and CIMA in terms of challenge.

Civil Services Exam (CSE)

The toughest exam in India - the Civil Services Exam or IAS exam is for Indian aspirants who are looking to serve the country in administrative posts.

Your Current and Future Career

If you know there is an area of accountancy that you'd like to work in, it's worth factoring this in for your plans for the ACCA optional papers. For example, if you've got aspirations of becoming an Audit Partner, then studying Advanced Audit and Assurance ACCA optional paper is a must.