How To Start ACCA: What To Know Before Your First Exam

Starting Your ACCA Qualification

If you're totally new to the ACCA qualification, you need to know that there are 3 elements to it.

1. Exams

2. Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)

3. Practical Experience Requirement (PER)
   You complete this practical part in your workplace, alongside the exams.

This depends on your background.

Start with Foundation Exams if you have no experience at all in accounting or finance.
If you have a degree in a related field, or workplace experience you may be eligible for some exemptions. You'll need to check directly with the ACCA for these.

Top Tip: Starting slightly lower and consolidating your basic knowledge, can often lead to faster progress overall.

There are 4 ACCA exam sessions each year in March, June, September & December

Realistically, with work commitments and juggling life, it's advisable to focus and sit 1 exam per sitting. Sometimes, if you have the time and right support, you could attempt 2 exams per sitting.

You are limited to a maximum of 8 exams per year by the ACCA, but that's a stretch!

Choose One Learning Provider. 
It's hard to switch between teaching styles, varying textbooks, online courses 
and different practice exams. 
So sticking with one ACCA Approved Learning Provider will help you in the long run.

Start A Daily Habit
Take one class a day; learn one new topic per week; test yourself each day.
Make a sustainable study plan that you can commit to alongside your work.
Consistency wins every time.

To avoid the pitfalls and ultimately, not passing an exam, we teach all our classes at aCOWtancy to the exam, so when it comes to exam day, you've had plenty of experience watching past paper walkthrough videos, and practising exam questions yourself.

This is where our Ultra Marking Hub is invaluable.

You submit genuine, past ACCA exam questions online in the aCOWtancy marking hub, and they're marked by our expert ACCA tutors. You get a mark but most importantly, you receive personalised feedback and exam tips on how what you're doing well and what you need to do to improve. Our students say it's been a 'game-changer' for their exam success.

Learning how to answer the question is just as important as learning the content.

Start Your ACCA Qualification in 2026!

1. Register with the ACCA

2. Find Your ACCA Approved Learning Provider (hopefully, aCOWtancy.com!)

3. Start Learning For Your First Exam - Make sure you register in time for the exam date (we always remind our students when this is)

4. Follow Us on our Socials for tips, hacks and useful information to assist your Classroom studying.

5. Join our supportive global online community and classroom at aCOWtancy.com.
   Connect with thousands of other like-minded students on our supportive and friendly Facebook Group 
   aCOWtancy ACCA,  while you work towards achieving your goals.

We hope to see you in the aCOWtancy Classroom in 2026!

All the best,

Richard Clarke (aCOWtancy Founder)