Which ACCA Exams to Take Together

ACCA is a valuable, globally acknowledged qualification that requires systematic planning and commitment. Selecting which examinations to take concurrently is one of the most crucial choices you will make during your ACCA journey.

Further, in the given guide, we will go through every minute detail about the ACCA exam structure, the optimal mix or combinations of exams, and, together with useful strategies, it allows you to arrive at the right decision regarding your decision.

What Are ACCA Exam Exemptions?

The very first thing that you need to do, even before you decide which set of exams you are going to take together, is to understand whether you qualify for any ACCA exam exemptions. You are given exemption credits based on your previous qualifications so that you can use them to skip some of the exams and accelerate your progress.

Eligibility:

• Accounting Graduates: Qualifications in accounting or finance may be exempted from Applied Knowledge and possibly some Applied Skills level, as well.
• Professional Qualification: Exemptions can be granted at various levels for professional qualification certificates, like CA, CPA, and CIMA.

How to Apply for Exemptions?

1. Send your academic transcripts and certificates to ACCA.
2. ACCA will verify your qualifications and confirm your exemptions.
3. Plan your remaining exams accordingly.

Knowing your exemptions is important to plan out your exam schedule effectively.

What Is the ACCA Exam Structure?

The ACCA exam curriculum has been divided into three tiers, each being a further development of the previous:

Applied Knowledge Level:

1. Business Technology (BT)
2. Management Accounting (MA)
3. Financial Accounting (FA)

Applied Skills Level:

1. Taxation (TX)
2. Financial Reporting (FR)
3. Audit and Assurance (AA)
4. Performance Management (PM)
5. Financial Management (FM)
6. Corporate and Business Law (LW)

Strategic Professional Level:

1. 1. Strategic Business Leader (SBL)
   2. Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)
   3. Advanced Management Accounting (AMA)
   4. Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA)
   5. Advanced Financial Management (AFM)
   6. Advanced Performance Management (APM)

• Optional Exams:

1. • Business Analysis (BA)
   • Financial Strategy (FS)
   • Risk Management (RM)

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Which ACCA Exams Should You Take Together?

By strategically matching tests, you can increase your chances of success by utilizing the complementary skill sets and overlapping themes.

1. Complementary Subjects: Relate exams to related ACCA course subjects to help solidify learning. For example, you can pair FR and AA, relating financial reporting to the principles of auditing.
2. Theoretical vs. Numerical Balance: Mix theoretical exams like TX with numerically intense subjects like FM to diversify your study focus.
3. Learning Style Considerations: Visual learners may benefit from pairing exams with extensive study resources like videos and diagrams.

What Are the Best Combinations of ACCA Papers?

Applied Knowledge Level

• MA and FA: While Management Accounting (MA) focuses on internal aspects, Financial Accounting (FA) provides the reporting to the external world. These two subjects complement each other in terms of the overall understanding of accounting principles.

Applied Skills Level

• FR and AA: Financial Reporting (FR) is an avenue on which financial statements are prepared, while the focus of Audit and Assurance (AA) is on auditing such statements.
• PM and FM: While Performance Management (PM) is about decision-making from the inside, Financial Management (FM) generally involves a financial strategy that includes investment. Together they both will provide an appropriate balance in the insight regarding management accounting.
• TX and LW: Taxation (TX) represents the study of taxation, whereas Corporate and Business Law (LW) pertains to corporate and business law. Therefore, these two subjects may go together since they both involve aspects of legal frameworks.

Strategic Professional Level

• SBR and AAA: Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) and Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA) have some degree of overlap in their contents because both provide a continuous understanding of advanced reporting and auditing.
• SBL and APM: Strategic Business Leader (SBL) is concerned with leadership and making decisions, while Advanced Performance Management (APM) focuses on enhancing strategic performance appraisal.

Why Should You Pair Exams Strategically?

Helps with Motivation

Studying for more than one exam at a time can be a very potent way of maintaining motivation during your ACCA journey. When one studies for a single exam, it becomes very easy to lose concentration and become blinded by irrelevance. In this connection, however, coupling such exams together develops a sense of purpose and momentum that keeps you active because you are told where you will be headed, how, and when.

Having multiple tests to prepare for gives you plenty of opportunities to jump between subjects, which breaks up the monotony. For instance, after hours of studying a subject with a lot of theory, you might want to move to a more numerical exam to maybe get your interest and energy back. You stay motivated to prepare for all of your tests and stay on ACCA course thanks to the variety of study materials.

Improves Time Management

The strategic pairing of exams enables you to manage your study time effectively. With the selection of complementary exams, you will be able to minimize the duplication in study efforts. In this regard, FR and AA are good pairs of subjects, as both ACCA subjects bear a very close relationship with financial statements. You will reinforce the same fundamental concepts when studying them together, thus solidifying your learning without duplication of effort.

In that regard, this approach will serve to orient your schedule of study effectively, too. You are going to prepare your time differently because you needn’t have to switch in one sitting between issues concerning complementary matters. Such concentration in study routine saves these hours and makes them more effective and focused according to the goals you aim at with studying.

Reduces Exam Stress

Pairing exams strategically can help manage stress levels in the preparation phase. This is achieved by balancing the ACCA subjects that require different modes of thinking, such as theoretical and a numerical subject. When you concentrate on only one type of subject for a long period, you may reach mental exhaustion, which is a pathway to anxiety or stress.

You can mix all these ACCA subjects: some of them bear high demands with the mix of TX to PM; you will oscillate between theoretical and numerical studies to keep your mind fresh. This will ensure that you are not blown up by the complexity induced in a single subject, accordingly reducing the overall stress associated with studying for the ACCA exams.

Also, planning your schedule so that you avoid last-minute cramming and work towards your goal steadily will make you more confident and less anxious as the exam dates draw near.

How Can Zell Help You Choose and Prepare for ACCA Exams?

Zell Education is an ACCA-approved learning partner and guides you personally through the processes involved in writing your ACCA exams. Their expert advisors will make a personalized study plan, taking into consideration your strengths and schedule to combine the best set of exams. Zell equips you with comprehensive resources ranging from ACCA-approved study materials, videos, mock exams, and practice questions. Learn from experienced tutors, who appreciate the intricacies of the ACCA examinations, and enjoy flexible options for learning online or on campus to suit your preferred study style.

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Conclusion

Thus, choosing the right set of ACCA exams at one go becomes the point in your life where this journey as an ACCA-qualified professional starts. Understanding the structure of ACCA exams will enable the candidate to make effective exemptions and combine them accordingly in a better way for preparations and ultimately success. Tied together with a trusted learning provider, such as Zell Education, the prep would be taken up a notch, where it would be pretty easy to stay on track in the ACCA journey.

FAQs on Which ACCA Exams to Take Together

What ACCA Exams Should I Take Together?

Complementary pairs of exams, such as FR and AA or TX and LW, work well.

Can I Take FR and FM Together?

Yes, FR and FM can be combined since there’s a balance in theoretical as well as numerical content in them.

Can I Take SBL and SBR Together?

Although challenging, it is quite feasible for students who have strong foundational knowledge to pair SBL and SBR.

Which ACCA Papers Should I Take First?

You could start with those exemptions or exams that best play into your strengths, such as MA or FA.

Which Is the Easiest ACCA Exam?

Many students find BT (Business and Technology) or MA (Management Accounting) to be the easiest due to their straightforward content.

Partham Barot is an ACCA-certified professional. showcasing his expertise in finance and accountancy. he’s revolutionising education by focusing on practical, real-world skills. Partham’s achievements underscore his commitment to elevating educational standards and empowering the next generation of professionals.