ACCA Exemptions in 2025: Why They’re Important And How You Can Get Them!
Ready to kickstart your ACCA journey but want to skip the parts you’ve already mastered? This guide is here to help you better understand ACCA exemptions.
We’ll show you how to find out which exams you can skip, what the costs are and how you can apply. Navigating ACCA exemptions and working out if they apply to you can be tricky, but this guide provides everything you need to know to get started.
Let’s dive in!
What are ACCA exemptions and why are they important?
ACCA exemptions mean you don’t have to take certain exams in the ACCA qualification because you’ve already covered the content in a previous qualification, like a degree. Think of it like getting a “fast pass” for parts of your journey!
These exemptions are super important because they can save you a lot of time and money. Instead of re-learning material you already know, you can jump straight into the more advanced ACCA modules.
Which exams could I be exempt from?
Generally, ACCA exemptions are most common for the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills levels of the ACCA qualification. This is especially true if your previous qualification (like a degree) is in accounting, finance, or business-related fields.
Here’s a quick rundown of the exams you might be able to skip:
What if I have gone EVEN further and secured a master’s degree?
The best-case scenario is that you’ll be exempt from all the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams. That means you’ll jump straight to the Strategic Professional level, the final stage of the qualification. The most important thing to remember is that you can never skip the final four Strategic Professional exams. You’ll always have to pass those to become an ACCA member.
Are there any red flags?
While it’s awesome to get a head start with ACCA exemptions, you need to be careful about two main things:
Knowledge Gaps: Your Master’s degree likely gave you a great overview, but the ACCA exams are super specific. You might find there are certain topics or detailed rules that your degree didn’t cover in the same way. The earlier ACCA exams build a very specific foundation, and if you miss a piece, the final, harder exams will be tough.
ACCA Exam Style: The way ACCA asks questions and expects answers is unique. They want you to act like a real-world professional, not just a student. You’ll be analysing complex business situations and writing detailed reports. If you’ve never done an ACCA exam before, this can be a huge learning curve.
How to navigate this…
Before you start, just ask yourself:
“How fresh is this knowledge?” If it’s been a while since you finished your Master’s, you might need a quick refresher.
“Do I have any real-world experience?” Practical experience can help fill in some of those gaps.
“Am I ready for the exam style?” It’s a good idea to look at some past papers for the final exams to see what you’re up against.
Skipping ahead is a great way to save time, but be prepared to put in some extra effort to make sure you’re fully ready for the final challenge!
How do I go about securing an exemption?
So you think you might be eligible for an exemption? Great! Here is what to do next…
Step 1: See What You Can Skip
First things first, find out exactly which exams you can skip. The best way to do this is with the official ACCA exemptions calculator on the ACCA website.
Just pop in the name of your university and your Master’s degree, and it’ll give you a clear, personalised list of all the exemptions you’re eligible for.
Step 2: Gather Your Proof
Once you know what you can skip, you need to prove it. Get clear digital copies of a few key documents:
- Your Master’s degree certificate – the official transcripts showing all the subjects you studied and your grades.
- A copy of your photo ID, like your passport.
(If any of these documents aren’t in English, you’ll need a certified translation.)
Step 3: Register and Upload
The easiest time to claim your exemptions is when you’re first registering as a student with ACCA. The online registration form will have a section where you can upload the documents you collected in Step 2. Just follow the instructions and submit everything together.
After ACCA reviews your stuff and gives you the green light, you’ll just need to pay a fee for each exemption. It’s way cheaper than paying for and sitting the actual exam, so it’s a great deal!
A quick tip: Don’t forget the words of warning we talked about! You don’t have to take all the exemptions you’re offered. If you feel like you need a refresher on a certain topic, you can always choose to take the exam anyway. It’s totally up to you!
Sounds great, but what are the exemption fees?
Unfortunately, whilst CIMA does not charge for exemptions, there is an ACCA exemption fee. However, the good news is that this is a comparatively low cost compared to paying for the exam itself.
The cost depends on which exam you’re getting an exemption for:
- For the first level of exams (Applied Knowledge), the fee is around £86 to £98 per exam.
- For the next level of exams (Applied Skills), the fee is a bit higher, typically around £114 to £123 per exam.
The key thing to remember is that you pay a separate fee for each exam you get an exemption from. For example, if you’re exempt from three exams, you’ll pay the exemption fee three times.
So, how does this compare to the cost of taking the exams?
That’s an excellent question, and it gets to the heart of why exemptions are so popular. In short, paying for exemptions is almost always significantly cheaper than paying to take the exams.
Here’s a simple comparison (as of 2025):
As you can see, the fee for an exemption is generally very close to, and often slightly less than, the standard fee to enter and take the exam itself.
But the real savings come from what you’re NOT paying for…
- Study Materials: When you take an exam, you’ll need to buy textbooks, revision kits, and possibly a course. With an exemption, you skip all of that.
- Time and Effort: This is the biggest benefit. An exemption means you don’t have to spend weeks or months studying and revising for that particular paper. You can jump straight to the next level of exams, which can save you a lot of time on your journey to becoming a qualified accountant.
- Retake Fees: If you were to fail an exam, you would have to pay the exam fee again to retake it. With an exemption, there’s no risk of failing.
So, while you still have to pay a fee for the exemption, it’s a small price to pay for the time, money, and stress you save by not having to study for and sit for an exam you’ve already proven you can pass.
Key things to remember
- Not all exams are exempt: Exemptions only apply to the early exams (Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills). You can’t get an exemption for the final, most advanced exams—everyone has to take those.
- The cost: You do have to pay a fee for each exemption. However, this is almost always cheaper than paying to take the exam, buy textbooks, and maybe even pay for a tuition course.
- Be honest with yourself: This is the most important point. If it’s been a long time since you studied a subject, or if your previous course wasn’t very thorough, it might be a good idea to take the exam anyway. Skipping an exam when you’re not confident can make the later exams much harder.
Conclusion
So, to wrap things up, ACCA exemptions are a fantastic way to fast-track your journey to becoming a qualified accountant if you’ve already covered some ground in a previous qualification like a degree or Master’s. They can save you a good chunk of time and money by letting you skip exams you’ve essentially already passed.
Just remember, while it’s tempting to take every exemption offered, it’s wise to consider any potential knowledge gaps or if you need to get used to the ACCA exam style. You can always use the ACCA exemptions calculator to see what you’re eligible for, gather your degree certificate, transcripts, and photo ID, and then upload them when you register. There’s a fee for each exemption, but it’s generally much less than taking the actual exam, and you save big on study materials, time, and the risk of retakes.
Ultimately, exemptions are a super helpful tool, but using them wisely means being honest with yourself about your current knowledge to ensure you build a strong foundation for the harder, final exams. Good luck on your ACCA adventure!
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