What the ACA is
The ACA is ICAEW's qualification. It combines technical exams, professional skills and work experience. ICAEW says that completing the ACA allows you to call yourself a chartered accountant (ICAEW: discover the ACA, checked 13 November 2026). That is ICAEW's title. This site is not a firm of chartered accountants and does not use the title for itself. Read ICAEW's page for its full requirements.
How the ACA is built
- Exams: 14 exams over three levels: Certificate, Professional and Advanced.
- Professional skills and experience: you must be in a training agreement with an ICAEW authorised training employer and complete at least 450 days of professional experience. ICAEW says this does not need to include audit work.
- Specialised Learning: at least 30 units of interactive online learning.
Getting in
ICAEW says you must hold a qualification that meets UK university admission standards, but you do not need a degree. One example it gives is two A level passes plus three GCSE passes at grades 9–4. If you do not meet the requirements, you can complete the Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB), which covers the first six exams of the ACA and has no formal entry requirements. ICAEW's page lists other qualifications that count; check it for yours.
What it costs
ICAEW charges an annual student fee and a fee for each exam. ICAEW says that students in a training agreement are generally supported with some or all of these costs by their employer, and that independent students pay for themselves. Tuition fees depend on the provider and are separate.
The annual student fee is £216 + VAT in 2026 and £223 + VAT from 1 January 2027.
| Exam | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate Level exam | £99 | £103 |
| Professional Level exam | £133 | £143 |
| Professional Level Fundamental Case Study exam | Not listed | £160 |
| Advanced Level (Corporate Reporting; Strategic Business Management) exam | £220 | £230 |
| Case Study exam | £297 | Not listed |
| Advanced Level (Technical Case Study; Strategic Case Study) exam | Not listed | £350 |
"Not listed" means ICAEW's fees page shows no fee in that column. ICAEW also charges fees for credit for prior learning; see its fees page.
Is the ACA right for you?
- It suits you if you can secure a training agreement with an authorised employer, because the experience requirement depends on one. See training contracts.
- ICAEW says the ACA can also be studied as a Level 7 apprenticeship, with funding of up to £21,000 for eligible apprentices. Funding rules changed on 1 January 2026; see apprenticeships.
- You can register as an independent student and start the exams first, but you still need an authorised employer for the professional experience.
General information only, not professional or financial advice. This guide does not recommend any course, employer or product, and does not give tax, accounting or financial advice.
Sources
Every fee, pay or exam figure on this page comes from the pages below. We read each one on 13 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the body's own page before you pay or decide.
- ICAEW: ACA fees, checked 13 November 2026.
- ICAEW: discover the ACA, checked 13 November 2026.
- ICAEW: how ACA training works, checked 13 November 2026.
- ICAEW: minimum entry requirements for the ACA, checked 13 November 2026.
- ICAEW: study the ACA independently, checked 13 November 2026.