Acca or chartered accountancy ???

Answer 1

ACCA is a chartered accountancy body and therefore if you successfully complete all 14 of the ACCA exams and fulfil the required three years practical experience needed to register as a member then you will be legally entitled to call yourself a chartered accountant.

However, there are in fact six chartered accountancy bodies within the UK and the institute which is best suited to your needs depends on which area of finance you wish to work in.

For example, if you are interested in working in industry as a management accountant then the CIMA exams would suit you best. Likewise, if you are interested in working in the public sector, for example in the national health service, then the CIPFA exams are the ones to take. If, however, you wish to work in public practice as an auditor or tax advisor then you should be looking to study for the exams of either the ACCA, the ICAEW, or ICAS.

In terms of which exams are the most difficult to pass it has been ascertained by independent scrutiny that they are all equally difficult to negotiate and as such have equal status. At present, the ICAEW is the largest chartered accountancy institute in terms of membership, however on present trends it is predicted that the ACCA will become the largest of these bodies in 2008. The main reason for this is that the ACCA has been more successful in branding itself as the international chartered accountancy body.

The length of time it will take you to qualify depends on your previous qualifications. If you have qualified as an accounting technician (AAT or CAT) then it should take you a further 2 years of study to qualify as a chartered accountant. If you have a degree in Accountancy and Finance it will take you 3 years.

There is one added benefit in studying for the ACCA exams if you are coming into accountancy straight from school and that is the ACCA/Oxford Brookes University degree scheme.

Under this arrangement once you have completed the first two stages of your ACCA exams you are entitled to submit a 5,000 word essay to Oxford Brookes University. If accepted as being up to standard by the university, you will be awarded a BSc in Applied Accountancy.

Given that your employer will be paying for your ACCA study and exams the only cost to you of obtaining this degree will be the cost of submitting your essay to Oxford Brookes University. This submission fee will be less than £100. A real bargain when you consider the cost of tuition fees that many university students now face!

Below are some links that you may find useful:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4796287.stm

http://www.frc.org.uk/images/uploaded/documents/Final%20printers%20file%20key%20facts%20and%20trends%20Nov%2006.pdf

http://www.accaglobal.com/students/study_exams/qualifications/degree/

Answer 2

Sorry you've lost me!! Is this a trick question?

ACCA is a chartered accountancy body.

Answer 3

of course your local ca is always good for every country but some country do'nt accept acca. local ca is full control in accounting area