ACCA Syllabus and Subjects 2023: Exams, Certification, Qualification

ACCA Course Details 

The full form of ACCA is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. The global organisation known as ACCA, offers students a "Certified Chartered Accountant" qualification. Some of the subjects available in ACCA are: Business & Technology, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Corporate and Business Law, Taxation, Performance Management, Financial Reporting, Audit and Assurance, Financial Management, Strategic Business Leader, Strategic Business Reporting, Advanced, Financial Management, Advanced Performance Management, Advanced Taxation, Advanced Audit and Assurance. 

ACCA Subjects:

The subjects of ACCA are in the form of 14 exams which form the entire ACCA syllabus. There are nine exams at the Basic level (F1 – F9). Candidates must pass 5 ACCA exams at the professional level to acquire the ACCA certification. This covers the three mandatory papers P1, P2, and P3, followed by two of the four optional papers P4, P5, P6, and P7.

There are four paper exam sessions each year, and certain papers are additionally made available for computer-based exams on-demand. Moreover, candidates can exempt taking up some ACCA exams based on their prior qualifications such as Chartered Accountancy (CA), Company Sectrary (CS), BCom, etc.

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ACCA Subjects List

Given below is the list of the subjects of ACCA, which students will be required to complete to acquire the ACCA Global certification.

ACCA Course Subjects

The subjects for ACCA cover a total of various verticals of finance, accounting, taxation, and business-related aspects. The ACCA syllabus consists of a total of 13 exams that students must complete in a duration of 5 years. The syllabus for ACCA is divided into three sections beginning with the fundamental to skills level and lastly professional level. In this level, ACCA subjects include topics such as Business technology, financial accounting, performance management, financial reporting, audit and assurance, strategic business leader, strategic business reporting, etc.

ACCA Subjects Details

In this section, we have mentioned the details of the ACCA course subjects to give you a glimpse about each subject and the topics covered.

ACCA Subjects and Levels

Basically, the ACCA subjects are divided into three level, which are discusses below:

1. Fundamental Level Courses
2. Skills Level
3. Strategic Professional Level

Check out the Course wise Subjects Breakdown in the section below - 

Fundamental Level Courses

The foundational level consists of nine ACCA subjects. The ACCA exams at the fundamental level are numbered from F1 through F9. To qualify for the ACCA Certification, students who lack a qualifying undergraduate degree or relevant professional qualification (such as a CA) must successfully complete all 9 courses in this category. Those who have a qualification in CA, CS, or any other professional undergraduate degree can exempt from certain exams.

Know More: CA Salary in India

Paper F1 – Business and Technology (BT)

This ACCA subject will help you comprehend the modern business environment and its impact on the functioning of accountants and organisations by providing a detailed introduction to the principles of efficient management. The position of the accountant within this framework is also clarified, and it is shown how they can help an organisation become effective and moral.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F1 are:

• Organizational structure, leadership, and management in business
• Environmental factors that have a major impact on business and accounting
• History of Accounting in business
• Accounting functions and internal control procedures
• Managing and directing both teams and individual people
• Hiring and training efficient personnel

Paper F2 – Management Accounting

To support management decision-making processes through a variety of activities, this subject of ACCA will show you how to compile and process basic quantitative information.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F2 are:

• Nature of cost and management accounting
• Classification of costs, behaviour, and goal
• Spreadsheets on computers and business mathematics
• Cost Accounting Techniques
• Standard costing and budgeting
• Techniques for making quick decisions

Paper F3 – Financial Accounting

This subject will help you gain technical competency in double-entry accounting processes, including the creation and analysis of fundamental financial statements, as well as knowledge of the underlying ideas, fundamental rules, and laws of financial accounting.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F3 are:

• Financial reporting context and goal
• Qualitative aspects of financial data and the basic principles of accounting
• Double-entry accounting methods and uses
• Keeping track of events and transactions
• Trial balance preparation
• Preparation of financial statements

Skills Level

The modules or papers for applied skills build on the knowledge that was learned during knowledge level. It teaches the strong, broad, and practical finance abilities necessary to work as a professional accountant in any sector or company, as well as an awareness of applications.

There are six subjects in ACCA under Skills level, which are:

Paper F4 – Corporate and Business Law

This ACCA subject improves your comprehension of the larger legal system. It introduces business-related legal concerns and identifies circumstances that call for specialised legal counsel.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F4 are:

• Important components of the legal system
• Law of Obligations
• Employment law
• the establishment and structure of business organisations
• Capital and business finance
• Management, administration and the regulation of companies
• Legal implications for businesses that are struggling or in crisis
• Governance and ethical issues relating to business

Paper F5 – Performance Management

The major goal of performance management subjects is to help you hone your management accounting techniques. You will learn how to use this information to plan, make decisions, and evaluate performance using both quantitative and qualitative data.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F5 are:

• Cost accounting methods
• Decision-making
• forecasting and planning
• Standard Costing and variance analysis
• Performance management

Paper F6 – Taxation

This ACCA subject helps you learn more about the business taxation system and how it affects people, firms, and groups of businesses.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F6 are:

• Trading profits
• Capital allowances
• Employment income
• Property business profits
• Investment income
• Personal tax computations
• National insurance
• Corporation tax
• Capital gains tax
• Value added tax
• Self assessment

Paper F7 – Financial Reporting

Financial Reporting subjects of ACCA is all about accounting principles and financial reporting. It will facilitate you to examine theoretical concepts behind financial statement preparation, with an emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of financial statements.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F7 are:

• Conceptual framework
• Regulatory framework
• Making financial statements
• Business combinations
• Analysing and interpreting

Paper F8: Financial Management (FM)

The financial management subjects of ACCA comprises the management techniques of finances of the organization.

ACCA subjects covered in Paper F8 are:

• responsibilities of a financial manager
• financial management
• valuation of investments and businesses
• management of firm finances and capital costs
• managing working capital
• risk analysis for businesses

Paper F9: Assurance and Audit

The information and skills that financial managers utilise to make decisions regarding finance, investments, and dividend policy are introduced in this ACCA subject.

Topics covered in Paper F9 ACCA subjects are:

• Function of financial management
• environment of financial management
• working capital administration
• Investment appraisal
• Business finance
• Capital costs
• Business valuation
• Management of risk

Strategic Professionals Level

Paper P1 –Strategic Business Leader (SBL):

The strategic business leader deals with the role and purpose of governance in organisational management. It further covers topics like the role of accountant in risk assessment, ethical framework for using professional judgement and values, etc.

Paper P2 – Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)

In this ACCA subject, candidates practice and learn about the duties of an accountant in terms of professionalism and ethics, the financial reporting framework, financial statement preparation for group entities. Also, they examine potential difficulties with financial reporting. implications of accounting regulation modifications, a review of recent happenings, and more.

Electives (choose any 2 from the following 4)

Paper P4 – Advanced Financial Management (AFM)

AFM paper will give the candidates a theoretical understanding necessary for senior financial advisers and executives, as well as in-depth knowledge of the financial industry.

Topics covered in Paper P4 ACCA subjects are:

• Roles and obligations to stakeholders
• Advanced investment appraisal
• Acquisitions and mergers
• Restructuring and reorganisation of corporations
• Treasury and advanced risk management methods
• Economic environment for multinationals
• Emerging issues in finance and financial management

Paper P5 – Advanced Performance Management (APM)

APM focusses on the effective measurement performance and strategic development of international organisations, taking into account economic as well as external aspects, by using sophisticated management accounting methodologies.

Topics covered in Paper P5 ACCA subjects are:

• Strategic control and planning
• Economic factors
• Systems performance and design
• Strategic performance measurement
• performance management
• Current developments

Paper P6 – Advanced Taxation (ATX)

In this ACCA subject, candidates will learn about the information required to provide knowledgeable guidance on how extensive taxes affects monetary choices.

Topics covered in Paper P6 ACCA subjects are:

• Modern features of the UK tax system
• Tax effects and how taxes interact
• Planning for taxes
• Communicating with clients, HM Revenue and customs, and professionals

ACCA Subjects after CA

A Chartered accountant have the option to exempt 9 ACCA exams (F1 to F9) out of 13 exams. That said, CA professional can directly aim for professional level ACCA subjects, which are listed below:

Compulsory ACCA Subjects for CA:

• Strategic Business Leader (SBL)
• Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)

Elective ACCA Subjects for CA

• Advanced Financial Management (AFM)
• Advanced Performance Management (APM)
• Advanced Taxation (ATX)

Passing 4 ACCA exams, 2 compulsory subjects, and 2 from elective subjects in ACCA, CA experts can acquire ACCA certification from the organization.

Practical Experience

Experience is necessary to become a self-assured, motivating, and trustworthy professional. Thus in order to become an ACCA member, you must finish at least 36 months of relevant work experience and meet 9 performance goals.

A supervisor of your practical experience must approve your time in a pertinent job and your performance goals. The requirement for practical experience enables you to apply the knowledge you've learned in the classroom to actual workplace situations.