ACCA v ACA?

System
System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited June 18 in AAT student discussion
Hi,

i'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but just want to way up my options and plan ahead.

on looking through most of the posts on the forum i would say 95% of us are planning to move on to ACCA after completing AAT, is there any one out there who has then moved on to do ACA? and why do the majority of us move on to ACCA and not ACA?

in short why do ACCA and not ACA?

any feed back much appreciated.

Ang
x

p.s. it's quite around here!!

Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    I have gone on to do ACCA as it is more flexible for me. I work part time and am unlikely to get a training contract on that basis. I also thought the syllabus looked more interesting.

    Annette
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    Yeah I've heard ACCA is more flexible for employees but ACA is more flexible if you want to become self employed one day.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    ACCA as I've been told if more worldwide recognised and the newer version of the ACA. It covers a broader spectrum than the ACA.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    Hi

    ACCA is generally more felxible with regards to study and employment, The syllabus of each is rather similar, though ACCA do allow a certain amount of options and segregate the subjects more, where as in ACA some subjects are combined with others.

    As for International recognition, ACCA has a bigger student/membership number worldwide. That doesnt mean that the ACA qualification is less recognised by employers, just that more people are doing the ACCA, probably since it is more accessible. The ICAEW have quite a few reciprocal arrangements with other institutes of charterered accountants around the world that ACCA doesnt have. So all in all its probably about even.

    Neil
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    HI ALL OF THEM

    I AM INTERESTING JUST LET ME TO KNOW CAN ANY BODY EXPLAIN TO ME?
    I AM DOING AAT course . after that i want to do ACCA. i do not know exagatly what is the benfit of this course. is it equlity to CHARTED
    ACCOUNTANT.HOW MANY YEARS IT WILL BE TAKEN.IF I TAKE ACCA IN FUTURE WHAT CAN I DO
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    Hi Ammaji,

    ACCA is equivalent to the Chartered. As an ACCA member myself, I am proud to note that they are now officially the largest accountancy body in the world - much to the annoyance of the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales). In fact, I think ACCA are planning to take the world over! They have now even designed their own "Number 1" logo and have even put a flag on a castle in Scotland! Of course, I'm bias as to ACCA but I do think the ICAEW seem to be behind the times in terms of flexibility (certainly for those who are self-employed and wanting to do their course) and would do themselves a favour if they springboarded themselves into the 21st century and abolished their "rigid" approach. This would certainly help their membership levels which, according to AccountancyAge, have nosedived recently.

    In terms of studying, I would say it would take the average student a period of approximately 3 years to complete.

    A lot of students do go on to ACCA because, whilst they are quite strict about self-employment post qualification, they do offer a more flexible approach to studying for their qualification.

    Kind regards
    Steve
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    While deep in my cups on Saturday night, discussion among my friends who work in finance turned to the relative merits of the various professional accountancy bodies. Naturally most people championed their own organisation, but some interesting points were raised. Here is a summary of some of the strongest opinions:

    "CIPFA is too limited. Most public sector institutions would rather have someone with CIMA to do their management accounts."

    "ICAEW is for the élite. It is more challenging, and therefore ultimately more valuable, than the ACCA."

    "ACCA and CIMA are the most popular, and the most accessible. ICAEW and CIPFA are too exacting in their requirements to be widely applicable."

    "ACCA has a high proportion of non-accounting papers: business law, management and so on. This means you are prepared for a greater range of business roles."

    "CIMA is by far the most interesting. All of the others you just tick boxes all day."

    Not sure how accurate these are, but they made for a pretty heated debate!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    Hi

    Well putting some of GJP104's comments aside, I wouldnt say that ACCA has a higher proportion of non-accounting papers, CIMA had quite a few too. Also, it's hard to compare the qualifications by a simple look at the papers presented, rather you need to look at what they actually cover since titles aren't always descriptive. For example, ICAEW have a paper entitled 'Business Management' which seems to suggest non-accounting topics when infact in includes general management accounting.

    Neil
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    8) ACCA is 'certified' ACA is 'Chartered'. They are a very simular qualification equal in achievement but the chartered route opens more doors for job opportunities. Many of the ftse 100 companies will prefer an aca rather than an acca. you will see when looking for jobs that they will either ask for 'acca or aca' or simply an 'aca'. the problem comes with training. many smaller firms find it harder to become a registered training office for the aca and so opt for acca. they are both equal qualifications, just there is a certain stigma attached. just as many employers will prefer the a level route as opposed to nvq's. simply, different exam boards. Cima on the other hand is a totally different board game (it is more industrial based as opposed to practice) Acca and aca contain management elements but cima doesnt contain practice elements. Hope this helps
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Re:ACCA v ACA?

    Anyone interested in Professional Memberships, please use this hyperlink ('... = Too Much?')
    Hyperlinks for organisations in last frame.
    https://www.aat.org.uk/forums/posts/list/13649.page

    Last Week Before Exams
    https://www.aat.org.uk/forums/posts/list/13816.page

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