Chartered accountant: ACA or ACCA
Two big UK routes. ACA from ICAEW is usually done while working at an accountancy firm. ACCA is flexible: you can start straight after A levels. Both take years of exams + paid work together.
ONS
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
Medians for full-time employee jobs. ONS hides estimates it rates unreliable (CV over 20%).
View sourceACCA
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
ICAEW
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
The ACA: 15 exams, 450 days of practical work experience, professional development, and ethics and professional scepticism.
View sourceACCA
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
How to get there
2 routes. ACA (ICAEW) · ACCA
ACA (ICAEW) ICAEW
Awarded by ICAEW, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
- StartJoin an ICAEW training employer
You study while you work.
ICAEW
Practical work experience (ACA training process)ICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
The ACA: 15 exams, 450 days of practical work experience, professional development, and ethics and professional scepticism.
View source - Exams15 exams
Including financial management, law, assurance and business strategy.
ICAEW
Practical work experience (ACA training process)ICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
The ACA: 15 exams, 450 days of practical work experience, professional development, and ethics and professional scepticism.
View source - Work450 days of practical work experience
Normally takes 3 to 5 years.
ICAEW
ACA practical work experienceICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- EthicsEthics and professional scepticism
Part of the training.
ICAEW
Practical work experience (ACA training process)ICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
The ACA: 15 exams, 450 days of practical work experience, professional development, and ethics and professional scepticism.
View source - GoalICAEW Chartered Accountant (ACA)
ICAEW
Practical work experience (ACA training process)ICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
The ACA: 15 exams, 450 days of practical work experience, professional development, and ethics and professional scepticism.
View source
ACCA ACCA
Awarded by ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
- School2 A levels + 3 GCSEs
Including English and maths.
ACCA
Who is the ACCA Qualification for?ACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- ExamsApplied Knowledge: 3 exams
Business and Technology, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting.
ACCA
ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- ExamsApplied Skills: 6 exams
Law, Tax, Financial Reporting, Performance Management, Financial Management, Audit.
ACCA
ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- ExamsStrategic Professional: 4 exams
2 required + 2 you choose.
ACCA
ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- Work36 months of work experience
And 9 performance objectives, plus the Ethics and Professional Skills module.
ACCA
ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- GoalACCA member
ACCA
ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
At school
GCSEs (Years 10–11) and A levels (Years 12–13), or equivalents.
- GCSEs
- English and maths count: ACCA asks for both.
ACCA
Who is the ACCA Qualification for?ACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- A levels
- ACCA's minimum is 2 A levels + 3 GCSEs (5 subjects).
ACCA
Who is the ACCA Qualification for?ACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
- No A levels?
- Start at ACCA's foundation level, then move up to the main exams.
ACCA
Who is the ACCA Qualification for?ACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
Pay by region
Pay is in pounds (£) per year, before tax, for full-time employees. ASHE counts employees only, so self-employed people (most barristers, many contractors) are not in these figures.
Chartered and certified accountants SOC 2421
- UK median £50,062
- Bottom 25% under £38,696
- Top 25% over £68,056
| Region (where people work) | Median pay | Jobs | How exact |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £62,595 | 13,000 | Rough estimate |
| South East | £56,502 | — | Rough estimate |
| North West | £53,338 | — | Rough estimate |
| South West | £46,610 | — | Rough estimate |
| East Midlands | £42,679 | — | Rough estimate |
Regions where ONS did not publish a reliable figure are left out. "Rough estimate" = ONS rates it CV 10–20%: use it with care. A region is listed only where ONS published a median for that job.ONS
Moving between countries
Does this qualification count in another country? Only official rules; each source shows the date we checked it.
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Indian CA (ICAI member) to ICAEW Chartered Accountant (ACA)
12 of 15 exams credited- ICAI members get credit on 12 of the 15 ACA exams.
- Still to do: 3 exams (Corporate Reporting, Strategic Business Management, Case Study) + online ethics training.
- ICAI member for 5+ years? You can apply through ICAEW's Pathways to Membership instead.
- Signing UK audits needs more: ICAEW says the ICAI qualification is not recognised for the UK Audit Qualification.
Source:ICAEW
ACA in India: ICAI membersICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
ICAEW
Join ICAEW as an ICAI memberICAEW- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
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Indian CA (ICAI) to ACCA
Exemptions possible- ACCA can exempt you from Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams (up to 9).
- No exemptions for the 4 Strategic Professional exams.
- Check your exact exemptions with ACCA's official exemptions calculator.
Source:ACCA
Exemption information for ACCA studentsACCA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
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ICAEW Chartered Accountant (ACA) to U.S. CPA
No shortcut agreement- ICAEW is not on NASBA's list of mutual recognition agreements, so there is no shortened exam route.
- Bodies that do have one: SAICA, CPA Australia, CA ANZ, CPA Canada, Chartered Accountants Ireland, CPA Ireland, IMCP (Mexico).
Source:NASBA
Mutual Recognition Agreements (IQAB)NASBA- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
Trained outside the UK?
Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Every step, exam and deadline in order, with official links.