UK · Cross-border · Accountancy

Indian CA to ICAEW Chartered Accountant (ACA) or ACCA

ICAI members get 12 of the 15 ACA exams credited by ICAEW, and up to 9 ACCA exams can be exempted. Neither one gives UK audit signing rights on its own.

For: Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

Route 1: ACA (ICAEW): MoU top-up ICAEW

For ICAI members with less than 5 years of membership.

  1. Start here

    ICAI member

    Credit for prior learning on 12 of the 15 ICAEW exam modules.

    ICAEW
    ACA in India: ICAI membersICAEW
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  2. Exam gate

    3 ICAEW exams

    Corporate Reporting, Strategic Business Management and the Case Study.

    ICAEW
    ACA in India: ICAI membersICAEW
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  3. Ethics

    Ethics Learning Programme

    Online; ICAEW suggests finishing it before the Case Study.

    ICAEW
    ACA in India: ICAI membersICAEW
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  4. Goal

    ICAEW Chartered Accountant (ACA)

    Membership does not by itself give practising rights.

    ICAEW
    ACA in India: ICAI membersICAEW
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

5+ years an ICAI member?
You can apply through ICAEW's Pathways to Membership based on experience instead. It gives no route to the Audit Qualification.
ICAEW
ICAI members: join ICAEWICAEW
Checked
19 Oct 2026
View source
UK audit rights
The ICAI qualification is not recognised by the Financial Reporting Council for the UK Audit Qualification: more exams and practical experience are needed.
ICAEW
ICAI members: join ICAEWICAEW
Checked
19 Oct 2026
View source

Route 2: ACCA: exemptions ACCA

Exemptions depend on your exact qualification; ACCA's exemptions calculator gives the answer.

  1. Start here

    ICAI qualification

    Check it in ACCA's exemptions calculator.

    ACCA
    Exemption information for ACCA studentsACCA
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  2. Exempt

    Up to 9 exams exempted

    The Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams. A fee is due for each exemption you claim.

    ACCA
    Exemption information for ACCA studentsACCA
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  3. Exam gate

    Strategic Professional: 4 exams

    ACCA gives no exemptions at this level.

    ACCA
    Exemption information for ACCA studentsACCA
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source

  4. Work

    36 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
    View source

  5. Goal

    ACCA member

    ACCA
    ACCA Qualification structure and requirementsACCA
    Checked
    9 Oct 2026
    View source

Dates and rules to re-check

These change by season or by law. Checked 19 Oct 2026.

  • Exemption fees are on ACCA's price list and must be paid within 30 days of the award.
    ACCA
    Exemption information for ACCA studentsACCA
    Checked
    19 Oct 2026
    View source
Every step links to the official page it came from (regulators, licensing boards, the law), checked 19 Oct 2026. Rules for people trained abroad change often: confirm with the official body before you pay any fee. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses. All careers →