ACCA has announced the biggest redesign of its qualification in years, with the new structure arriving from mid-2027. If you are studying in Zimbabwe or planning to start, here is what is changing, in plain English, and what it means for your study plan.
Heads up: Onilaz is an independent tutoring provider. We are not affiliated with, or approved by, ACCA. The details below are a summary for planning only. Always confirm the current rules on the official future ACCA Qualification pages.
A new four-level structure
The redesigned qualification is organised into four levels: Foundations, Knowledge, Expertise, and Strategic Professional. Students who meet the minimum entry criteria begin at the Knowledge level; those who do not start at Foundations, which is the gateway into the qualification.
The headline changes
- One Options exam instead of two at Strategic Professional level.
- A new Data Science Professional exam you can choose as an option, reflecting how the profession is changing.
- Essential Employability Modules (EEMs) woven through each level, which you pass alongside the exams.
- More focus on technology, sustainability and ethics, integrated at every stage rather than bolted on.
- Milestone awards along the way, so your progress is recognised before full membership.
The timeline
The rollout is phased. Foundations-level exams become available from July 2027, and the September 2027 session is the first chance to enter for the Expertise and Strategic Professional exams. The current-structure exams continue up to their final sittings before then, so most students studying now will sit at least some papers under the existing rules.
If you are studying now, your progress is protected
ACCA has said students part-way through will receive credit for the progress they have already made and continue onto the redesigned qualification, and that it intends there will be no disadvantage in progression or cost. The detailed transition and exemption rules are still being finalised, so confirm your own position with ACCA. ACCA has published a transition tool where you can enter your expected passes and see how they carry across, and a full transition timeline.
What this means for your plan in Zimbabwe
- Keep moving. Passes you earn now carry forward, so there is no reason to wait for 2027.
- Map your sittings. If you are close to finishing, plan which papers you will clear before the change.
- Check the official source before booking, because dates and rules are confirmed by ACCA, not by us.
This is exactly the kind of planning we help with in one-to-one sessions: we map your papers, your pace and your sittings around your real situation, and we are always clear about what falls outside our scope.
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