If you already hold a degree or a relevant diploma, you may not need to start ACCA from the very first paper. ACCA can award exemptions for prior learning that matches its syllabus. Here is how it works for Zimbabwean graduates.
Heads up: Onilaz is an independent tutoring provider and is not affiliated with, or approved by, ACCA. Exemptions are awarded by ACCA, not by us. Always check your own entitlement on the official ACCA exemptions page.
What an exemption actually is
An exemption means ACCA is satisfied that a qualification you already hold covers the same ground as a specific ACCA exam, so you do not have to sit that paper. It is ACCA's way of making sure you start at the right level rather than repeating what you have already learned.
How many you can get
Graduates can be awarded up to nine exemptions, covering exams across the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills levels. Crucially, no exemptions are available for the Strategic Professional exams, so every ACCA student sits those.
The exact number depends on how closely your degree matches the ACCA syllabus:
- A fully accredited accounting degree can grant the maximum, taking you close to Strategic Professional level.
- A degree that only partly overlaps, such as a general business or economics degree, usually grants fewer.
- A non-related degree may grant none, and you would start at Applied Knowledge.
A few things worth knowing
- There is a fee for each exemption you claim, payable to ACCA within their stated window.
- Claiming is your choice. ACCA itself points out that if your study was years ago, or you have been out of the field, sitting the exam can be worthwhile to refresh the foundations you will need at the higher levels.
- Your transcripts decide it, so keep them handy when you check.
How to check yours
ACCA runs an official exemptions calculator. Enter your institution, course and graduation year, and it lists the exams you can be exempted from. Start from the official exemptions page, which links through to the calculator.
We are happy to talk through your transcript and what a sensible starting point looks like for you, at no charge, as part of a consultation. We will only ever tutor the papers we have personally passed, and we will point you to ACCA for the official exemption decision.
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