Students' FAQs on transfer to membership

How do I apply to become a member of ACCA?

We will invite you to transfer to membership as soon as your records indicate that you are ready.

This will be as soon as you have:

• completed the Professional Ethics module (where required)
• recorded 36 months' relevant experience in My Experience record
• and either answered the challenge questions for 13 performance objectives (all nine Essentials and any four Options) and had these signed off by your workplace mentor

or

• can confirm your employer has granted you a Performance Objective exemption because they are an ACCA Approved Employer - trainee Development stream, holding Gold or Platinum level.

or

• you have 'banked' your complete and signed-off Student Training Record (STR).

Please keep your contact details up to date so that we can get in touch as soon as you are ready to transfer to membership.

If you think that you are ready now, you can still apply for membership by downloading and submitting the application form (please see the Related documents section at the bottom of this page) - you do not have to wait to receive an invitation from us.

Alternatively, you may wish to apply for ACCA membership online via your myACCA account

How long will it take to process my application?

You will be transferred to membership approximately 12 working days after we receive confirmation of your acceptance - subject to the next available membership committee meeting.
Membership applications are normally processed within four weeks of receipt. We will contact you during this period should we require any further information. 

To quality assure the practical experience requirement (PER) process and protect the integrity of the ACCA Qualification, we carry out PER audits. You will be notified if you are selected for a PER audit as this may result in your transfer to membership being delayed. We would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation on this.

Has ACCA formed mutual recognition agreements with any other accountancy bodies?

Yes. We have formed mutual recognition agreements with several bodies including the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA Canada), The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA), The Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA) and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS).

For further information on mutual recognition agreements, please click on the link in the Related links box in the top left-hand corner of this page.

Where can I check the progress of my membership application?

Log into myACCA and click on the 'Track the progress of your application' link.

I have recorded my experience using the student training record (STR). What should I do now?

When you are ready to apply for ACCA membership or when have you been invited to transfer to membership, please submit a copy (not originals) of your Student Training Records (STRs) to us for review. These will be used to verify that you have completed the practical experience necessary for ACCA membership.

When will I receive confirmation that my membership application has been successful?

Successful applications are reported to ACCA's committee members once a fortnight. Following this meeting, you will be sent a welcome pack including a congratulatory letter, a membership information booklet, a copy of our rulebook (CD format) and an invoice for the membership admission fee.

When will I receive my ACCA membership certificate?

Membership certificates are officially sealed at the meeting of ACCA Council members. ACCA Council meets five times a year (dates vary). Certificates are sent out after each meeting.

When will I achieve fellowship status?

Members will be awarded fellowship after five-years' continuous membership and full participation in continuing professional development. Fellows are entitled to use the letters FCCA after their names. Certificates are prepared and dispatched automatically to members; a formal application is unnecessary.