The minimum educational requirements if you want to train for the ACA.

Effective from 1 January 2010 to 10 February 2014.

approved training agreed within the limits set out in regulations 3 and 4 of the ACA Student Regulations.

Entry routes

Academic Qualifications

UK or Irish graduate awards

Any recognised degree awarded by a UK or Irish university or college

NVQ/SVQ Level 4 awards

NVQ level 4 qualifications including BTEC Higher National Certificates or Diplomas

NVQ/SVQ Level 3 awards

NVQ Level 3 qualifications including BTEC National Certificates and Diplomas

GCSEs and A Levels

2 A level passes plus 3 GCSE passes at grades A-C

2 Vocational A levels or 1 double award plus 3 GCSE passes at grades A-C or one GNVQ intermediate award or BTEC first diploma (merit)

Scottish Qualification Certificate

3 higher grades and 2 standard grades or equivalent

Irish School Leaving Certificate

6 passes with at least 3 at higher grade

European/ International Baccalaureate

Overseas Academic Qualifications

Graduate Awards

Any degree from a recognised university which is comparable to a UK Bachelors degree

School leaving qualifications

Any award which is comparable to our expectations for GCSE and A level entry requirements.

See www.ucas.ac.uk for a list of overseas school leaving qualifications and their equivalence

Professional Accountancy Qualifications

Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW)

Member of AAT

Student of AAT who has achieved NVQ Level 3 Intermediate Stage

Member of ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA

Student of ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, CAI* or ICAS* who has sat and passed all papers of every examination stage of the body concerned, up to and including the following examinations;

• ACCA Part One
• CIMA Foundation
• CIPFA Foundation
• ICAI Professional Examination II
• ICAS Test of Competence
• Pass in a recognised Accountancy Foundation Course

Overseas accountancy bodies

Member or student who has passed all the examinations required for membership of ICAEWs of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Certified Public Accountants (USA), Australia, China and Malaysia

Student who has passed all the examinations, required for membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe.

Student who has passed all the examinations required for membership of professional accountancy bodies recognised under the European Union's Directive 2005/36/EC or Directive 2006/43/EC.

Note: Members of the:

• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA),
• Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand (NZICA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ)
• South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

are eligible to apply for reciprocal membership under clause 12 of the Supplemental Royal Charter and regulation 45 of the ACA Student Regulations. Similar arrangements apply to Members of professional accountancy bodies recognised under the European Union's Directive 2005/36/EC or Directive 2006/43/EC.

Other professional and vocational qualifications

Associate of the:

• Association of Business Executives (AMABE)
• Association of Cost and Executive Accountants (ACEA)
• Association of International Accountants (AAIA)
• Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
• Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB)
• Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII)
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (AssocCIPD)
• Chartered Institute of Taxation (CTA)
• Faculty of Business Administrators of the Corporation of Executives & Administrators (AFBA)
• Institute of Actuaries (AIA)
• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ACIS)
• Institute of Commercial Management (AMInstCM)
• Institute of Financial Accountants (AFA)
• Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Library Association (ALA)
• Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences (AIMLS)
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (ARICS)

Barrister at Law, Solicitor

Chartered Engineer

Licentiate or Graduate of the Royal Society of Chemistry (LRSC/GRSC)

Member of Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management Association (MHCIMA)

Mature Entrants

Persons over 25 years of age without qualifications as listed above but with at least 7 years acceptable professional accountancy experience may be considered on individual application to ICAEW.

Qualifications not listed above (Regulation 1)

Other qualifications that match A level standard may be considered on individual application to