ACCA 2027 changes: The new syllabus explained

Heads up to anyone considering an accounting certification: the ACCA is set to undergo major changes in 2027, including revised exam levels and requirements. The first two levels will be renamed from Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills to Knowledge and Expertise, the overall number of exams will be reduced, and a greater focus on data analysis will be woven into the curriculum. The new ACCA is designed to respond to the evolving needs of business by:

• Introducing new awards and designations to support career success
• Presenting an interactive, experiential learning environment with modern assessments
• Creating new modules focused on employability
• Focusing more on sustainability, social impact, and AI and technology
• Enhancing the core syllabus with more flexibility, tailored education support, and ethical considerations

If you are planning to start the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification process in July 2027 or beyond, or are in the middle of earning the qualification, it’s important to know what lies ahead for this rigorous and globally recognized certification.

The new ACCA exam structure from 2027

Starting in mid-2027 (the Knowledge level from July 2027, with later levels following from September 2027), the ACCA plans to implement major changes to its exams and certification process, reducing the main route from 13 exams to 11. These updates are meant to better represent the needs of modern businesses. The exams will be divided into three levels:

• Knowledge level: Financial Accounting (K1), Management Accounting (K2), and Business Law (K3)
  • The most significant change: Business Law (K3), which replaces the Applied Skills Corporate and Business Law (LW) exam, joins this level, and the Business and Technology (BT) exam is dropped (a BT pass earns credit toward the level’s Responsible Business Management module)
  • Completing this level awards students a Higher Diploma in Accounting and Business
• Expertise level: Taxation (E1); Financial Reporting (E2); Audit, Risk, and Control (E3); Finance and Investment (E4); and Performance with Data Analysis (E5)
  • The most significant change: The number of exams will be reduced from six Applied Skills to five Expertise tests. There will no longer be an exam focused on Corporate and Business Law (LW), as this content will be covered in the K3 paper.
  • All exams will undergo syllabus revisions: Notably, the previous Performance Management paper will transition to Performance with Data Analysis (E5), which emphasizes tech-forward accounting skills and working with quantitative data.
  • Other exams will also be updated and modernized, while staying true to the fundamental principles of accounting and ethical practice.
  • Completing this level awards students an Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business
• Strategic Professional level: Business and Sustainability Reporting (S1), Strategic Business Leader (S2), and one option chosen from the following five:
  • Audit and Assurance Professional
  • Corporate Finance Professional
  • Data Science Professional
  • Performance and Insights Professional
  • Taxation Advisory Professional
  • The most significant change: Candidates will now need to choose only one specialty exam, not two, providing them with a faster route to qualification.
  • Two categories have been revised from advanced financial management and performance management to corporate finance and performance and insights. A new specialty exam, Data Science Professional, has also been introduced.
  • Completing this level’s exams and its Ethical, Sustainable Leadership module, plus the Practical Experience Requirement (PER), earns the full ACCA Qualification

The Ethics and Professional Skills Module will be retired, and each level will instead have its own mandatory Essential Employability Module (a fourth, covered below, sits in the Foundations level):

• Module 1: Responsible Business Management (Knowledge)
• Module 2: Digital Tech and Innovation (Expertise)
• Module 3: Ethical, Sustainable Leadership (Strategic Professional)

Full details, including new syllabi and specimen exams, can be found in the ACCA Guidance Packs for all qualification levels. These changes are meant to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technological and financial landscape and make the qualification more relevant to modern professionals. Interested candidates should keep up with the latest updates on the ACCA’s official website.

Exams will now use a numbering system to indicate the recommended order for completing each test as you progress through each level. This is based on ACCA’s analysis of past exam performance and is meant to maximize students’ chances of success, with each exam building logically on the skills and knowledge of the previous one. The order is a recommendation, not a rule.

New Foundations level

The new Foundations level, which replaces the current Foundations in Accountancy suite and is designed for those who don’t meet the minimum entry criteria for the ACCA Qualification, will also be updated. All students who enter at this level will be required to complete three mandatory exams:

• F1 Accounts Preparation
• F2 Management Information and Costing
• F3 Decision Making with Data

These must be completed alongside the new Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Essential Employability Module. On successful completion of this level, students will be awarded the Diploma in Accounting and Business.

Open-book policy

Right now, ACCA exams are closed-book, though some come with on-screen formula sheets or maths tables. From September 2027, when the redesigned Strategic Professional exams begin, ACCA will provide permitted reference materials for candidates to use during the exams.

Practical experience update

The ACCA Qualification prepares you for the workplace, with practical experience being a vital part of the journey. Students must fulfill the Practical Experience Requirement (PER) by completing 36 months (three years) of professional accounting experience. In the future, up to six months of this experience may be satisfied by completing certain Optional Employability Modules. This change will not take effect immediately in September 2027; timelines will be announced closer to implementation.

These modules offer simulated experiential learning to help candidates develop workplace-ready skills in a practical, flexible way. Note, however, that simulated experience does not count towards the UK audit qualification or practicing certificates, nor does it replace the completion of performance objectives in a real work environment.

Other changes to look out for

As with all ACCA administrations, it’s important to stay up to date with:

• Changing exam registration costs
• Changing ACCA membership fees
• Exam dates and availability

As of now, no major changes have been announced regarding the computer-based administration of these tests. Knowledge exams will remain on-demand, while Expertise (formerly Applied Skills) and Strategic Professional tests will be available during specific testing periods. Keep up to date by following the ACCA’s website for more information.

ACCA 2027 timeline and transition

• January to March 2027: Updated ACCA Study Hub and Practice Platform for Foundations, Knowledge, Expertise, and Strategic Professional exams
• April 2027: Updated ACCA-X courses available for Foundations and Knowledge exams
• May 2027: Students can register for Expertise and Strategic Professional exams
• June 2027: Final sitting of Applied Skills and Strategic Professional exams
• July 2027: First opportunity for students to enter and sit the Foundations and Knowledge exams (on demand)
• July 2027: Essential Employability Modules available for all levels
• September 2027: First sitting of the Expertise and Strategic Professional exams
  
  

Why are these changes happening?

According to the ACCA, the redesigned qualification is meant to “bring together all the cutting-edge technical, business, and professional skills needed by accountants in a changed world.” The exam updates and new modules place heavy emphasis on employability. For instance, the new Essential Employability module series covers topics such as business fundamentals, entrepreneurship, economics, AI and technology, ethics, and sustainability. These modules offer interactive learning with integrated assessments to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills at every stage. Students can also choose from a broad selection of Optional Employability Modules covering professional, technical, and technological skills.

Will my previous ACCA exams expire?

Mostly not. ACCA’s transition rules give you credit for the exams and modules you’ve already passed, and you won’t need to retake their equivalents. Anything you still have to do after June 2027 is done under the new structure: Knowledge exams from July 2027, and Expertise and Strategic Professional exams from September 2027. Some old papers have no direct equivalent (BT, for example, earns credit toward a module instead), so check ACCA’s transitional guidance resources for your own case.

Additionally, the ACCA has put together an interactive online tool, the ACCA Transition Tool, to help you see whether the upcoming changes will affect your certification and to map current exams to new ones. If you have more questions about what these changes mean for you, you can contact the ACCA directly through the MyACCA portal or call the organization at +44 (0)141 582 2000.

Remember that the seven-year rule still applies to Strategic Professional tests: candidates have seven years to pass all Strategic Professional exams after passing their first one. The rule is unchanged in the redesign. Separately, June 2027 is the final sitting of the current exams, so any Strategic Professional exam you haven’t passed by then will be one of the new ones; passes you already hold carry over while they are within the seven years.

Closing thoughts

The ACCA is set to make major changes to its certification process in response to evolving business needs and to remain at the cutting edge of global accounting practice. These updates reflect a growing emphasis on sustainability, governance, AI-assisted workflows, and other technological innovations in the accounting space. Whether you’re just starting a finance degree or you’re a seasoned accountant looking to stack your qualifications, it’s important to understand whether and how these changes will affect your certification pathway. No matter where you are, be sure your study materials reflect the exams you’re preparing for, and be ready for the new ACCA if you plan to qualify further down the road.