Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) University of South Wales

The ACA qualification from the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) is considered to be a premium, gold standard accountancy qualification that qualifies you as a chartered accountant. ICAEW chartered accountants are always in demand and the ACA qualification equips students to perform at the highest levels of accountancy, business and finance.

The majority of ACA trainees work in accounting practice and the ACA qualification has a strong practice subject focus (audit, taxation) as well as covering other key technical accounting areas.

An increasing number of students are now training in other sectors too. Once qualified, ICAEW chartered accountants work in all sectors, from accounting practices to commercial organisations, financial institutions, not for profit organisations and the public sector.

The University of South Wales is recognised as an ICAEW Partner in Learning, working with ICAEW in the professional development of students. The University has a rich history of providing first class tuition for professional accountancy courses. We have been awarded PQ Magazine's 'Public Sector Accountancy College of the Year' three times, and our students have won multiple awards, including awards for the highest marks in Wales.

Entry requirements

The most popular entry route to the qualification is a good undergraduate honours degree (1st or 2:1), but entry is also available to people with no qualifications, A-level school leavers, AAT graduates, apprentices, and members of other Chartered bodies. Trainees are ultimately required to enter a training contract with an approved employer.

Completion of the AAT qualification gives exemption from up to 5 of the ACA exams.

You must apply for student membership and exemptions (where applicable) with ICAEW before joining the course. Visit www.icaew.com for more information.

Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS Check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions. Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.