ACCA Exam FAQs: Exam Duration, Timing, Cancellation and Exam Planner

Students often have questions about ACCA exam duration, timing, exam entries, cancellation rules and deadlines. Knowing these details can help students manage their exam bookings and plan their preparation properly.

These ACCA exam FAQs explain important information about exam sessions, the ACCA Exam Planner, exam attempts, cancellations, and changes to exam bookings. Students can use these answers to understand the basic ACCA exam rules and plan their exam entries accordingly.

ACCA Exam Overview

Before checking the detailed ACCA exam FAQs, students should know some basic information about ACCA exam sessions, exam entries and the Exam Planner. The overview below gives a quick look at important exam-related details.

Frequently Asked Questions About ACCA Exams

Students may have questions about ACCA exam duration, timing, exam entries, cancellations and changes. The following FAQs provide simple answers to common questions about ACCA exam rules and the Exam Planner.

How long is an ACCA exam?

The duration of an ACCA exam depends on the paper. Many ACCA exams are 3 hours long, while Strategic Professional exams are generally 3 hours and 15 minutes. For the exact duration of a specific exam, students should check the relevant exam details and their Examination Attendance Docket.

How can I check my ACCA exam time?

Students can check their exam timetable through the Examination Attendance Docket available in myACCA. The docket includes the timetable of the exams entered and the exam centre address. 

What is the ACCA Exam Planner?

The ACCA Exam Planner is an online system available through myACCA. Students use it to book exams and manage existing exam entries. Before the standard entry deadline, students can use the planner to cancel an entry, change the time, location or variant, switch to a remote-based exam where available, or enter for more exams.

How many ACCA exam attempts can I take in a year?

Students can enter for a maximum of four exams in each exam session and a maximum of eight different exams in one calendar year. ACCA has four session-based exam sessions each year in March, June, September and December.

Can I cancel my ACCA exam?

Yes. Students can amend or cancel an exam entry through the Exam Planner up to the standard exam entry closing date for that exam session. ACCA may either refund the exam fee or hold the amount on the student's account for payment towards future exams.

Can I cancel my ACCA exam after the deadline?

No. After the standard exam entry closing date, an exam entry cannot be cancelled or transferred, and the examination entry fee is not refundable or transferable. 

What is the ACCA exam withdrawal deadline?

Students can amend or cancel an exam entry up to the standard exam entry closing date for that exam session. After this deadline, the exam entry cannot be cancelled or transferred. 

Can I cancel my ACCA exam because of illness?

If illness or another difficult circumstance affects your exam performance, you can inform ACCA through the mitigating circumstances process. If you cannot sit an exam, the standard cancellation rules apply. 

What happens if I miss my ACCA exam?

If a student cannot sit an exam they have booked, it does not affect the marks of other exams they have entered for in the same session. The missed exam can be taken at the next available examination session.

Can I change my ACCA exam date?

Yes. If a student wants to move an exam from one session to another, they can cancel the existing booking through the Exam Planner by selecting the amend option and then make the required new booking. This must be done before the standard entry deadline.