ACCA Duration

The ACCA qualification is one of the most globally recognised professional accounting certifications. Many students often ask: “How long does it take to finish ACCA?” The honest answer: it depends on your study mode, your foundation, and your commitment. These can be various scenarios commonly adopted by our students:

1. Full Time Student (Approximately 2.5 years)

Duration	Papers
1st 6 months	BT, MA, FA
2nd 6 months	LW, PM, TX
3rd 6 months	FR, AA, FM
4th 6 months	SBL and SBR
5th 6 months	2 Option Papers (ATX, AAA, AFM or APM)

There is no time limit to complete the Applied Knowledge papers (BT, MA, FA) and the Applied Skills papers (LW, PM, TX, FR, AA and FM). However, a 7-year time limit applies to the Strategic Professional level papers, which include SBL, SBR and the Options papers (ATX, AAA, AFM).

2. Part Time Student – Faster Track (Approximately 4 years)

Suitable for working adults who want to complete ACCA relatively fast while still working.

Duration	Papers
1st 6 months	BT, MA, FA (if you have basic foundation)
2nd 6 months	LW & PM
3rd 6 months	TX & FR
4th 6 months	FM & AA
5th 6 months	SBL or SBR
6th 6 months	SBL or SBR
7th 6 months	Options – 1 paper
8th 6 months	Options – 1 paper

3. Part Time Student – Slower Pace (Approximately 5.5 years)

Designed for busy working adults with family commitments or those needing more time for each paper.

Duration	Papers
1st 6 months	BT & MA
2nd 6 months	FA & LW
3rd 6 months	PM
4th 6 months	TX
5th 6 months	FR
6th 6 months	FM
7th 6 months	AA
8th 6 months	SBL or SBR
9th 6 months	SBL or SBR
10th 6 months	Options – 1 Paper
11th 6 months	Options – 1 Paper

ACCA 7-Year Time Limits: What You Need to Know?

Knowledge & Skills Level (First 9 papers)

✔ No time limit
✔ Your passes do not expire

Strategic Professional Level (SBL, SBR and 2 Options)

✔ You must complete all 4 papers within 7 years
✔ The 7-year countdown begins from the date you pass your first Strategic Professional paper

For the 7-year time limit, only the Strategic Professional papers are affected. Once a paper you have passed exceeds 7 years from the date of passing, that specific paper will be forfeited, while other papers still within the 7-year window remain valid.

For example, John passed his AA (Audit & Assurance) and SBL (Strategic Business Leader) exams in June 2025. Since SBL is a Strategic Professional paper, it will have an expiry date of June 2032. If John does not complete all the Strategic Professional exams by June 2032, the SBL paper will expire and he will need to retake it.

Which Study Duration Should You Choose?

Factors	2.5 years plan	4 years plan	5.5 years plan
Commitment	You can commit about 12-16 hours a week.	You can commit about 6-8 hours a week.	You have to commit at least 3 hours a week.
Objective	To complete quickly and obtain a prestigious qualification for career progression	Knowledge enhancement for job promotion or career enhancement	Knowledge enhancement for job promotion or career enhancement yet with more flexibility on other commitments (eg. family)
Financial consideration (a ball-park figure)	Approximately RM5,000 to RM6,000 each 6-month semester (tuition fees and exam fees)	Approximately RM3,500 to RM4,000 each 6-month semester (tuition fees and exam fees)	Approximately RM2,000 to RM3,000 each 6-month semester (tuition fees and exam fees)

ACCA is flexible. You can speed up or slow down, depending on

Your job schedule
Your exam performance
Your personal commitments (eg. family, travel plans)
Your financial capacity

There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all approach. You can decide flexibly and adjust according to your needs. What matters most is consistency, discipline and choosing a plan that you can sustain.

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Is Professional Qualification Tough?

Quick Glimpse of What Our Satisfied Students Said

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 114 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
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   Tj Lim 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The lecturer is very dedicated and passionate in teaching. Explanations are clear and well-structured, which really helps in understanding the subject better. Whenever students have questions, the lecturer and his staff is always responsive and willing to provide detailed guidance. It’s clear that a lot of effort has been put into preparing the lessons and supporting students throughout. I truly appreciate the commitment and support given.
  
 
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   Vincent Tan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Glad I chose Genesis Origo for my ACCA Advanced Tax (ATX) course with Mr. Low Chin Ann—and even more thrilled to have passed my final paper! The course gave me a strong foundation in taxation. Mr. Low’s teaching is exceptionally thorough—he covers the entire syllabus and breaks down complex topics into clear, manageable parts. He explains concepts clearly and connects theory with practical case studies, making everything easier to understand and apply. His classes are well-structured, engaging, and exam focused. Highly recommend his classes to anyone preparing for the ATX paper!
  
 
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   Boo Wei nyong巫炜荣 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I studied the ACCA applied skill tax paper with Mr. Low at Genesis Origo, and I really appreciate his teaching style. He explains the concepts clearly, which makes me easy to understand, and he’s always willing to answer my questions—no matter how big or small. His support really helped me feel more confident in doing tax questions.😆😆
  
 
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   K vin 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I passed my TX paper through study at Genesis Origo, admin here are willing to help us understand on process of ACCA and the exam, thanks a lot Ms Yan. The class have both online and classroom, the contents are straight to the point helped me understand a lot on the taxation, not only for exam but for my works too. I would like to say thankful to have you all during my study journey.
  
 
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   Tan Hui Yi 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. throughout this half year with the guidance by Mr Low, I can say that he is a excellent teacher in teaching Tax paper…..his experience and teaching style are top of the world🤩He taught every topic in details, giving example or concept so that I can understand it easily. He is dedicated to answering every student's questions and providing help. Honestly speaking, tax paper are the easiest paper during f level in my opinion.
  
 
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   Sathya Indran 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The materials, videos and teaching method by Mr.Low is easy to understand the topics and made me pass in my first attempt. In fact, his method of teaching made me understand taxation better then my work experince. A special thanks to Mr.Low and team.
  
 
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   Zher Xiong Ting 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Good lecturer for Low Chin Ann, good Acca learning
  
 
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   Chi Nguyen 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I registered for the full ACCA program and have completed almost all the subjects. During my time studying, I was very lucky to study with many experienced and dedicated teachers. Among them, I was especially impressed with Mr. Daniel Ho - who taught me P4. I planned to take the P4 exam in December 2024, but when I registered for the exam, I accidentally chose the wrong subject P5 (laughing so hard haha). After finding out, I texted Mr. Daniel. He was very enthusiastic and proactive in reminding me to contact the college for support in accessing online study materials until the end of March, because I would retake the exam in March 2025. During the review process for the retake exam, Mr. Daniel always texted to ask, encourage and remind me that if there was anything I didn't understand, I could feel free to text him.  Last March, I took two exams at the same time: SBL and P4. Working and studying for the exam, I really didn’t have much time to study thoroughly. For P4, I mainly studied according to the mind maps and illustrative exercises that the teacher provided. The way he built the mind maps and explained the examples was very clear and easy to understand, helping me save a lot of time studying. I just received my P4 exam results a few days ago – and passed with a score of 66. I am truly grateful and appreciate Mr. Daniel Ho’s dedication to his students. I highly recommend anyone who is about to take P4 to choose to study with him – you definitely won’t be disappointed. I wish you all good luck in your studies and passing the exam!
  
 
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   ThEN YC 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Daniel Ho, Thank you for your incredible guidance during the AFM exam preparation. Your clear explanations of complex concepts and encouragement throughout the course gave me the confidence to tackle the exam effectively. Your willingness to answer questions and provide motivational feedback made a huge difference in my understanding and performance. I truly appreciate your dedication and support.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Angela Ng 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently completed the ACCA Advanced Taxation (ATX) course with Mr. Low Chin Ann at Genesis Origo, and I’m pleased to share that I passed the exam on my first attempt. This was my first time taking ATX with Mr. Low, and I am truly grateful for the experience. Mr. Low’s teaching is exceptionally thorough, he covers the entire syllabus comprehensively, ensuring that every single examinable area is addressed. His ability to break down complex topics into manageable parts made the learning process much more effective and less overwhelming. The course materials provided were well-structured, detailed, and highly relevant to the exam, which gave me the confidence I needed during my preparation. I highly recommend Mr. Low Chin Ann’s classes to anyone preparing for the ATX paper. His dedication, clarity in explanation, and structured approach make a real difference.
  
 
  
  
 
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