# CPA versus ACCA



## triplex

Hello, 

Am considering doing the CPA as the ACCA  exams seem extremely hard - i know the CPA are tough too, but the failure rate in ACCA seems very high. Would anyone have any comments? especially people currently doing CPA, i'd be very interested in your opinions of CPA?

thanks,


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## AJC

Any CPA's out there who can confirm how much the joining fee / annual subscription is ?

(I have heard that they are relatively high)


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## Jockey

Hi,

I am currently studying for the ACCA exams. The annual subscription for the CPA is a few hundred a year (Approx €500-600) it is only seventy odd euro with the ACCA. Was in your predicament myself a couple of years ago but went with the ACCA after advice from numerous people. The CPA exams arent as easy as they are made out to be.

Good luck whatever you decide....


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## Solutions

Have you considered CIMA, the qualificaion is more flexible and the exam more practical?


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## viztopia

i am an AAC qualified 3 years now. basically there are three main practice options. ICAI, ACCA and CPA. there may be some other options but i will not mention them at this stage. Both the ICAI and CPA are exclusivley Irish while the ACCA is a global "brand" with an office in Dublin. As the ICAI and CPA are exclusivley Irish they offer a better service to Irish students. With ACCA you get your annual subscription in sterling and there are some matters that the dublin office cant deal with and you are then reffered to Glasgow which can be tedious. 
In terms of the qualification been recognised there definatley is a perception in the marketplace that the CPA qualification is at the bottom of the scale. Even though in my opinion any CPA accountant i know is as good as any other and a lot depends on the person rather than the qualification. while studying for the ACCA i looked at the CPA exams and they did appear a lot easier, i dont know if they have changed over the years.
Best of luck with whatever you decide. It may be worth consulting a careers counsellor in your school/college or the ACCA or CPA direct.


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## triplex

thanks very much for that guys! food for thought there!


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## ArthurP

I am studying ACCA myself but I know a few people on the CPA. Not much difference between the two. The main advantage to ACCA is it's portability ie, being internationallly recognised. CPA is exclusively for Ireland. Good luck in whatever you choose.


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## triplex

Everyone, thanks for your comments - just discovered that the CPA qualification is recognised across Europe - not just in Ireland. The directive mentioned below has been updated within the past 2 years...


'The CPA qualification is recognised as equivalent to those of other statutory bodies in the EU and the qualification is included in the EC Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications - the Mutual Recognition Directive (89/48/EEC).'


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## cork

The CPA qualification is indeed very well recognised and it is highly regarded.


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## Kiddo

triplex said:


> Everyone, thanks for your comments - just discovered that the CPA qualification is recognised across Europe - not just in Ireland. The directive mentioned below has been updated within the past 2 years...
> 
> 
> 'The CPA qualification is recognised as equivalent to those of other statutory bodies in the EU and the qualification is included in the EC Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications - the Mutual Recognition Directive (89/48/EEC).'


 

But ACCA is more established and a more recognisable "global brand" (for want of a better phrase).



> The CPA qualification is indeed very well recognised and it is highly regarded.


 
I wouldn't agree that that is the perception amoung employers. Have a look at job ads for accountants in the press and on agency websites..they usually say ACA/ACCA/CIMA...


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## cork

Kiddo said:


> I wouldn't agree that that is the perception amoung employers. Have a look at job ads for accountants in the press and on agency websites..they usually say ACA/ACCA/CIMA...


 
But  they also look for experience and post grad qualifications.

 ACCA,CPA, CIMA & ACA are just brands.




> ads for accountants


 would not be my idea of a good borometer.

CPA is a better brand in the US and Canada. ACCA is probably better known in the UK.

Pepsi is strong in some markets, Coca Cola in others and Local Brands in others.

My advice would be to look into all bodies - I'd pick the most flexable one with regards doing exams.


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## jobbersworld

ACCA has members, affiliates and students in 170 countires arround the world and it is the leading professional accountancy body in these countires. 

The *Association of Chartered Certified Accountants* (*ACCA*) is a British chartered accountancy body with a global presence that offers the Chartered Certified Accountant (Designatory letters ACCA or FCCA) qualification worldwide. It is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing accountancy bodies with 122,426 members and 325,606 affiliates and students in 170 countries. The Institute's headquarters are in London with the principal administrative office being based in Glasgow. In addition the ACCA has a network of nearly 80 staffed offices and other centres around the world. "WIKIPEDIA"

ACCA's syllabus formed the basis of the United Nations' global accountancy curriculum titled Guideline on National Requirements for the Qualification of Professional Accountants published in 1999. ACCA was a participant in the consultative group, which devised this global Benchmark, and reference to ACCA's role is included throughout the publication. "WIKIPEDIA"


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## tunturchuki

Hey,

CPA exams are much more difficult than ACCA exams. 
Also do not forget that passing grade is 75 for CPA and 50 for ACCA. On CPA exams you are trying to be excellent, however on ACCA exams if you are average guy in the subject you will pass.
Best of luck on whatever you decided!


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## WindUp

Post is 4 years old! I imagine they have decided by now


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## Pat Bateman

I heard an old saying in UCD once..."ACA" stands for "A Chartered Accountant", "ACCA" stands for "A Crap Chartered Accountant" and "CPA" stands for "Car Park Attendant".

The above isn't a comment on the relative merits of the three qualifications!


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## cork

Kiddo said:


> But ACCA is more established and a more recognisable "global brand" (for want of a better phrase).
> ..




That said CPA is a very strong barnd internationally.

ACA, ACCA, CIMA and CPA are all good qualififications.

Differances are like Coke v Pepsi


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## dieter1

I've recruited Accountants for 10 years and in Ireland, there is a very real difference in CPA's vs ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Its absolutely not fair, but its absolutely there.  A CPA qualified candidate will often be overlooked in favour of an ACA/ACCA/CIMA.


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## dublinmanman

*Becoming an Accountant*

Hi there.
I'm 34 and am strongly considering becoming an Accountant. My primary degree is in Engineering which I completed in 1997. I've worked in various engineering roles and in recent years have been dealing with budgets, customer accounts etc.
I've been reading a number of articles on the merits of various qualifications and I'm leaning towards the ACCA.
Do larger companies, PWC, Accenture etc. consider mature candidates for their training programmes?
In these times are the places going to newly graduated candidates?
Are there other routes that I should consider??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks


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## mandelbrot

ACCAisFRAUD said:


> I'm sorry to burst all your bubbles but ACCA CANNOT be compared to CPA.
> 
> Indeed, ACCA is not a "British Chartered Accountancy body".  This is a common misconception.  People with ACCA qualifications are NOT considered Chartered Accountants anywhere and are referred to as Certified Accountants in the UK.  The qualification is massively inferior to the ACA qualifications offered by the ICAEW and ICAS.
> 
> Those saying otherwise are thinking wishfully and kidding themselves.  Absolute self-denial.



Interesting how these threads always seem to attract one-post-wonders, who specialise in resurrection... 

An illogical post as well, since you start by suggesting ACCA can't be compared to CPA, offering no explanation as to why this is the case... and then go on to talk about ICAEW & ICAS on an Irish forum - ICAI don't even merit a mention apparently...!


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## Sunny

ACCAisFRAUD said:


> I'm sorry to burst all your bubbles but ACCA CANNOT be compared to CPA.
> 
> Indeed, ACCA is not a "British Chartered Accountancy body". This is a common misconception. People with ACCA qualifications are NOT considered Chartered Accountants anywhere and are referred to as Certified Accountants in the UK. The qualification is massively inferior to the ACA qualifications offered by the ICAEW and ICAS.
> 
> Those saying otherwise are thinking wishfully and kidding themselves. Absolute self-denial.


 
Complete and utter rubbish. I am ACA and it is not vastly superior to ACCA.


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## jack2009

Pat Bateman said:


> I heard an old saying in UCD once..."ACA" stands for "A Chartered Accountant", "ACCA" stands for "A Crap Chartered Accountant" and "CPA" stands for "Car Park Attendant".
> 
> The above isn't a comment on the relative merits of the three qualifications!


 
What ACA, Anyone Can Add!


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## bazermc

ACCAisFRAUD said:


> I'm sorry to burst all your bubbles but ACCA CANNOT be compared to CPA.
> 
> Indeed, ACCA is not a "British Chartered Accountancy body". This is a common misconception. People with ACCA qualifications are NOT considered Chartered Accountants anywhere and are referred to as Certified Accountants in the UK. The qualification is massively inferior to the ACA qualifications offered by the ICAEW and ICAS.
> 
> Those saying otherwise are thinking wishfully and kidding themselves. Absolute self-denial.


 
Did you have a bad experience with ACCA i.e. fail your exams over and over again?  

Reason I ask is that you created a username ACCAisFRAUD and dug out a very old thread about CPA and slammed the ACCA for being inferior to ACA, which is nothing to do with the original thread question - holy god man!


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## cork

The ACA qualification has been pretty humbled in recent times.

Were some former leading bankers not some of their prominant members?

At the end of the day there is precious little difficence between ACA,ACCA or CPA.

Thar said that public sector accountancy body is not as recognised.


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## caroline

What puzzled and astound millions of people worldwide is :"On what criteria do the ACCA pass the candidates whose mother tongue is not English"? What do they write in their answer scripts? Imagine a student from CHINA who can hardly write a correct sentence in English and can do basic calculation only! How does the ACCA decide whether to fail or pass that candidate.

I know people from overseas who cannot tackle an advanced level question but they have passed the ACCA and is by now FCCA. That same ACCA gives exemptions to CPA Ireland in four papers only. At least all the candidates of the CPA have good secondary education. Nobody has ever made an investigation.!


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## caroline

ACCA gives exemption to ABE diploma( which is less rigorous than Advanced level) in four papers but no exemptions are given to the AIA( Association of International Accountants- a level 7 QCF qualification recognised by the Companies Act in the UK). How can the ACCA be better than CPA Ireland?


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## caroline

If CPA Ireland were a sub-standard qualification why did the ICAIreland wanted a merger?


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## bazermc

caroline said:


> What puzzled and astound millions of people worldwide is :"On what criteria do the ACCA pass the candidates whose mother tongue is not English"? What do they write in their answer scripts? Imagine a student from CHINA who can hardly write a correct sentence in English and can do basic calculation only! How does the ACCA decide whether to fail or pass that candidate.
> 
> I know people from overseas who cannot tackle an advanced level question but they have passed the ACCA and is by now FCCA. That same ACCA gives exemptions to CPA Ireland in four papers only. At least all the candidates of the CPA have good secondary education. Nobody has ever made an investigation.!


 
I would have thought exams are conducted in local langauges depending on where the canditate is sitting, so Ireland, France, Italy etc etc

In the same way someone in Ireland sitting the tax paper doesnt sit it under UK tax law, they sit it under Irish tax law


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## Gekko

jack2009 said:


> What ACA, Anyone Can Add!


 
Or, 

CPA - Car Park Attendant, and

ACCA - A Crap Chartered Accountant?


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## Thinker

"On what criteria do the ACCA pass the candidates whose mother tongue is not English"?
Little racist there, aren't we?
I'll tell you more Caroline, my mother tongue is not English and yet I managed to graduate with GPA well above average while working full-time, and I received multiple job offers while some of my fellow native English speakers did not.
Life is unfair


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## Setanta12

As a member of the one of the main three (ACCA, ACA, CPA) and a CTA;

- the CPA is recognised worldwide on the basis that the CPA qualification is the main accountancy qualification in the States. However it is in no way related to the Irish CPA.  I think, but stand to be corrected, that there is an agreement between US CPA and the Irish ACA.

- Irish ACA is more recognised in Big-4 Ireland but this is changing. More and more non-ACA partners are being admitted; note however that there are rules concerning %partners versus salaried partners in each firm. The %parters still tend to be ACA.

- Irish ACA is recognised in UK etc as they have roughly the same bodies set up at the same time. ACCA is a UK operation operating globally but set up more recently.  

- CPA.  Hmmm ...there are few others like this. And yes, while it is recognised across Europe (in theory),  you will also find that the 6/7 accountancy bodies in Ireland (yes there are that many) also theoretically are meant to get recognition.  In practice, in day-to-day reality, only the ACA/ACCA/CIMA do.


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## Setanta12

Accountancy Body   Full Name   Designatory Letters

ACCA

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants   ACCA or FCCA

AIA

Association of International Accountants  AAIA or FAIA

CIMA

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants  ACMA or FCMA

CIPFA

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy  CPFA

ICAEW

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales   ACA or FCA

ICAI

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland   ACA or FCA

ICAS

Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland  CA

ICPAI

Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland   CPA or FCPA

IIPA

Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants   AIPA or FIPA


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## Setanta12

I may have been unkind to CPA, a previous poster is correct when he stated that the ACA wanted to merge - this didn't happen. When the ACA wanted to merge with CIMA - this didn't happen either.

I'm sure all sorts of reasons have been put forward.  But some organisations are better run (financially) than others, even if the individual reputation of members is deemed better than members of other organisations.


IMHO; ACA = ACCA.  CIMA is factory-accounting (as I explain it to me da).  Every sizable business needs a CIMA more than a ACA/ACCA but to produce statutory accounts, you need a ACA/ACCA more than a CIMA.


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## olab

hi everyone, looks like this thread is a bit old now but I am quite new here and don't really wanna start a new thread which will ask the same question  So which one is actually better? ACCA or CPA?? I am currently in a process of signing up with CPA. Done a lot of research and all but to be honest these two seem very much the same to me.


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## Jim2007

olab said:


> hi everyone, looks like this thread is a bit old now but I am quite new here and don't really wanna start a new thread which will ask the same question  So which one is actually better? ACCA or CPA?? I am currently in a process of signing up with CPA. Done a lot of research and all but to be honest these two seem very much the same to me.



You are going to put a significant effort into getting qualified regardless of which association you go with, so why would opt for the qualification that hardly anyone has heard about???  

Every time you go for a job, the first think you will have to do convince the prospective employer that CPA is as good as/equal to/better than ACA, ACCA, CIMA...  Why make life more difficult???

Brand recognition and being main stream is a good idea.


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