ACCA is an incredibly innovative accounting body and provides you with the most convenient and flexible options of both studying and sitting your ACCA exams. This is why ACCA is now providing both On Demand CBEs (Computer Based Exams) and now Session CBEs for most subjects at the fundamental level of its qualification. This blog post will outline the key details of both.
Computer Based Exams (CBEs) are a big part of the ACCA qualification. CBEs allows students to complete their exam on a computer through multiple choice, short answer and spreadsheet solutions. This allows students to structure their work more accurately and also greatly enhances the presentation of student work to examiners. Examiners can and regularly mark down written papers for poor handwriting and presentation. CBEs make your ACCA qualification more flexible, as it means you’re able to sit your exams more times per year compared to other accounting bodies in Ireland.
There are two types of CBEs –
- “On Demand” – available at any time across Ireland in third party exam centres.
- “Session” – held 4 times per year in ACCA exam centres.
On Demand CBEs (F1-F4)
Exams for the subjects F1- F4 are “on demand”. This means you can book and sit your exam whenever it is most convenient for you – there are no exam periods at this level and you can book in for your exam at any time of the year. To arrange your exam you should contact the exam centre and agree on dates and details directly with the centre. Click here for full list of ACCA approved F1-F4 exam centres.
A great feature of On Demand CBE exams is getting your results straight after the exam – so you will know how you did right away! Your results will be uploaded to your ACCA account within 72 hours.
Quarterly exams
Exams from F5 onwards are done on a quarterly basis. Students can register to sit them through their profile on the ACCA website. The exam sessions are taking place in March, June, September and December. Sessions CBE’s take place in ACCA exam centres throughout the country so your options are more limited compared to the On Demand CBEs.
Most students have welcomed the introduction of Session CBEs with open arms. The move to 4 exam sittings and the end of the onerous task of writing for hours on end are just some of the benefits.
For those of you who prefer pen and paper – you don’t have much time left. Paper exams for the F5-F9 stage will be phased out by March 2018. Regional variants such as F6 Irish Taxation will still remain in written form and will only be available to sit twice a year – in June and December.
For more information on the Session CBEs check out our recent blog post-
https://studyonline.ie/acca-f5-f9-exam-to-become-100-cbe/
If you are currently preparing to sit your CBE exam for the first time remember that help is at hand and your tutors here at StudyOnline.ie are happy to answer any questions you may have.
