Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Select your qualification and register for the first section
3 weeks
Choose the professional accounting qualification appropriate for your jurisdiction: CPA (US, four sections — AUD, FAR, REG, plus one of BAR/ISC/TCP), ACCA (UK and international, 13 papers across three levels), or ACA/ICAEW (UK, three levels). Confirm you meet the educational prerequisites, then register for and begin studying the first required section or paper.
Proof required
Registration confirmation from AICPA/NASBA, ACCA, or ICAEW showing your candidate ID and the specific section or paper registered, plus a study plan document.
What gets checked
- Qualification chosen with documented rationale for jurisdiction and career intent
- Prerequisites verified and documented (university credits, exemptions, or equivalent)
- Registration confirmation shows candidate ID and upcoming exam section or paper
Common mistakes
- Choosing the wrong qualification for your jurisdiction and discovering the credential is not recognised by local employers after significant study investment
- Misjudging the prerequisite credit hour or exemption requirements and being unable to sit the exam at the expected date
- Treating all sections as equally weighted when FAR (for CPA) or Strategic Professional (for ACCA) typically require significantly more study hours
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm the qualification is appropriate for the candidate's country of residence and intended employer market
- Verify the registration confirmation is from the correct awarding body (AICPA/NASBA, ACCA, or ICAEW)
Pass the first required section or paper
12 weeks
Complete the study programme for the first required section or paper and sit the exam. For CPA-US this is typically FAR or AUD (the two highest-failure-rate sections, worth prioritising early). For ACCA this is the Applied Knowledge level. For ACA this is the Certificate level. The official result from the awarding body is the non-fabricatable proof.
Proof required
Official result notice from AICPA/NASBA (showing section score ≥75), ACCA exam results email, or ICAEW assessment result — confirming the section or paper passed with your candidate ID visible.
What gets checked
- Official result from the awarding body confirms pass status
- Result references the specific section or paper name and sitting date
- Candidate ID on the result matches the registration in M1
Common mistakes
- Attempting multiple sections simultaneously, spreading preparation too thin for any single section to reach pass standard
- For CPA-US: not practising under the 4-hour time constraint; task-based simulations require a different approach from multiple choice and take longer than expected
- For ACCA: focusing only on technical knowledge without practising the professional skills marks that appear in higher-level papers
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Verify the result is official — check awarding body letterhead or portal screenshot, not a third-party notification
- For CPA-US: confirm score is ≥75 (the passing threshold)
- Confirm the sitting date is consistent with the study timeline established in M1
Complete all required sections or papers
24 weeks (remaining sections after M2)
Pass all remaining sections or papers required by your qualification. For CPA-US: all 4 sections within the rolling window. For ACCA: all 13 papers (exemptions may reduce this). For ACA: all three levels including Advanced. The final result — an AICPA licensure eligibility confirmation, ACCA affiliate status notification, or ACA completion letter — is the capstone proof.
Proof required
Official qualification completion notice or transcript showing all required sections/papers passed: AICPA license application eligibility confirmation, ACCA affiliate status email, or ICAEW ACA completion letter.
What gets checked
- All required sections or papers shown as passed on official transcript or completion notice
- No outstanding sections with lapsed credit windows
- Awarding body notification of qualification completion or exam eligibility confirmed
Common mistakes
- CPA-US: allowing a passed section to expire — early passes lapse if the remaining sections take more than 18 months to complete
- ACCA: choosing Strategic Professional options without matching them to career path, then losing motivation studying irrelevant specialisms
- Stalling after one or two passes and losing the study habit before the full qualification is complete
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm completion notice covers all required sections — not just the most recent pass
- For CPA-US: verify no sections have expired (all pass dates within the rolling window)
- For ACCA: confirm Strategic Professional completion shows both Essentials and two Options papers passed
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