Exam guides for SQE, ACCA, CIMA & more
Pass-rate analysis, syllabus breakdowns and week-by-week study plans for UK professional exams — SQE, ACCA, CIMA, CFA and more.
SQE1
- Is SQE1 hard? →How hard SQE1 actually is: pass rates, hours needed, what most candidates underestimate, and how to prepare without burning out.
- SQE1 vs LPC →SQE1 vs LPC compared: cost, format, pass rates, and which route actually still leads to qualification as a solicitor in England & Wales.
- How many hours to pass SQE1 →Realistic SQE1 study hours: what Kaplan says, what candidates actually report, and how to allocate hours across FLK1 and FLK2.
- How to revise for SQE1 →A realistic SQE1 revision plan: hours per FLK, MCQ volume, spaced-repetition schedule, and mock strategy for first-time SQE1 candidates.
- How to prepare for SQE1 →A realistic SQE1 preparation plan: hours, materials, MCQ drilling, spaced repetition, and the week-by-week structure that produces first-time passes.
- SQE1 pass mark, explained →How the SQE1 pass mark is set: standard-setting, the Angoff method, why the threshold moves each sitting, and what recent pass marks have been.
- How to become a solicitor in the UK →The 2026 solicitor route in England and Wales: qualifying degree, SQE1 and SQE2, qualifying work experience, and how long it takes end to end.
- SQE vs LPC →SQE vs LPC compared for 2026 candidates: availability, format, cost, employer preference, and which route actually leads to qualification now.
- SQE2 timing and structure →SQE2 in detail: the 16 skills stations, the five half-days, timing per station, what markers reward, and how to prepare for oral and written skills.
ACCA
- How to pass ACCA FR first time →ACCA Financial Reporting (FR): pass rate, common pitfalls, question technique, and a 12-week study plan that actually works.
- How to revise for ACCA →ACCA revision plan: hours per paper, question technique for Section A/B/C, mock strategy, and where candidates lose marks they should keep.
- How many ACCA exams are there? →ACCA has 13 exams across three levels — Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional. Full list, order, exemptions and typical timeline.
- ACCA exam dates & timetable →ACCA session exam dates for March, June, September and December 2026, plus early-entry deadlines, standard deadlines and on-demand exam availability.
- How to pass ACCA first time →The study plan, question practice and exam-day tactics that separate first-time ACCA passers from resitters. Realistic hours per paper and common traps.
- ACCA exam order: which papers to sit first →The best order to sit ACCA Applied Skills and Strategic Professional exams, why it matters, and how to bundle papers per sitting.
CIMA
- CIMA vs ACCA →CIMA vs ACCA compared: syllabus, career outcomes, cost, exemptions, and which qualification suits management vs financial accounting careers.
- How to pass the CIMA case study →CIMA case study strategy: pre-seen analysis, exam-day timing, marking criteria, and the three habits that separate first-time passes from resits.
- How to revise for CIMA →CIMA revision plan for objective tests and case studies: hours, pre-seen strategy, question banks, and how to sequence sittings.
- How many CIMA exams are there? →CIMA has 12 exams across three levels plus a Certificate — Operational, Management and Strategic. Full list, order, exemptions and typical timeline.
- CIMA levels explained →The three CIMA levels in detail — what each level tests, the objective tests and Case Study, and the qualifications you earn along the way to CGMA.
CFA
- How to pass CFA Level 1 →CFA Level 1: pass rate, 300-hour rule, topic weightings, mock exam strategy, and what most candidates skip that they shouldn't.
- How to revise for CFA Level 1 →CFA Level 1 revision plan: topic weightings, hours, mock exam strategy, and where to spend the last 6 weeks for a first-time pass.
- What is the CFA exam? UK guide →The CFA charter explained for UK candidates: three levels, format, cost, time commitment, career value, and how it compares to ACCA and an MBA.
ACA
- ACA vs ACCA →ACA vs ACCA compared: training contracts, exam structure, employer preferences, cost, and which qualification suits which career path.
- How to revise for ACA →ACA revision plan for Certificate, Professional and Advanced Level. Hours per paper, mock strategy, and how to prep the Case Study.
AAT
PGCE
- How to pass the PGCE →PGCE survival guide: placement expectations, assignment technique, evidencing the Teachers' Standards, and how to actually get QTS.
- How to revise for the PGCE →PGCE revision guide: assignment technique, evidencing Teachers' Standards, and how to prepare for placement observations.
FRM
CIPD
CTA
PMP
- How to pass PMP first time →PMI PMP: 180-question exam strategy, PMBOK vs Agile balance, mock exam benchmarks, and the mindset shift most candidates miss.
- How to revise for PMP →PMP revision plan: 180-question strategy, PMI mindset, Agile/Hybrid balance, mock benchmarks, and how to prep for exam day.
Study skills
- How to revise for professional exams →A research-backed revision method for SQE, ACCA, CIMA, CFA and other professional exams: active recall, spaced repetition, and timed practice.
- Spaced repetition for exam revision →How spaced repetition works, why it beats cramming, and how to apply it to SQE, ACCA, CIMA, CFA and other high-volume professional exams.
ACCA PM
- ACCA PM pass rates →ACCA Performance Management (PM) pass rates by sitting, why they sit around 40%, and what separates first-time passes from resits.
- ACCA PM syllabus explained →ACCA Performance Management syllabus areas A–E: what each covers, mark weighting, and where PM candidates lose the most marks.
- How to pass ACCA PM first time →A structured 12-week ACCA Performance Management study plan: hours, question practice, mock sittings, and Section C technique.
ACCA TX
- ACCA TX pass rates →ACCA Taxation (TX) pass rates by sitting, why the UK variant sits around 45%, and what separates first-time passes from resits.
- How to pass ACCA TX first time →A 12-week ACCA Taxation (TX) study plan: thresholds, computations, Section C technique, and the habits that produce first-time passes.
ACCA FM
- ACCA FM pass rates →ACCA Financial Management (FM) pass rates by sitting, why they sit around 40%, and what separates first-time passes from resits.
- How to pass ACCA FM first time →A structured 12-week ACCA Financial Management study plan: investment appraisal, WACC, working capital, risk management, and Section C technique.
ACCA AA
- ACCA AA pass rates →ACCA Audit and Assurance (AA) pass rates by sitting, why they are the lowest in Applied Skills, and what first-time passes do differently.
- How to pass ACCA AA first time →A 12-week ACCA Audit and Assurance study plan: ISA application, risk assessment, audit procedures, and Section C writing technique.