AICPA IFRS vs ACCA DIPIFRS - Which is the Better Choice?

ACCA DIPIFRS or AICPA Certification in IFRS

What to look out for when deciding to take an IFRS course

There are many reasons you might be considering getting certified on IFRS. You might want a promotion, or maybe there's a new job you have been vying for or your company/clients' deals in IFRS.

But where do you begin? How do you get knowledge and get certified? Should you choose between AICPA or ACCA for your needs?

We try and give you an assessment of the differences between both bodies so that you can make a better decision.

Note: Eduyush offers both the ACCA Diploma in IFRS and AICPA IFRS course

Quick overview of the bodies

About AICPA

 The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world's largest member association representing the CPA profession, with more than 418,000 members in 143 countries, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887

About ACCA

The ACCA certification program on IFR is for finance professionals who wish to know and understand International Financial Standards. It increases students' employability by opening the doors of global opportunities as IFRS is mandatory compliance in more than 150 nations across the globe.

Comparison of ACCA DIPIFRS v AICPA IFRS program

ACCA DIPIFRS? Why are pass rates low

We train students for ACCA Diploma in IFRS. The overall pass rates for the exams are now in the range of 35% to 45%. The primary reasons for low pass rates are 

• Enrolling in the course because all my friends are doing it (almost 30% of students never give the exams)
• Lack of exam preparation time. It takes close to 100 - 200 hours even for CA to prepare
• Lack of understanding of exam techniques for ACCA - Presentation of your answers is critical for ACCA DIPLOMA in IFR.
• Time Management - it's a 3 hour exam on a Computer. Many students attempt this exam without prior practice with the question bank and software.

We have observed the passing rates of students over the past five years, and some of the traits of students with over 80 to 90% pass rates are as follows

• CA with less than four years of work exp. or students writing CA final
• CA's between 4-10 years of work exp & who devote a minimum of 150 - 200 hours as study time
• Non-CA's with over five years of work experience in IFRS/INDAS devoting min 200-300 hours of study time

What should you choose - Eduyush Recommendations

Both ACCA and AICPA are popular and globally recognised. Both give you a certificate on clearing, and practically there's no difference in recruiter perception.

ACCA Diploma has been more popular because of its pricing. AICPA's course retails at 1345 USD, and therefore there were very few students opting for the same.

With its India pricing at 400 USD, AICPA IFRS certification is now at par with ACCA. So from a pricing perspective, both are equal.

The difference primarily now comes in carving out time to study. ACCA Diploma comes with a rider that you have a base on Accounting standards and can devote a minimum of 100-250 hours for the exams. 

AICPA IFRS is simple, easy to understand and can be taken at any level of your life. Some students complete their course in 1 month, and some take 3-6 months. Certification is guaranteed.

We share a table below to help you make an easy decision.

Note: Eduyush offers training for both ACCA and AICPA and provides a bundled combo where you save almost 15% on fees when taken together.

Suppose you would like to get a consultation on which is better for you. Pls WhatsApp us at +91 9643308079 or write to us at ifrs@eduyush.com.