What is Applied Skills Level?

By IIC Lakshya

26 Sep 2025

When you hear about the ACCA Skills level, you might question what the different ACCA Levels are. Essentially, the ACCA professional level papers provide a comprehensive, robust, and practical foundation in financial skills, offering excellent strategic career opportunities. Let’s delve deeper into the level, its key characteristics, the exam papers, format, and future job opportunities.

Table of Content

What is Applied Skills Level
Watch Video on Skill Level Paper
Key Characteristics of Applied Skills Level in ACCA
Applied Skills Exam
Career Opportunities after Applied Skills Level
Related Blogs
FAQs on Applied Skills Level Paper

What is Applied Skills Level?

Learn faster with this easy video explanation for Applied Skills Level Paper!

The ACCA Applied Skills Level follows the Applied Knowledge Level. Henceforth, a 12th Commerce student who starts the ACCA Course must qualify for these papers. The Applied Skills level is the second level in ACCA certification, becoming a significant step for ACCA aspirants. The ACCA course detail offers practical knowledge implementation into tax, audit, consultancy, and other financial services.

Key Characteristics of Applied Skills Level in ACCA

The intermediate or the second level, which comes just after your foundation knowledge level. This is where the practical implications come in, as working individuals must balance ACCA preparation and work. Here are some of the key characteristics of the Applied Skills Level in the ACCA certification.

Focus on practical skills - it is very important to focus on gaining knowledge which are helpful in practical situations, along with integrating business case studies.

Intermediate stage - the ACCA level 2 will bring to the forefront the way your skills develop in real-life situations.

Six mandatory exams - there are six exams that the students must pass all six exams additionally, there will be exemptions available.

Building a foundation - when you successfully qualify the Applied Skills exams, it establishes a strong base to further to career for the complex Strategic Professional level.

The Applied Skills Exams

There are six papers in the Applied Skills ACCA Level, which are mandatory to pass if you want to qualify for the intermediate level. Additionally, this ACCA exam level is based on understanding and implementing the practical finance skills for dealing with future professional responsibilities as an accountant.

There is an exemption calculator to calculate the exempted papers for ACCA exams. For example, you have to take at least two of the Applied Skills exams along with the Ethics and Professional Skills module.

Corporate and Business Law - this paper covers legal frameworks that are significant in businesses

Taxation - this paper explores various tax structures and their implementation on business operations

Performance Management - this paper is an advanced version of a paper from the previous level, namely, management accounting

Audit and Assurance - this paper is about studying technical skills along with establishing the groundwork for real-world businesses' auditing

Financial Reporting - the paper focuses on establishing detailed financial reporting and accounting standards

Financial Management - the paper focuses on educating on financial concepts, along with decision-making in business scenarios

Format

The exam mode for this level is all digital, hence you also get to learn about the practical skills of digital applications for the ACCA syllabus. The exam duration is 3 hours, where there are additional time available for instructions.

The exam sessions are held quarterly in March, June, September, and December. Depending on the exam center, there are some exams that are on demand. The pass mark that you need to score is 50% in the ACCA professional exam. There are the following question formats:

Section A - Multiple Choice, matching, true and false (all objective-type questions)

Section B - constructed response questions, like application or scenario-based questions

Case Study Questions - technical application for real-world business application for real-world scenarios

Career Opportunities After Applied Skills Level

You have to complete the Applied Skills Level, during which you need to acquire technical and practical knowledge. With the qualification of this level, there are several opportunities, from entry-level to mid-level roles in finance, business, and accounting. Getting these job openings is one of the top benefits of getting an ACCA certification.

Role	Description
Audit Associate/ Internal Auditor	Ensuring compliance, conducting audits
Financial Analyst	Budgeting, analysing company performance, forecasting
Business Analyst	Using data to improve strategy and operations
Tax Associate/ Tax Consultant	Handling compliance, advisory, and tax returns
Accountant/ Accounts Officer	Management, financial reporting, and record keeping
Banking Associate/ Credit Analyst	Evaluating financial risks for investments or loans

Ready to Crack the Applied Skills Exam?

You can complete the Applied Skills exam effectively when you pass the mandatory papers at the required level. To complete the ACCA qualification, you need to become qualified in all levels. The Intermediate level is quite effective, offering practical knowledge in business scenarios. To become future financial accounting professionals, you must have the practical skills for application in real-world situations.

FAQs on Applied Skills Level Paper

What comes after the Applied Skills Level?

The applied skills level focuses on strategic decision-making, advanced technical knowledge and professional ethics. The subjects included in this level are Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) and Strategic Business Leader (SBL).

Which skill is primarily developed during the Applied Skills Level?

During the Applied Skills Level, the primary skills developed are the practical application of technical knowledge. The approach is basically in areas like auditing, business law, financial reporting, performance management, and taxation. This is the level where the gap between the real-world business practices and academic concepts is bridged.

Can I work while studying the Applied Skills Level?

A lot of students study part-time because they are working. Individuals who are working full-time can apply for the ACCA course; hence, the Applied Skills Level is designed in such a way as to balance professional commitments and learning.

How long does it take to complete the Applied Skills Level?

For every individual, completing the Applied Skills level in a specific time varies. However, it is typically around 1 to 2 years that an individual can complete the course based on their study mode and exam schedules.