September ACCA Exam Dates 2026

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September ACCA Exam Dates 2026

The September 2026 ACCA exam session is the third exam sitting of the year. The exam week is expected to run from Monday, 7th September to Friday, 11th September 2026. These dates are critical for creating a structured and realistic study plan, especially while balancing work commitments.

Why this actually matters

Knowing the exam dates isn't just about booking your slot. For a full-time professional, these dates are the immovable deadline you must plan backwards from; they dictate the pace and structure of your study plan, helping you allocate your very limited time effectively and avoid wasting effort.

Structured breakdown

To effectively plan for the September 2026 session, you need to be aware of more than just the exam week. These key milestones are crucial for managing your time and budget.

• Main Exam Week: The core exam week is anticipated to take place from Monday, 7th September 2026, to Friday, 11th September 2026. Your specific exam day will depend on the paper you are sitting.
• Booking Window Opens: The exam booking facility on the myACCA portal typically opens after the previous session's results are released. Expect this to be around late July 2026.
• Standard Entry Deadline: This is the most important deadline to avoid higher fees. The standard entry deadline is expected to be around Monday, 3rd August 2026. Book by this date to pay the standard fee.
• Late Entry Deadline: If you miss the standard deadline, you have one last chance to book, but at a significantly higher cost. The late entry deadline is expected to be around Monday, 10th August 2026.
• Plan Your 12-Week Study Period: To be fully prepared without burning out, your focused study should begin around Monday, 15th June 2026. This provides a solid 12-week runway to cover the syllabus, practice questions, and complete mock exams.
• Final Mock Exam Week: Schedule your final, timed mock exams under full exam conditions for the week starting Monday, 31st August 2026. This gives you one final week to review your performance and address weak areas.
• Results Release Date: You can expect to receive your results via email and text message on Monday, 19th October 2026.

If you're working full-time

Balancing a full-time job with ACCA studies requires military-grade planning. Use these dates as anchors to build a realistic schedule, not an aspirational one.

1. Block Out Key Dates Immediately: Open your calendar now. Insert the exam week (7-11 Sept), the standard entry deadline (3 Aug), and the results day (19 Oct). Also, book the day of your exam and the day before off from work. Protect this time.
2. Work Backwards in Phases: A 12-week plan is standard. Starting mid-June, allocate the first 6-7 weeks to covering the syllabus content. Your goal isn't mastery, but confident coverage. Use your 1-2 hours on weekdays for this.
3. Shift to Question Practice: From the end of July, your focus must shift from learning content to active question practice. Use your weekends for longer, timed questions from the ACCA Practice Platform. This is non-negotiable.
4. Schedule Mock Exams: As noted, the week of 31st August should be your mock week. Book this in your calendar as a non-movable appointment. This simulates the real pressure and gives you a clear signal of your readiness.
5. Final Week Review: The week before the exam is not for learning new topics. It is for reviewing your mock performance, re-reading technical articles, and consolidating key concepts. Do not attempt to cram the entire syllabus in this last week.

Common mistakes

Observing these dates helps you avoid common, unforced errors that add stress and cost money. Be aware of these frequent missteps.

• Missing the Standard Entry Deadline: This is the most common and costly mistake. The fee difference between standard and late entry is substantial. Set a calendar reminder one week before the deadline.
• Not Checking Exam Timetables: Candidates assume their exam is on a certain day and get a shock when they check the details too late. Verify the exact date and time for your specific paper on the ACCA website.
• Leaving Booking to the Last Minute: Exam centre slots and remote proctoring slots are finite. Waiting until the deadline day can mean your preferred location or time is unavailable, forcing you to travel or take the exam at an inconvenient time.
• Failing to Plan Backwards: Simply knowing the date is not a plan. Many candidates fail because they don't use the date to create a phased study schedule, leading to a last-minute panic.
• Forgetting to Book Time Off Work: You need to request leave for your exam day, and ideally the day before for final, calm revision. These requests often need to be made weeks or months in advance.
• Ignoring Time Zone Differences: For remote exams, double-check that the exam time displayed on the booking system is correctly localised to your time zone. A simple mistake here can cause you to miss your exam entirely.
• Underestimating the Results Day Anxiety: The period between the exam and results day is stressful. Acknowledging this and having a plan for the day, regardless of the outcome, is part of a professional approach.

How examiners think

Examiners are not concerned with your booking process, but they can easily identify a candidate who ran out of time. Good planning, which starts with setting a schedule based on these exam dates, directly translates into the quality of your answers.

A script produced by a well-prepared candidate shows structure, depth, and application. It answers the specific question asked, demonstrates professional skills, and is well-managed within the time constraints. This is the result of a study plan that moved from syllabus coverage to question practice and mock exams at the right moments.

Conversely, a script from a candidate who mismanaged their time is obvious. It often features half-finished answers, a scattergun approach of writing down everything they know about a topic, and a failure to apply knowledge to the scenario. This demonstrates a lack of preparation, which starts with a poor or non-existent study plan. Use the certainty of the exam date to build a plan that produces an answer an examiner wants to pass.

FAQ

Calm summary

Knowing the dates is the first step to taking control. It removes uncertainty and allows for methodical preparation, which is the best way to reduce stress and pass.

Here are your concrete next steps this week:

1. Calendarise: Open your digital or physical calendar. Add the exam week (7-11 September), the standard booking deadline (3 August), and your planned study start date (e.g., 15 June).
2. Book Time Off: Submit your annual leave request at work for your exam day and the day before. The earlier you do this, the better.
3. Draft a High-Level Plan: Spend 30 minutes this weekend mapping out the topics you will cover each week between your start date and the exam. It doesn't need to be perfect, but it creates a path to follow.

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