ACCA Remote Exam Update: What Students Need to Know

ACCA has recently released an important update about its remote (home-based) exams, and it’s something every ACCA student should take note of — especially those planning to appear for the December 2025 session or beyond.

Table of Contents

1. The Big Change

2. What This Means for ACCA Students in India

3. What About the ACCA December 2025 Session?

4. Are There Any Exceptions?

5. What Students Should Do Now

6. The Bigger Picture

7. Frequently Asked Questions

As of March 2026, ACCA will discontinue remote (remotely invigilated) exams in any location with a local, official exam centre. In those locations, exam candidates will have to travel to the exam centre for their exams instead of writing their papers at home.

For the on-demand exam from 4 November 2025, ACCA will no longer sell remote exam tokens in any location with a centre-based option for exam candidates.

In other words, the remote exam option will be fully removed from any location that has physical exam centres.

This change has a direct impact on students in India. Because India already has several ACCA approved exam centres, it finds itself in the 'exam centre provision' category of countries. Therefore, from March 2026, students in India (Kerala and any other state) will no longer be permitted to take their ACCA exams remotely.

If you’ve been sitting your papers from home, planning for in centre exams going forward should be the next step.

The ACCA December 2025 exam session will likely be one of the last chances for students to sit remote exams.

All you need to know is this:

- Students will still be able to book remote exams for the December 2025 session as long as their location continues to permit remote exams until that date.

- For on-demand exams, you’ll still be able to use remote exam tokens until 4 November 2025.

- After that date, all ACCA exams, whether session based or on-demand, will become fully in-centre mode in countries like India.

So again, if you’ve been sitting remote exams, the December 2025 session will be the last time you have that opportunity to do it from home.

Yes, there are a few.

The Professional Diploma in Sustainability is still going to have a worldwide remote exam option. ACCA also confirmed that students in countries that do not have any official exam centre may be provided with the opportunity to sit remotely.

This change in the ACCA remote exam requires some advance planning. Here are a few aspects to keep in mind to be proactive:

- You can plan ahead: Start to set your sights on in-centre exam experience in 2026.

- Globally check your country: Confirm on ACCA's official website the status of your region on whether remote exams are still available.

- Book wisely: Watch for important dates and deadlines for your upcoming exam events.

- Tell a friend: Let your classmates and study groups know the developments.

Although many students found remote exams convenient, ACCA’s decision is aimed at ensuring consistency, fairness, and quality across all the exams, worldwide. In-centre exams offer a more secure and controlled testing environment too.  

If you are a student planning to sit the December 2025 session, now is the ideal time to use your final remote attempt, as well as start getting comfortable with the in-centre style that will be adoptive from March 2026.

1. Will ACCA remote exams cease entirely?

Yes. As of March 2026, ACCA will stop offering remote (home-based) exams in all countries that have an official exam centre. Students in countries without an exam centre will still have remote access to exams.

2. Can students in India sit exams remotely?

Only until December 2025. From the March 2026 session, all students in India must take their exams at an ACCA-approved exam centre in person.

3. Why is ACCA removing the option for remote exams?

ACCA wants to keep a consistent, fair, and secure exam environment globally. Although remote exams offered students a flexible solution, in-centre exams allow us to better control, provide stability, and offer a more standardized experience for students.

4. Which ACCA paper is the most difficult?

This may vary based on individual students and their experience levels. However, many students find Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) and Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA) to be two of the hardest ACCA papers. Regular practice, receiving the right support and guidance, and understanding the format and style of exam-type questions is crucial to being successful in these papers!