The ACCA December 2025 exam results are finally here, and thousands of students across the UK are checking their performance. Whether you passed with flying colours or need to resit, understanding the pass rates helps you plan your next steps more effectively.
This detailed analysis breaks down the December 2025 pass rates across all ACCA levels, compares them with previous sessions, and offers practical advice to help you succeed in your accounting journey.
Here’s what we cover:
Overall Performance: December 2025 at a Glance
The December 2025 ACCA exam session saw approximately 68,000 students sitting for various papers worldwide. The global average pass rate across all levels stood at 52%, which represents a slight increase from the 50% recorded in December 2024.
Pass Rates by Level Summary
| Level | Average Pass Rate | Change from Dec 2024 |
| Applied Knowledge | 65% | +2% |
| Applied Skills | 48% | +1% |
| Strategic Professional | 44% | +2% |
The results show a familiar pattern. Entry-level papers remain more accessible, while professional-level examinations continue to challenge even well-prepared candidates. This trend has remained consistent over the past five years.
Applied Knowledge Level: Strong Foundation Results
Pass Rates Table
| Paper Code | Paper Name | Dec 2025 Pass Rate | June 2025 Pass Rate | Change |
| BT | Business and Technology | 87% | 88% | -1% |
| MA | Management Accounting | 64% | 64% | 0% |
| FA | Financial Accounting | 68% | 68% | 0% |
Business and Technology (BT)
The BT paper achieved an 87% pass rate in December 2025, maintaining its position as the highest-performing paper in the session. This represents a slight 1% decrease from the 88% recorded in June 2025. Students generally performed well in areas like corporate governance, though examiner reports highlight that some candidates still struggle with complex ethical scenarios.
Management Accounting (MA)
MA recorded a 64% pass rate in December 2025. This remained consistent with the 64% pass rate achieved in June 2025, showing no change between the two sittings. While candidates showed strength in budgeting techniques, common errors identified by examiners included misinterpreting costing requirements and poor time management.
Financial Accounting (FA)
FA saw a 68% pass rate in December 2025. Similar to the MA paper, this result remained stable with the 68% pass rate recorded in June 2025. Performance remained strong in core double-entry bookkeeping, but examiners noted that candidates often require more practice with consolidated financial statements and trial balance adjustments.
Applied Skills Level: Where the Challenge Begins
The Applied Skills papers represent a significant step up in difficulty, and the December 2025 results reflect this reality.
Applied Skills Pass Rates Table
| Paper Code | Paper Name | Dec 2025 Pass Rate | June 2025 Pass Rate | Dec 2024 Pass Rate |
| LW | Corporate and Business Law | 82% | 81% | 81% |
| PM | Performance Management | 40% | 43% | 41% |
| TX | Taxation (UK) | 55% | 54% | 54% |
| FR | Financial Reporting | 51% | 50% | 50% |
| AA | Audit and Assurance | 46% | 44% | 44% |
| FM | Financial Management | 48% | 48% | 51% |
Corporate and Business Law (LW)
LW achieved an 82% pass rate. Students in the UK (sitting the England and Wales variant) performed well, consistent with familiarity with the common law system.
- Strong areas included contract law fundamentals and company formation procedures.
- Weaker areas involved employment law scenarios and corporate governance regulations.
Performance Management (PM)
PM recorded a 40% pass rate, making it the most challenging Applied Skills paper of the session. This represents a 3% decrease from the 43% seen in June 2025.
Students struggled with:
- Transfer pricing applications.
- Application of the balanced scorecard in service industries.
- Environmental management accounting questions.
- Examiner feedback highlighted that many candidates knew the theory but failed to apply it correctly to scenario-based questions.
Taxation (TX)
The TX paper saw a 55% pass rate for UK candidates. Corporation tax computations proved particularly challenging, with many students making errors in capital allowances and loss relief calculations.
- Income tax questions were generally well answered, especially those involving employed versus self-employed status.
- However, VAT scenarios caught many candidates off guard.
Financial Reporting (FR)
FR achieved a 51% pass rate in December 2025. This paper requires solid technical knowledge and the ability to work quickly under time pressure.
- Consolidated financial statements questions were a main stumbling block. Many students ran out of time or made fundamental errors in calculating goodwill and non-controlling interests.
- Single entity accounts were handled better, with most candidates demonstrating competent understanding of IAS/IFRS standards.
Audit and Assurance (AA)
AA recorded a 46% pass rate.
- Students performed well on internal controls and basic audit procedures but struggled with audit reports and professional ethics scenarios.
- The examiner noted that many candidates provided generic answers rather than tailoring their responses to the specific company scenario presented in the question
Financial Management (FM)
FM saw a 48% pass rate, remaining consistent with recent sessions.
- Investment appraisal techniques were well understood, but working capital management and business valuations proved more difficult.
- Many candidates lost marks by not showing their workings clearly or making careless errors in time value of money calculations.
Strategic Professional Level: The Final Hurdle
Strategic Professional Pass Rates Table
| Paper Code | Paper Name | Dec 2025 Pass Rate | June 2025 Pass Rate | Dec 2024 Pass Rate |
| SBL | Strategic Business Leader | 50% | 51% | 51% |
| SBR | Strategic Business Reporting | 48% | 49% | 51% |
| AFM | Advanced Financial Management | 45% | 46% | 45% |
| APM | Advanced Performance Management | 41% | 40% | 38% |
| ATX | Advanced Taxation | 50% | 49% | 47% |
| AAA | Advanced Audit and Assurance | 38% | 40% | 39% |
1Strategic Business Leader (SBL)
The compulsory SBL paper achieved a 50% pass rate. While this is a high result for the professional level, it actually represents a slight 1% decrease from the 51% recorded in December 2024.
- Strengths: Successful candidates demonstrated strong integration of technical knowledge with professional skills and commercial awareness.
- Weaknesses: Examiner reports cited a failure to use information from exhibits effectively and poor time management across the exam.
Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)
SBR recorded a 48% pass rate. While technically demanding, this is significantly higher than the 41% you cited, though it is a 3% drop from the 51% pass rate in December 2024.
- Difficulties: Group accounts and financial instruments remained the most challenging areas.
- Success Factor: High-performing students showed a deep understanding of accounting standards and the ability to structure complex calculations clearly.
Options Papers Performance
Contrary to your data, Advanced Taxation (ATX) actually shared the highest pass rate among the options at 50%.
- AFM (45%) performed better than you suggested, while AAA (38%) was actually the lowest-performing paper of the session, reflecting its reputation for rigorous auditing standards and professional judgment requirements.
- APM (41%) showed improvement compared to the previous year, though it remains lower than the “Essentials” papers (SBL/SBR).
Difficulty Ranking: Papers by Pass Rate
All Papers Ranked from Highest to Lowest Pass Rate
| Rank | Paper Code | Paper Name | Pass Rate | Difficulty Level |
| 1 | BT | Business and Technology | 87% | Easier |
| 2 | LW | Corporate and Business Law | 82% | Easier |
| 3 | FA | Financial Accounting | 68% | Moderate |
| 4 | MA | Management Accounting | 64% | Moderate |
| 5 | TX | Taxation | 55% | Moderate |
| 6 | FR | Financial Reporting | 51% | Challenging |
| 7 | SBL | Strategic Business Leader | 50% | Challenging |
| 8 | ATX | Advanced Taxation | 50% | Very Challenging |
| 9 | SBR | Strategic Business Reporting | 48% | Challenging |
| 10 | FM | Financial Management | 48% | Challenging |
| 11 | AA | Audit and Assurance | 46% | Challenging |
| 12 | AFM | Advanced Financial Management | 45% | Very Challenging |
| 13 | APM | Advanced Performance Management | 41% | Very Challenging |
| 14 | PM | Performance Management | 40% | Challenging |
| 15 | AAA | Advanced Audit and Assurance | 38% | Very Challenging |
Historical Trends: Three-Year Comparison
Pass Rate Trends Table (2023-2025)
| Paper Code | Dec 2023 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2025 | Official Trend |
| BT | 85% | 87% | 87% | ↑ Improving/Stable |
| MA | 68% | 67% | 64% | ↓ Declining |
| FA | 69% | 69% | 68% | ↓ Declining |
| LW | 78% | 81% | 82% | ↑ Improving |
| PM | 42% | 41% | 40% | ↓ Declining |
| TX | 54% | 54% | 55% | ↑ Improving |
| FR | 48% | 50% | 51% | ↑ Improving |
| AA | 41% | 44% | 46% | ↑ Improving |
| FM | 48% | 51% | 48% | ↓ Declining |
| SBL | 52% | 51% | 50% | ↓ Declining |
| SBR | 50% | 51% | 48% | ↓ Declining |
| AFM | 45% | 45% | 45% | Stable |
| APM | 34% | 38% | 41% | ↑ Improving |
| ATX | 49% | 47% | 50% | ↑ Improving |
| AAA | 34% | 39% | 38% | ↑ Improving/Slight Drop |
The data clearly shows that technical papers requiring calculations and application prove more difficult than knowledge-based papers. Adjust your study time accordingly, giving calculation-heavy subjects more hours of practice.
What These Results Mean for Future Candidates
If you are planning to sit ACCA exams in 2026, these pass rates offer valuable guidance for your preparation strategy.
Papers Requiring Extra Attention (Below 43% Pass Rate)
| Paper | Pass Rate | Key Challenge Areas |
| AAA | 38% | Evaluating audit risks, reporting, and exercising professional skepticism. |
| PM | 40% | Regression analysis (specifically the 20-mark question in Dec 2025) and applying theory to scenarios. |
| APM | 41% | Strategic analysis, integrated reporting, and complex performance measures. |
Papers to Build Confidence (Above 60% Pass Rate)
| Paper Code | Pass Rate | Success Factors |
| BT | 87% | Clear syllabus, knowledge-based, and highly accessible study materials. |
| LW | 82% | Direct focus on legal frameworks; high success rate across all variants. |
| FA | 68% | Solid foundation in double-entry; benefits from consistent calculation practice. |
| MA | 64% | Logical structure; regular practice with costing and budgeting improves performance. |
Practical Tips to Improve Your Pass Rate
Based on examiner feedback and pass rate analysis, here are proven strategies to increase your chances of success:
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Start Your Revision Early
Students who begin studying at least 12 weeks before their exam date show significantly better results. Last-minute cramming simply does not work for professional-level papers.
Practice Past Papers Under Exam Conditions
Set a timer and complete full papers without breaks. This builds stamina and helps you identify weak areas while you still have time to improve.
Read Examiner Reports Carefully
The ACCA publishes detailed examiner reports after each session. These documents highlight exactly where students went wrong and what examiners expect to see in answers.
Join a Study Group or Online Forum
Discussing difficult topics with fellow students helps clarify concepts. Many UK students find Accounting forums particularly helpful for ACCA discussions.
Use Approved Learning Materials
Invest in quality study materials from ACCA-approved providers. These resources align perfectly with syllabus requirements and exam formats.
Do Not Skip the Easy Marks
Examiners intentionally include straightforward marks in every paper. Make sure you attempt all questions and pick up these easier points before tackling the most difficult sections.
Manage Your Time Ruthlessly
Allocate time per question based on mark allocation. If a question is worth 20 marks and you have 3 hours for the exam, spend approximately 36 minutes on that question, then move on.
Final Thoughts:
The ACCA December 2025 exam pass rates confirm one clear message. ACCA exams reward preparation, clarity, and practice. They do not reward guessing or rushed revision.
If you did not pass, the result does not define your ability. Many successful accountants passed papers on their second or third attempt. What matters is learning from feedback and adjusting your study approach.
