News

The University College of the Cayman Islands is now an authorized centre for on-demand, computer-based exams offered by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Scheduled paper-based exams have continued to be offered at the school, but online exams, which were handled in Cayman by a different agency, have been unavailable since March.

A computer lab in the UCCI library, which can handle up to four students at a time, will offer the first seven papers for the Foundation (FIA) qualification and the ACCA qualification in five separate areas:

· Accountant in business,

· Management accounting,

· Financial accounting,

· Corporate and business law (LW-ENG), and

· Corporate and business law (LW-GLO).

Other ACCA exams besides these will still be paper-based and held at a specified times and dates in March, June, September and December. Those exams include:

· Advanced audit and assurance,

· Advanced taxation,

· Strategic business leader,

· Advanced performance management,

· Strategic business reporting and

· Financial management.

About 200 Cayman students take the ACCA exams annually. The Ministry of Education oversees the coordination of the paper-based exams, which are administered at UCCI. Now the school will also host the on-demand online exams. Scheduled computer based exams are not being offered by the school. The open dates for the on-demand exams are Nov. 23 and 24, and Dec. 1-10.

Vice President of Finance Emily Huner said the ACCA’s approval of UCCI as an online testing centre means students have better options.

“It expands our testing center abilities,” Huner said. “Until now, students have to travel to Miami or Jamaica” if they wanted to take the online exams.

The school applied for the designation in the spring, but the acceptance process was slowed down by the outbreak of

Covid-19. The formal approval was announced on Monday (Sept. 14).

Shelly-Ann Mohammed, head of ACCA Caribbean, said UCCI’s testing centre will allow the accounting organization to continue the service it has had in the past.

“ACCA has had a presence in the Cayman Islands for many years,” Mohammed said. “The announcement means that over 200 students will now have the benefit of sitting specific ACCA papers right here at home instead of having to fly to another destination. A win-win situation for all stakeholders involved.”

UCCI has established a dedicated email address for all student enquiries at acca@ucci.edu.ky, and a dedicated phone line: 345-769-ACCA (2222).

Students can pre-pay for the online exam sittings through UCCI’s online payment portal https://ucci.caymangateway.com/. The ACCA FIA Exam is $130 and the ACCA Qualification Exam is $150. Students are required to bring their payment receipt to their exam sittings.

If you are interested in starting your success story at UCCI, visit our website at ucci.edu.ky or set up an appointment with our admissions team by calling 623-0567 or emailing Admissions@ucci.edu.ky