Membership
ACCA Affiliate versus membersIn the first instance, individuals register as student members to undertake the Professional Scheme qualification.
Upon successful completion of the examinations, student members are automatically transferred to Affiliate status.
"For ACCA affiliates to gain admission to full membership, they must demonstrate, on the application form, that they have obtained a minimum of three years of acceptable, supervised, practical experience in an accountancy role (or roles) and have reached the required standard of competence".
FellowshipFrom 2008, Fellowship, or senior membership of ACCA, is awarded automatically based on 5 years' continuous membership, subject to compliance with Continuing Professional Development requirements.
Fellow members of ACCA use the designatory letters FCCA in place of ACCA.
Continuing Professional Development
Before 2005, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) was mandatory only for holders of practising certificates and insolvency licences. From 2005 to 2007, ACCA phased in mandatory CPD requirements for all members.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Chartered_Certified_Accountants#Membership