ACCA Financial Management, also known as the ACCA F9 exam, is a vital step in your career path if you want to take charge of the finance department within a global company. At the ACCA level, ACCA Financial Management (FM) is one of the top "Applied Skills" exams, where the step-up will move you through basic bookkeeping to higher-level financial decision-making.
In this publication, we are going to take a look at the ACCA Financial Management (FM) syllabus, the exam structure, as well as the top ACCA Financial Management (FM) online study programmes available to prepare you well for passing your ACCA FM Exam 2026.
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Understanding the ACCA FM Syllabus
The purpose of this syllabus is to develop the competencies required of a financial manager overseeing the operations of an organisation's finance function. The syllabus is very different from the ACCA Financial Reporting syllabus, which places an emphasis on a company's past performance. The financial management (FM) syllabus emphasises the future.
In order to ensure that you are able to develop potential candidates into financial managers, the ACCA FM syllabus places a great deal of importance on the following topics:
The Finance Function: The relationship between the finance manager, the finance accountant, and the management accountant.
Working Capital Management: The basic skills required to manage inventories, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and cash. If you are interested in improving the efficiency of your business, take a look at a good inventory turnover ratio.
Investment Appraisal: The key techniques used to determine whether to invest in a project (e.g., NPV, IRR, payback periods).
Business Finance: Identifying financing options, including equity and debt sources, as well as calculating the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC).
Business Valuation: Learning how to use a company's balance sheet to determine the value of both shares and businesses.
Risk Management: Managing exposure to the foreign exchange risk and interest rate risk.
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What to Expect In The Exam Format?
The ACCA Financial Management exam is a Computer-Based Exam (CBE) that lasts for 3 hours. This exam will consist of 3 components, with each component testing your knowledge in different methods or ways.
In order to do well in Section C, you must become proficient in utilizing the spreadsheet and word-processing tools that are available to you during this CBE. Most candidates have either gained or lost their “method marks” from this section.
How to Prepare For ACCA Financial Management Exams?
To achieve success in ACCA FM preparation in 2026, candidates should learn how to perform calculations accurately while also having a good theoretical understanding of FM. Here is a step-by-step approach.
1. Focus on the "Big Three"
Identify the top three topics that are likely to be on Section C: investment appraisal, working capital management, and business finance (WACC). You should practice these topics until they feel natural to you.
2. Don’t Ignore the Theory
A big mistake made by independent learners is putting 100% focus on the numerical side of the exam and neglecting to spend time reviewing the theoretical and discussion questions. In the actual examination environment, approximately 50% of the total marks allocated are associated with the theoretical and discussion-based parts of the examination. One example could be calculating an NPV; not only do you need to be able to perform the calculation, but you will also need to be able to articulate its relevance to the relevant stakeholders.
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3. Implement Strong Risk Management
The same as you will learn to create systems to mitigate the risks associated with stock trading, so too will you need to learn how to manage currencies and interest rates within the framework of Financial Management in order to protect the potential profits of an organisation.
4. Use Official Practice Platforms
The ACCA CBE Practice Platform is your number one best friend when preparing for your ACCA Financial Management (FM) examination. The only way to guarantee you will complete the ACCA FM while being well prepared is to use this platform; it will simulate the examination environment for you.
Recommended ACCA Financial Management Courses
The difference between the courses you choose and a possible pass or fail could greatly depend on the quality of the course. The following are recommendations for the 2026 ACCA FM Online Course Programmes:
ACCA Study Hub: The official study platform for ACCA, which provides students with free online chapters, flashcards, and quizzes.
Kaplan & BPP: Both of these platforms offer students "Platinum" quality content. Kaplan is frequently praised for providing short, simple summaries of complex topics, while BPP is viewed as having detailed, in-depth coverage of each of the topics included in the ACCA Financial Management syllabus.
OpenTuition: A fantastic, free resource for students on limited budgets; OpenTuition has an extensive library of high-quality lectures available to students at no charge.
aCOWtancy: With its distinct takeaway "textbook-free" philosophy, aCOWtancy employs engaging videos to simplify sophisticated financial topics such as Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
If you're still evaluating potential careers, check out our website for our guides comparing international certifications like the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
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Conclusion
In summary, to successfully complete the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Financial Management (FM) exam, candidates must think like Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and employ a CFO mindset. Candidates who study early, utilize computer-based examination (CBE) resources, and engage in reputable ACCA FM distance learning programs are prepared to achieve success on these exams in 2026.
Are you ready to begin? Master the essentials of corporate finance first and then focus on building a strong foundation in your analysis of a business's balance sheet before moving into the Business Valuation module!