ARTNER

UIDE
Content
l Qualifications Page_03
l Progressions Page_04
l Partner Approval Page_05
l Recruitment Page_06
l Registration Page_07
l HDA Papers Page_08
l Exam Schedule Page_09
l Exam Format Page_10
l Assessment Page_11
l Disclaimer Page_12
 Qualifications

ACCREDITATION & AWARDING BODY

l Higher Diploma in Accounting (HDA) is awarded by BIMS
l Higher Diploma in Accounting (HDA) is accredited by ICAEW
l Higher National Diploma in Accounting (HNDA) is awarded by Edexcel
l Higher National Diploma in Accounting (HNDA) is accredited by ACCA

HDA & HNDA: DUAL CERTIFICATES

l HDA qualification consists of 9 exams
l HDA qualification broadly covers all learning outcomes of HNDA
l As per recognition of prior learning policies of BIMS, graduates will get two
certificates

a) Higher Diploma in Accounting (HDA)

b) Higher National Diploma in Accounting (HNDA)

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 Progressions

PROGRESSIONS WITH HDA CERTIFICATE

After completing Higher Diploma in Accounting (HDA),
1. Students will get exemption from 8 papers of the ACA qualification of ICAEW

2. Students will get exemption from 5 papers of the CFAB qualification awarded by
ICAEW

3. Students will get final year entry to BBA degree awarded by Heriot-Watt University, UK
through the university-partners in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, etc.

4. Students will get full exemption from "International Accounting Technician" qualification
from UK

PROGRESSIONS WITH HNDA CERTIFICATE

After receiving Higher National Diploma in Accounting (HNDA) certificate,

1. Students will get final year entry to BA/ B.Sc. degrees offered by different universities
in the UK

2. Students will get exemption from all papers of Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) and

Foundation in Accounting (FIA) qualifications

3. Students will get exemption from 6 papers (i.e. F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6) of the ACCA
qualification

4. Students will get all papers exemption from AFA Qualification awarded by the Institute of
Financial Accountants (IFA), UK

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 Partner Approval

APPROVAL CRITERIA
For the tuition support of HDA distance learning programme, a partner needs to be
approved by BIMS. For the purposes of approval, a prospective partner will be inspected
and audited by (the representative of) BIMS. Partner approval criteria are: human
resource, staff resource, physical resource, logistics required for conducting external
exams, learner support system, management systems, centre policies and procedures,
external and internal communication systems, arrangements for administration of
learners, arrangements for payment of finances, academic support, administrative
support, arrangements for verifying student identity, documentation & storage facility and
computing & internet facilities.

APPROVAL
Once a distance learning partner is approved, an approval certificate would be sent to

the partner through e-channels. The partner will be authorised to start marketing the
qualifications after receiving the approval certificate. Each branch/campus of a partner
will be treated separately for approval purposes.

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 Recruitment

ADMISSION POLICY
The qualifications should be available to everyone who is capable of reaching the required
standards. Distance Learning Partners are required to recruit learners to qualifications with
integrity. Partners should take appropriate steps to assess each applicant's potential and
make a professional judgement about their ability to successfully complete the programme
of study. This assessment will need to take account of the support available to the learner
within the partner centre during their programme. Learners aged 15 and under cannot be
registered for the qualifications. Typically, students who have passed GCE A-Level or
equivalent qualification are likely to cope better with HDA qualification.

ADVANCED STANDING
At the time of admission, a student can be guided on the advanced standing into the
qualification. If a student has completed or partly completed any recognised professional
qualification and/or academic degree s/he may become eligible for advanced standing into
the HDA qualification. Decisions of advanced standing will be provided at the sole
discretion of BIMS. Partners MUST consult and submit appropriate documents to BIMS
before confirming the final decisions of advanced standing to any student.

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 Registration

REGISTRATION FOR HDA

All students can be registered with BIMS at the time of admission with the partner. That
is, all students should pay BIMS registration fees before they start any class. Partner
centres are required to refer to the document of Fee Structure for current registration
fees. It should be noted that the registration fee is subject to periodic increment at the
sole discretion of BIMS. The registration will be valid for three years from the date of
registration. Students failing to complete HDA within this period will be required to re-
register themselves.

REGISTRATION TIMELINE
All partners are recommended to register students by the third week of every month
through www.bimsedu.com. Payments for registration must be received by BIMS within
7 days of online registration. A student can sit for his/her first exam(s) only if his/her
registration payment has been received at least 3 months before the first exam
appearance. For example, if a student's registration payment has been made on the
31st August of 2010, the candidate can sit for his/her first exam earliest on 1st
December 2010.

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 HDA Papers

PAPERS IN HDA
A candidate MUST pass 9 exams to become HDA graduate. The table below outlines the
qualification structure:

ID Paper Title Exam Type Study Materials

H1 Financial Accounting (International) Computer Based Exam (CBE) Same as ACCA

H2 Management Accounting Computer Based Exam (CBE) Same as ACCA

H3 Advanced Financial Accounting N/A Currently Not Offered

H4 Financial Management Monthly Paper Based Exam Same as ICAEW

H5 Auditing Computer Based Exam (CBE) Same as ICAEW

H6 Taxation (UK) Monthly Paper Based Exam Same as ACCA

H7 Business Law & Company Law (Global) Monthly Paper Based Exam Same as ACCA

H8 Advanced Management Accounting Monthly Paper Based Exam Same as ACCA

H9 Business Strategy (Part I) Computer Based Exam (CBE) Same as ICAEW

H9 Business Strategy (Part II) Monthly Paper Based Exam Same as ICAEW

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 Exam Schedule

MONTHLY EXAM SCHEDULE

For (monthly) paper based examination, BIMS allow a maximum of 2 papers per
exam-sitting for any month. Monthly exams are held from the 1st day to the 5th day of
every month as per following schedule:

DAY AVAILABILITY PAPERS Exam start time

1st Day Every month H4 Morning Session

2nd Day Every month H6 Morning Session

3rd Day Every month H7 Morning Session

4th Day Every month H8 Morning Session

5th Day Every month H9 (Part II) Morning Session

BIMS reserves the right to cancel/change above schedule.

COMPUTER BASED EXAMS

On-demand computer based exams are available for four papers: H1, H2, H5 and H9
(Part I) at the request of the partner centre.

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 Exam Format

EXAMINATION FORMAT
Marking and Grading for HDA has been outlined in following table:

Distinction Merit Pass

ID Assessment Structure
Marks Marks Marks

H1 50 MCQs 96 76 50
Exam Duration: 150 Min; 50 MCQ each carrying 2 marks, ACCA F3 Standard MCQs

H2 50 MCQs 96 76 50
Exam Duration: 150 Min; 50 MCQ each carrying 2 marks, ACCA F2 Standard MCQs

H4 Written Questions 80 65 50
Exam Duration: 150 Min; ICAEW Financial Management standard questions and exam structure

H5 50 MCQs 96 76 50
Exam Duration: 150 Min; 50 MCQ each carrying 2 marks, ICAEW Assurance Standard MCQs

H6 Written Questions 80 65 50
Exam Duration: 195 Min; ACCA F6 (UK) standard questions and exam structure

H7 Written Questions 80 65 50
Exam Duration: 195 Min; ACCA F4 (Global) standard questions and exam structure

H8 Written Questions 80 65 50
Exam Duration: 195 Min; ACCA F5 standard questions and exam structure

H9 (I) 50 MCQs 96 76 50
Exam Duration: 150 Min; 50 MCQ each carrying 2 marks, ICAEW Business & Finance Standard MCQs

H9 (II) Written Questions 80 65 50

Exam Duration: 150 Min; ICAEW Business Strategy standard questions and exam structure

Examination format may be subject to periodic review and alteration by BIMS.

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 Assessment

PAPER BASED EXAMS

l All exams will be set by BIMS

l Monthly exam papers will be available for download from www.bimsedu.com

l Partners are required to print exam papers in excellent quality papers

l Answer booklet to be prepared by the partner as per guideline provided by BIMS

l Examination will be conducted and invigilated by the Partner as per schedule

l BIMS reserves the right to inspect any exam venue without providing any notice in
any form

l All answer scripts should be sent back to BIMS by the 6th day of every month
through registered courier services

l All answer scripts will be assessed by BIMS within three weeks from the date of
receiving the answer scripts at BIMS.

l All costs related to postage will be borne by the partner centre

l Final Marks and grades will be updated at www.bimsedu.com on the last date of
every month

l Partners are allowed to submit appeal for re-assessment on behalf of the students
within 7 days from the date of announcement of result

COMPUTER BASED EXAMS

l Assessment for computer based exams will be done electronically

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 Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER
All information contained in this edition of BIMS partner-guide is correct at the time of
publication. BIMS cannot be held responsible for future changes and amendments made
into this document. Respective awarding bodies periodically review their recognition and
exemption decisions towards qualifications developed by BIMS. BIMS cannot guarantee
that existing level of recognitions and exemptions will also be available in the future. BIMS
reserves the right to change any part of this document without providing any notice to any
stakeholders.

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