Accounting courses

If you're looking to qualify as an accountant, discover the most popular accounting courses accredited by the UK's leading professional bodies

The accounting course that's right for you will depend on several factors, including the job you plan to do and what you've already learned.

If you've just graduated and are unsure which route to take, explore what to do with an accounting and finance degree.

Alternatively, whether you've just finished your A-levels, or have amassed some finance work experience and want to follow a dedicated accounting route, discover how to become an accountant.

10 top accounting courses in the UK

AAT qualifications

Many of those working in accounting positions hold a Bachelors - and often a Masters degree - in addition to their professional qualifications. However, another option is to secure an entry-level job and build your experience that way.

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) offers a range of internationally recognised technical and vocational qualifications at Levels 2 to 4.

The Level 2 Certificate in Accounting (SCQF Level 6 in Scotland) provides a solid foundation for those starting their accounting journey. This qualification covers essential accounting principles and techniques, including:

costing
double-entry bookkeeping
an understanding of purchase, sales, and general ledgers.

The Level 3 Diploma in Accounting (SCQF Level 7 in Scotland) builds on this knowledge by introducing more advanced financial tasks, such as:

maintaining cost accounting records
preparing reports and returns.

This qualification is ideal for individuals already working in accounting and finance.

The highest qualification (equivalent to a foundation degree) is the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting (SCQF Level 8 in Scotland).

Compulsory course units for the Level 4 diploma include:

Applied Management Accounting
Drafting and Interpreting Financial Statements
Internal Accounting Systems and Controls.

Approved training provider tuition fees at Level 4 range from £1,000 to £3,000, as AAT doesn't deliver training directly. You'll also pay the standard qualification fee to your training provider, which is £66 for each of the five assessments plus AAT's registration fee of £251 (2024).

Funding options are available, including an AAT bursary for those who are financially disadvantaged.

Completing this Level 4 qualification and applying for professional membership will give you full AAT member (MAAT) status. This professional designation can support you in your career and lead to the following accounting and tax roles:

commercial analyst
cost accountant
senior bookkeeper
tax supervisor.

While there are no set entry requirements for AAT qualifications, it's advisable to begin your study with a good standard of maths and English.

They are delivered through classroom learning or distance and online study, with part and full-time options available.

Blended learning combines classroom teaching with the flexibility of distance learning so you can earn an AAT qualification in the way that best suits your learning style.

These qualifications can also be achieved through an approved accounting scheme. Explore accounting apprenticeships.

ACCA course

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a global body that offers the Masters standard Level 7 ACCA qualification, the graduate entry route into the industry. Once completed (within three to four years), you can become an ACCA member.

The ACCA course involves taking up to 13 exams, including an ethics and professional skills module, plus three years of relevant work experience. To be eligible, you'll need two A-levels and three GCSEs in five subjects, including English and maths.

If you're ready to complete the final step of the process to become an ACCA accountant and already have a relevant degree and the practical experience required, you can go straight to the ACCA Strategic Professional exams (of which there are four).

It costs £89 to register, with an annual subscription fee of £137 (2024). You'll also pay fees for entry into your professional exams (which vary according to the time of entry). For more information, see the ACCA UK fees.

Exemptions from some exams are made for those who've studied at an ACCA-accredited university - for example, the Masters-level ACCA course from the University of London.

After completing the ACCA, you'll be equipped to take on a managerial or senior leader role in areas such as:

audit and assurance
digital
financial management
risk management
sustainability
taxation.

ACA qualification

Many graduates decide to study for the ACA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) to achieve chartered status.

This involves working for at least three years, with the average salary of an ICAEW Chartered Accountant standing at £134,000, according to a survey response from members.

You can take the first six modules of the ACA by completing the ICAEW's Level 4 Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB), which is achievable within 12 months. The costs for this award from 1 January 2025 include the student fee (£206 plus VAT) and exam fee (£90 per attempt).

There are no academic entry requirements, as the certificate is suitable for school leavers, college and university students, and graduates alike.

The ACA study package with an authorised training provider includes the fees payable to the ICAEW as well as your tuition provider.

If you're in a training agreement with your employer, you'll need to pay the annual ACA registration fee above. Other membership options are available for those starting the qualification outside of the registration period - between 1 January and 30 June.

Students are expected to apply for exams themselves, with professional-level fees set at £125 per exam (from 1 January 2025).

Another title is the ICAEW Business and Finance Professional (BFP), which gives you professional status. You can start this either while studying for the ICAEW CFAB or after completing it.

As a chartered accountant, you could work in various areas of finance, such as auditing or financial management. Some options include working as an:

audit manager
corporate tax manager
management accountant.

Chartered accountant (CA) status

As an internationally respected professional body, members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) will have studied and trained for a number of years to attain chartered accountant (CA) status at Masters level. The length of time depends on the route taken and what stage you're at in your career.

For instance, there's a direct-entry school leaver pathway to the chartered accountant qualification, which involves five years' training. Graduates from most degree backgrounds will engage in three years of training with an ICAS-approved employer and earn a salary.

Experienced finance professionals need to complete three to five years of training, with flexible learning options available.

Finally, government-funded Level 7 apprenticeships for those living in either Scotland or England result in the ICAS CA qualification and involve one to three years of training.

The membership fee on 1 January 2025 is £565 for those earning above the earnings threshold of £28,000. The training contract fee for students working for an authorised employer is £677 (2024).

Many ICAS chartered accountants find positions at the top of the business, accountancy and finance sectors, with some choosing an entrepreneurial path and starting their own company.

CIMA qualification

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is partnered with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and offers its own widely recognised business finance qualification for students to achieve the CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) designation.

It takes three to six years to complete the 12 exams required to obtain the CIMA Professional Qualification and be admitted to membership of the organisation.

On the way to this strategic award, you'll progress through the following CIMA levels:

CIMA CERT BA (certificate)
CIMA Dip MA (operational)
Adv Dip MA (management)
ACMA CGMA (professional qualification).

It's open to everyone - from school leavers to undergraduates. For the former, you'll need to start with the foundation-level CGMA Certificate in Business Accounting.

In addition to subscription and registration fees, individual Tier 1 (includes the UK) regional exam fees for the CIMA Professional Qualification are priced at £117 to £363 (from 1 January 2025). See CIMA - Exam fees.

By completing this qualification, it could set you up as a:

chief financial officer (CFO)
finance manager
management consultant.

AIA professional accountancy qualification

As a leading global professional body for accountants and finance professionals, The Association of International Accountants (AIA) offers accountancy qualifications at three levels:

Foundation - includes components on financial accounting, management accounting, corporate governance and audit, and business management. You'll be assessed through a multiple-choice three-hour exam (expected at all levels). You can achieve the AIA Certificate in Accountancy within six to 12 months.
Professional 1 - covers units in financial accounting and reporting, principles of governance and audit, management accounting, business law for accountants, and taxation. The AIA Diploma in Accountancy is typically completed within 12 months.
Professional 2 - for the highest award, you'll study the second financial accounting and reporting module, plus developments in assurance and accountability, business and financial management, ethics and professional practice, as well as carrying out a multidisciplinary case study. The AIA Advanced Diploma in Accountancy takes 12 to 18 months.

To start your journey with the AIA, you'll require two A-levels or equivalent, while a Bachelors degree or other professional qualifications may make you eligible for exemptions.

The associate membership application fee is £415 with student membership costing £215.

Before becoming an AIA associate member and getting qualified, you'll need to have gained three years of relevant and supervised work experience. This can be undertaken before, during, or after studying for the exams.

CIPFA professional accountancy qualification

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Professional Accountancy Qualification (PAQ) is the recognised award for those looking to become a chartered public finance accountant. It's also available as a Level 7 degree apprenticeship.

To be eligible, you'll typically need to be aged 18 or over, hold three GCSEs at grade 4 and up as well as two A-levels at A-C, including maths and English (either level). Other acceptable qualifications include a BTEC national certificate at Level 3.

If you haven't studied the minimum qualifications, those aged 21 or over with more than three years' relevant work experience and support from their employer would also be considered.

The qualification, which can be achieved within three-and-a-half years, is delivered through a range of flexible study options, including remote learning and face-to-face classes for those who prefer a greater level of interaction. The 11 modules are all assessed through online exams.

The four stages are as follows:

Ethics pre-learning module
CIPFA Certificate in Management and Financial Accounting
CIPFA Diploma in Financial Management and Audit
CIPFA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Taxation.

The student membership fee is £184.25 and the registration fee is £60.50 (2024).

By becoming a member of both the CIPFA and ICAEW, dual membership enables qualified accountants to also gain the ACA designation - and vice versa.

Bookkeeping courses

According to research company IBISWorld, the UK's bookkeeping industry has grown by nearly 6% over the past five years to 2023/24, with this increased demand set to continue due to the need for online bookkeepers.

While bookkeepers are not legally required to hold formal qualifications, studying a recognised course and gaining certifications may validate their professional standing.

Whether you're applying for a bookkeeping job or hoping to start a business, The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) allows you to study a bookkeeping course at home or through an accredited training provider, such as Training Link, Ideal Schools or the Open Study College. Each course costs £350 to £500 in fees.

If you complete any three of the four core ICB bookkeeping certificates at Level 4, you'll have achieved the Diploma in Advanced Bookkeeping and Accounts.

After two years of good standing as a professional member, you'll become a fellow and ICB-certified bookkeeper, where you can carry out roles to a senior employed or self-employed standard.

The Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (IAB) also has its award pathway. By achieving its Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounting qualification, you can apply to become an IAB member. The course can be studied online with the exam taken at an IAB-accredited centre.

The AAT offers three bookkeeping courses:

Level 1 Award in Bookkeeping - takes two to three months
Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping - can be completed in three months
Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping - achieve the award in six to 12 months.

The Level 3 Award, designed for experienced bookkeepers, can be used to progress to professional AAT bookkeeping member status (AATQB). The annual membership fee is £134 (2024).

To study the Level 2 or 3 bookkeeping course online, you can do so through Kaplan. The latter will cost you between £715.20 to £1,008 (2024), depending on the mode of study chosen.

Accounting and finance degrees

A specific accounting degree isn't essential for entry into this field, but for those looking to study the subject at university, four of the main professional and awarding bodies in accounting offer accredited Bachelors degrees.

This means you can get professional awards from ACCA, ICAS, ICAEW, CIPFA and CIMA by studying the BSc Accounting and Finance from a range of institutions, including:

All these universities allow you to complete the degree within three years if studied full time. Some allow for an additional year if you decide to take up the option of an industry placement or year abroad.

Masters in accounting and finance

Postgraduate study is necessary for those pursuing a career as a management accountant. Before taking the professional CIMA qualification, you'll first need the Certificate in Business Accounting, which provides a good foundation for further study.

A postgraduate diploma (PGDip) or Masters degree can also provide a shortcut to some of the most renowned professional accounting qualifications.

For instance, by studying the one-year full-time MSc Accounting and Finance from The University of Manchester's Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), you'll benefit from exam exemptions with CIMA and the CFA Institute.

The one-year full-time MSc Accounting and Finance with CIMA at Queen Margaret University enables you to achieve the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting while providing the maximum (11) exemptions from CIMA certificate, operational and management level exams.

Finally, the MSc Professional Accountancy from the University of Dundee is a specialist Masters programme that is recognised by providing exemptions to all ACCA Applied Knowledge and Skills papers.

Search all Masters degrees in accounting and finance.

Online accounting courses

As well as studying in person at a college or university, in many cases, you can also choose to earn your accounting qualifications online.

Learning providers such as ICS Learn and Kaplan work with professional bodies, such as the AAT, to provide a range of 100% online accounting courses - so you can achieve awards from Level 2 to Level 4 to work as an accounting technician.

You can also train to be a bookkeeper through this distance learning method.

If you're still deciding whether to commit to a longer course, The Open University offers a free Introduction to Bookkeeping and Accounting.

The ACCA also offers a selection of MOOCs (massive open online courses), which are available free of charge through edX. These include courses in:

bookkeeping
business and technology
financial accounting
management accounting.

Read more about studying these types of microcredentials and get the lowdown on online learning.

Find out more

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