finance · United Kingdom edition
It’s easy to be an Accountant.
Becoming an accountant in the UK requires no single licence, but most train through a recognised body (AAT, then ACCA, ICAEW/ACA or CIMA) via a degree, an apprenticeship, or a school-leaver scheme. Expect three to six years of combined study and supervised work experience to qualify fully.
Last verified Version 1By Editorial Team
Key facts
United Kingdom- Median salary (2024)
£45,538/yr
Range £28,000 – £70,000
- Time to qualify
3–6 years
Around 3-4 years from starting a graduate scheme or degree apprenticeship to full chartered/certified membership; longer (5-6 years) if you build up through AAT and study part-time while working.
- Cost to qualify
£0 – £18,000
An apprenticeship route costs you nothing — you earn a salary and training is employer/government-funded (note: Level 7 master's-level apprenticeship funding was withdrawn for those aged 22 and over from January 2026; ages 16-21 and existing apprentices remain funded). A three-year accounting degree costs up to £9,535/year in tuition for 2025/26 home students in England (£9,790 for 2026/27 entrants); tuition arrangements differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Self-funding professional exams is cheaper: ACCA charges an £89 one-off registration fee, roughly £137/year subscription and exam fees of about £84-£260 per paper, so the full professional qualification typically runs £2,000-£8,000 plus tuition/study materials if not employer-sponsored.
- Job outlook (2023-2028)
+5% growth
About 25,000 openings per year
National Careers Service job profile (GOV.UK) and ONS employment projections — accountants
All figures apply to United Kingdom. Salaries, licensing, and timelines differ by country — where other editions exist, switch between them at the top of the page.
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How to become an Accountant — step by step
- 1
Get your GCSEs and post-16 qualifications 2-4 years
Secure GCSEs including maths and English at grade 4/C or above. Then take A-levels, a T-Level in Accounting, or start AAT — these open the door to apprenticeships, degrees and direct professional study.
- 2
Choose your route in: degree, apprenticeship or AAT Decision point
Decide between a university degree in accounting/finance, a school-leaver/degree apprenticeship (earning while you train), or building up through AAT. Apprenticeship routes include the Assistant Accountant Level 3 and Professional Accounting/Taxation Technician Level 4.
- 3
Build foundational knowledge (AAT or degree) 1-3 years
Complete the AAT (Levels 2-4) or an accounting degree to gain core bookkeeping, tax and reporting skills. Many graduates and AAT finishers gain exemptions from early professional-body exams.
- 4
Register with a professional body and start the qualification Ongoing
Register with ICAEW (ACA), ACCA, CIMA or another recognised body. Begin the exam programme — often combined with a Level 7 Accountancy Professional apprenticeship if employer-sponsored.
- 5
Gain supervised practical work experience 3 years
Work in an accountancy role at an approved employer, logging the structured practical experience (commonly three years) your body requires alongside your studies.
- 6
Pass all professional exams 2-4 years
Work through the body's exam levels — for example ACCA's Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills and Strategic Professional papers — alongside professional ethics modules.
- 7
Qualify and apply for membership 3-6 months
Once exams, experience and ethics requirements are complete, apply for full membership. With ICAEW, ICAS or CIPFA you become a chartered accountant; with ACCA a chartered certified accountant.
- 8
Maintain CPD and consider specialising Ongoing
Keep up continuing professional development (CPD), and consider specialising in audit, tax, forensic or management accounting, or registering for practising/audit certificates if you want to run your own practice.
Requirements to be an Accountant
- GCSEs including maths and English (grade 4/C or above)educationRequired
The minimum baseline for apprenticeships, college courses and most professional-body registrations; a Level 2 pass in English and maths is needed before the end-point assessment on accountancy apprenticeships.
- A-levels, a T-Level in Accounting, or AAT qualificationseducationOptional
Routes into higher apprenticeships, degrees or direct professional study. The AAT (Levels 2-4) is a common stepping stone before chartered study.
- Degree in accounting, finance, business or a numerate subjecteducationOptional
Not compulsory — many qualify via apprenticeships — but common for graduate training schemes. A relevant degree can earn exemptions from early professional exams.
- Professional qualification (ACCA, ICAEW ACA, CIMA, or AAT)certificationRequired
To work as a qualified or chartered accountant you must complete a recognised body's qualification — exams plus a logbook of supervised practical work experience (typically 3 years).
- Membership of a recognised professional bodylicenseOptional
'Accountant' is not a legally protected title, so registration is not always required. However, only members of bodies such as ICAEW, ACCA, ICAS or CIPFA may call themselves 'chartered', and statutory audit work requires registration with a Recognised Supervisory Body.
- Numeracy, analytical and software skillsskillRequired
Strong maths, attention to detail, and confidence with spreadsheets and accounting software (e.g. Xero, Sage, QuickBooks) are essential day to day.
- Supervised practical work experienceexperienceRequired
All chartered routes require a structured period of relevant employment (commonly three years) signed off by an approved employer or training principal.
A day in the life of an Accountant
A typical day rarely matches the cliché of solitary number-crunching. In practice you might start by clearing client emails and reviewing a junior's bookkeeping, then move into preparing a set of year-end accounts or a corporation-tax computation, cross-checking figures in Xero or Sage against bank statements. Mid-morning could bring a call with a small-business owner explaining their VAT position in plain English — translation and trust-building are a big part of the job. Afternoons often mix focused technical work with deadlines: payroll runs, management reports, or audit fieldwork at a client's office. During busy season (the run-up to the 31 January self-assessment deadline or financial year-ends) hours stretch and pressure rises. Most accountants work a standard 37-39 hour week otherwise, increasingly hybrid. Attention to detail, juggling multiple clients, and keeping pace with changing tax rules define the rhythm.
Is it worth it to be an Accountant?
For most people in the UK, accountancy is a solid, future-proof career. The apprenticeship route is especially compelling: you earn a salary from day one, avoid tuition debt, and can finish chartered with no student loan — a genuinely rare combination. Demand is steady across practice, industry and the public sector, the skills are portable internationally, and chartered status carries real earning power, with experienced accountants comfortably clearing £60,000. The honest caveats: the exams are demanding and the supervised-experience period is long, so it suits people who can grind through technical study while working full time. The January 2026 withdrawal of Level 7 apprenticeship funding for those aged 22 and over has made the funded chartered route harder for older career-changers, who may need to self-fund exams or find a sponsoring employer. It is not a fast or easy qualification — but the pay, security and progression make it worth it for the numerically minded.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming you must go to university — many people miss out on apprenticeships that pay a salary and fund the same chartered qualification debt-free.
- Picking a professional body without thinking ahead — ACCA, ICAEW's ACA and CIMA suit different careers (practice/audit versus business/management), and switching later wastes time.
- Underestimating the practical-experience requirement — exams alone don't make you chartered; you also need around three years of supervised, signed-off work.
- Older career-changers banking on funded Level 7 apprenticeships, which lost government funding for those aged 22 and over from January 2026 — check eligibility before committing.
- Confusing being an 'accountant' with being chartered or able to do audit work — the title isn't protected, but audit and chartered status require specific registration.
- Self-funding exams without budgeting for resits, study materials and annual subscriptions, which add up well beyond the headline exam fees.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to become an accountant in the UK?
No. A degree is one route, but many qualify through apprenticeships or by building up from the AAT and then sitting ACCA, ICAEW or CIMA exams while working. Apprenticeships let you earn a salary and avoid tuition debt, though a relevant degree can earn you exemptions from some early professional exams.
What's the difference between AAT, ACCA, ACA and CIMA?
AAT is a technician-level qualification and a common starting point. ACCA (Chartered Certified) and ICAEW's ACA (Chartered) are full chartered accountant qualifications covering audit, tax and reporting. CIMA focuses on management accounting in business. All require exams plus supervised work experience to qualify.
Is 'accountant' a protected title in the UK?
No — anyone can call themselves an accountant, which is why choosing a recognised qualification matters. Only members of chartered bodies (ICAEW, ICAS, CIPFA, ACCA) may use 'chartered', and statutory audit work legally requires registration with a Recognised Supervisory Body.
How long does it take to qualify as a chartered accountant?
Typically three to four years on a graduate scheme or degree apprenticeship, combining exams with the required practical work experience (usually three years). Building up part-time through AAT first can extend this to five or six years.
Can I still get an apprenticeship funded for chartered accountancy?
It depends on your age. From January 2026 the government withdrew funding for Level 7 (master's-level) apprenticeships — including the ACA/ACCA Accountancy Professional apprenticeship — for those aged 22 and over. Those aged 16-21 and existing apprentices remain funded; older starters now need an employer willing to pay, or should consider the self-funded exam route.
How much do accountants earn in the UK?
ONS ASHE 2024 data (via CareerSmart) puts the median for chartered and certified accountants at around £45,500 a year. Trainees often start near £24,000-£28,000, while experienced and chartered professionals frequently earn £60,000-£70,000 or more, with London salaries notably higher.
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these primary sources.
- 1£390 million relief for English universities as government ends tuition fee freeze (2025/26 fee cap £9,535) — Institute for Fiscal Studies · accessed June 15, 2026
- 2ACCA exam fees and cost breakdown — BPP / ACCA · accessed June 15, 2026
- 3Accounting technician job profile — National Careers Service (GOV.UK) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 4Chartered and certified accountants — pay, employment and hours (ONS ASHE 2024 data) — CareerSmart (Unionlearn), using ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings · accessed June 15, 2026
- 5Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship — student guide — ICAEW · accessed June 15, 2026
- 6Level 7 apprenticeship funding to be axed from January 2026 — FE Week · accessed June 15, 2026
- 7Management accountant job profile — National Careers Service (GOV.UK) · accessed June 15, 2026
- 8Private practice accountant job profile — National Careers Service (GOV.UK) · accessed June 15, 2026