Assessing prospective AAT students

Why we assess suitability

We are duty-bound to maintain the high professional standards of the accounting profession.

AAT membership is a guarantee to employers and the public that you are competent and a person of integrity. This is why we ask anyone who applies for AAT student membership to demonstrate these qualities to the appropriate level.

Declarations and disclosure

You will be asked on your application for student membership to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the following questions:

• Are you or have you ever been bankrupt?
• Are you or have you ever entered into an agreement with your creditors?
• Do you have any criminal convictions which are not spent under The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act?*
• Have you ever been found guilty of a civil offence?
• Have you ever been issued a County Court Judgment?

* If you are unsure whether your conviction is spent, please visit the Your Rights website.

As you are applying for student membership of a professional body, you are expected to act with integrity. Failure to disclose this information when asked may be considered to be a breach of professional ethics and may result in disciplinary action.

To find out more information on declarations and disclosures, please read our Applicant’s guide to declarations and disclosure: student membership (PDF).

Application processing times

We process applications in the order in which they are received, so we urge you to submit your application to us as soon as possible.

We aim to assess your application within four weeks. However it could take between six and eight weeks to process the application, depending on the volume of applications.

Please provide all requested information so we can assess your application promptly and avoid delays. We will write to you if we need more information. If you do not respond your registration may be withdrawn - so it is best to get in touch with as much information as possible.

If you would like to know more, please contact the AAT Conduct and Compliance team on 020 7397 3008 or aatstandards@aat.org.uk