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  2. AAT Accounting Courses (The AAT Accounting Qualification)
  3. Professional Diploma in Accounting

Professional Diploma in Accounting

How long will the qualification take?

This qualification will usually take around 18 months to complete, but this will depend on study method and course timetable. It may be possible to complete this qualification in as little as nine months.

What you'll learn

In this qualification you will cover higher accounting tasks including drafting financial statements, managing budgets and evaluating financial performance, as well as optional specialist units including business tax, personal tax, external auditing and credit management and cash and treasury management. 

For full details of what you’ll learn read the qualification specification. 

Achieve professional AAT full membership
If you successfully complete this qualification and fulfil our work experience requirements, you can apply for AAT full membership and achieve professional MAAT status.

Syllabus

  • Management Accounting: Budgeting
  • Management Accounting: Decision and Control
  • Financial Statements of Limited Companies
  • Accounting Systems and Controls
  • Professional Diploma Synoptic Assessment

    (The synoptic assessment will ask students to apply knowledge and skills gained across the qualification in an integrated way, within a workplace context. Scenarios will change over time to ensure the validity of the assessment)
  • Optional units – select two of the following:
    • Business tax
    • Personal tax
    • External auditing
    • Cash and Treasury Management

    • Credit Management

For a closer look at the syllabus read the AAT course prospectus.

What jobs can you do with this qualification?

AAT Qualifications are recognised by employers as practical and technical qualifications that prepare students for the world of work and for working specifically in accountancy and finance roles. Find out more about where AAT can take you in your career.

The Professional Diploma in Accounting can lead to employment as:

  • Accounts Payable and Expenses Supervisor
  • Assistant Financial Accountant
  • Commercial Analyst
  • Cost Accountant
  • Fixed Asset Accountant
  • Indirect Tax Manager
  • Payments and Billing Manager
  • Payroll Manager
  • Senior Bookkeeper
  • Senior Finance Officer
  • Senior Fund Accountant
  • Senior Insolvency Administrator
  • Tax Supervisor
  • VAT Accountant

Cost

Training provider fees

£600–£2000

This fee covers your tuition (if attending a course of study) and is paid directly to your training provider.

Standard qualification fee

The standard qualification fee comprises eight assessment fees at £47 per assessment, plus one synoptic assessment fee at £54, giving a total of £430.

You will be required to pay the assessment fees to your training provider or assessment venue.

Note: training providers and assessment venues may charge an additional administrative fee for each assessment. Administrative fees, if charged, can vary from one organisation to another. 

AAT membership fees

  • £150 for UK students
  • £140 for international students

These are paid to AAT. The fees cover:

  • AAT admission fee
  • AAT annual membership fee.

Read more about AAT student membership fees.

Download a list of all fees in PDF.

Funding

Check the funding options available.

Details

Level Level 4 (Level 8 Scotland)
Higher apprenticeship (Technical – Scotland)
High education diploma
HND and HNC
NVQ 4/5
Total credits 56
Guided learning hours 420

What next?

The accountancy skills developed by studying this qualification will enable you to seek employment with confidence, and/or to progress to study chartered accountancy.

 

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