Become a professional member without AAT qualifications
Even if you haven't studied with AAT, there are a number of ways you can gain your AAT professional membership status.
Becoming an AAT full member (MAAT) or bookkeeping member (AATQB) is a great way to stand out to clients and employers, enhance your skills and even start your own practice – and there are a number of other benefits of professional membership too.
Join as a full member (MAAT)
We recognise a number of qualifications and memberships to support your eligibility for MAAT status. Do you belong to one of these groups? Find out below how you can apply.
Note: the MAAT application is currently unavailable while we optimise the process and make it easier than ever to apply. You'll be able to apply from the beginning of December 2022. For now, use the information below to understand if you're eligible, and know what you'll need to provide.
Professional member of another body
If you're a professional member of ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, IATI, ICAEW, ICAS, AIA, CAI, IFA, NIAT, or NZICA, you may be eligible for MAAT status.
You may also be eligible if you're:
- a member of SCAAK and you've completed CPD in anti-money laundering
- a member of ATSA (formally AATSA) and you've completed the AAT(SA) Revised Accounting Qualification.
In order to apply you'll need to:
- complete the online application
- attach a copy of your membership certificate
- pay a one-off admission fee and annual membership fee.
If you’re a professional member of an accountancy body or hold an accountancy or finance qualification or degree which isn’t listed we may still accept your application.
If you're a member of a professional body
Check if you’re eligible for full membership (MAAT): make sure the criteria met for your professional membership meet or are equivalent to our full membership criteria. View the AAT membership policy (PDF).
If you hold a finance or accountancy qualification or degree
Check if you’re eligible for full membership (MAAT): make sure that your qualification or degree meets or is equivalent to the AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting. You’ll need to submit your qualification or membership certificate and a transcript of your qualification so we can map this against our standards. If you don't meet the criteria you’ll receive a full refund of your membership fee, but not of your application admin fee.
Fully qualified accounting professional
If you've been awarded a professional qualification by ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, IATI, ICAEW, ICAS, AIA, CAI, IFA, NIAT, ATSA (formerly AATSA) or NZICA, or you've completed the IKAF Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) or the IKAF Certified Accountant Professional (CAP) qualification, you may be eligible for MAAT status.
In order to apply you'll need to:
- complete the online application
- provide evidence of your relevant qualification
- pay a one-off admission fee and annual membership fee.
Part-qualified accounting professional
If you're part-way through a professional qualification with ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW or ICAS, you may be eligible for MAAT status if you've completed the required units shown below.
ACCA Qualification
- Fundamentals
- Business and Technology (BT/FBT)
- Management Accounting (MA)/FMA
- Financial Accounting (FA)/FFA
- And at least two of the following:
- Taxation (TX)
- Audit and Assurance (AA)
- Financial Management (FM)
CIMA Certificate and Professional Qualification
- CIMA Certificate (or evidence of exemption from level)
- Operational level
- P1 Management Accounting
- F1 Financial Reporting
- Management level
- F2 Advanced Financial Reporting
- Operational level
CIPFA Professional Qualification
- Professional Certificate (or evidence of exemption from level)
- Financial Accounting
- Management Accounting
- Financial Reporting
- Audit and Assurance
- Professional Diploma
- Public Service Financial Reporting
- Business and Change Management
ICAEW ACA Qualification
You may be eligible if you've completed:
- Certificate level (CFAB)
- Accounting
- Assurance
- Business, Technology and Finance
- Management Information
- Principles of Taxation
and:
- ICAEW Professional Level
- Financial Accounting and Reporting.
Or you may be eligible if you've completed the AAT Level 4 module: Financial Statements of Limited Companies.
ICAS CA Qualification
- Test of competence:
- Financial Accounting
- Finance
- Business Acumen
- Assurance and reporting
- Principles of tax
- Management information and technology
- Test of professional skills:
- Financial Reporting
- Strategic Finance and Modelling
- Risk and Technology
- Assurance and Data
- Business Tax
How to apply
You'll need to:
- complete the online application
- provide evidence of your relevant qualification
- pay a one-off admission fee and annual membership fee.
Graduate of an AAT partner university
You can also apply for MAAT status if you have an accounting or finance degree from one of our partner universities:
- Birmingham City University
- University of Chester
- CU Coventry
- Edge Hill University
- University of Hull
- Liverpool John Moores University
- The London Institute of Banking & Finance
- London South Bank University
- Middlesex University
- Northumbria University
- University of Northampton
- University of Portsmouth
- University of South Wales
- University of Wolverhampton.
In order to apply you'll need to:
- complete the online application
- provide evidence of your degree
- pay a one-off admission fee and annual membership fee.
Start your MAAT application
You can apply online to become an AAT full member. You'll need to pay your MAAT annual membership fee when you apply and share copies of your relevant qualification or membership certificates if they weren't issued by AAT. If you haven't got an account already, create a Guest account, then begin your application.
Join as a bookkeeping member (AATQB)
You can apply to become a bookkeeping member if at least one of the below applies.
- You have achieved any of these qualifications:
- ICB Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounts
- IAB Level 3 Diploma in Bookkeeping
- IAB Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping
- IAB Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounting
- IAB Level 3 Diploma in Accounting or Advanced Bookkeeping
- ICB Level 3 Diploma in Manual Bookkeeping
- The Career Academy Certificate in Bookkeeping (Ireland)
- The Career Academy Certificate in Bookkeeping (United Kingdom)
- The Career Academy Certificate in Bookkeeping (NZBAI)
- The Career Academy Certificate in Bookkeeping (Australia)
- IKAF Advanced Bookkeeping Level IV
- ATI Certificate for Accounting Technicians (Year 1).
- You hold professional membership of ICB or IAB.
Other qualifications will be assessed on a discretionary basis: please contact us to discuss your options.
If you’re a professional member of an accountancy body or hold an accountancy or finance qualification or degree which isn’t listed we may still accept your application.
If you’re a member of a professional body
Check if you’re eligible for bookkeeping membership (AATQB) - make sure that the criteria met for your professional membership meets or is equivalent to our bookkeeping membership criteria. View the Associate (bookkeeping) Membership policy.
If you hold a finance or accountancy qualification or degree
Check if you’re eligible for bookkeeping membership (AATQB) - make sure that your qualification or degree meets or is equivalent to the AAT Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping or the AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting.
You’ll need to submit your qualification or membership certificate and a transcript of your qualification so that we can map this against our standards. If you don't meet the criteria you’ll receive a full refund of your membership fee, but not of your application admin fee.
Start your AATQB application
You can apply online to become an AAT bookkeeping member. You'll need to pay your AATQB annual membership fee when you apply and share copies of your relevant qualification or membership certificates if they weren't issued by AAT. If you haven't got an account already, please use the Register button above to create a Guest account, then begin your application.
