AAT Level 3Diploma in Accounting

You must have a reasonable standard of English and Maths (eg. GCSE Level 4 or equivalent). You should also have a related AAT Level 2 qualification and/or at least 6 months experience in the profession.

If English is your second language, we recommend you have an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, but we’re happy to review your case on an individual basis.

If you have a criminal record or have been made bankrupt, AAT might not accept you as a member making you unable to sit your exams. Please contact AAT directly for more advice.

Students must have access to Microsoft Word and Excel to complete the course.

Your course is fully online. You'll study 4 units:

• Preparing Financial Statements
• Management Accounting Techniques
• Tax Processes for Businesses
• Business Awareness

For full details of what you’ll learn on each unit, download our AAT course guide.

You’ll sit 4 in-person, computer based assessments at an AAT exam centre. Find an exam centre near you.

• Preparing Financial Statements (2.5 hours)
• Management Accounting Techniques (2.5 hours)
• Tax Processes for Businesses (1.5 hours)
• Business Awareness (2.5 hours)

You’ll also complete online mock tests throughout your course to ensure you’re well-prepared for your exams.

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is the UK’s leading professional body offering skills-based accountancy and finance training. 

It has over 124,000 members worldwide and their prestigious qualifications are internationally recognised and respected by employers. 

An AAT qualification is the perfect starting point for a lucrative career in finance and can set you on the path to starting your own accountancy practice or achieving Chartered Accountant status.

We think our students say it best. They've rated us 4.7/5 from more than 9000 independent Trustpilot reviews, giving us a rating of Excellent. Plus, we're the most experienced online learning provider - we've been in education for 130 years.

We're committed to helping everyone build a career that they're proud of, and a huge part of that involves giving people the freedom to shape their qualification around their lives. 

Our courses are perfect for you if you have a full-time job, kids, an irregular working pattern, a busy schedule, or if you simply want to be in control of your learning.

From our self-paced course structure to our extended study periods to our unlimited tutor support, we give you the flexibility you need to achieve your qualification, no matter what life throws at you.

That’s why every year, we help thousands of AAT students like you get qualifications they need to succeed.

If you’re not sure which AAT course to choose, we recommend taking the AAT Skillcheck. It’s a 30-minute online multiple-choice test that will suggest the right level for you based on your accounting knowledge.

The AAT Level 2 Certificate is perfect if you have no accounting experience or if you haven’t mastered essential skills like double-entry bookkeeping yet. Most students start at Level 2, even if they have some accounting experience.

The AAT Level 3 Diploma is for you if you have significant practical accounting experience and a firm grasp of all the topics covered at Level 2.

The AAT Level 4 Diploma could be ideal if you understand everything covered at Foundation and Advanced level and are fully competent in double-entry bookkeeping. Students rarely enrol directly onto the Level 4Diploma without completing Level 2/ Level 3 or a similar practical accounting qualification first.

If you plan on completing multiple levels, you can save money and transition smoothly by studying our Level 2 & Level 3 or Level 3 & Level 4 combined courses.

And if you'd like to become a bookkeeper rather than an accountant, one of our AAT Bookkeeping courses could be right for you.

Before you enrol with us, our expert AAT advisors will talk through your experience and ambitions to ensure you’re choosing the perfect course. You can also verify that your course is budget friendly when you use our handy affordability calculator. 

Similarly to the AAT Level 2 in Accounting course, the AAT Level 3 course also cover 4 units which include:

• Preparing Financial Statements
• Management Accounting Techniques
• Tax Processes for Businesses
• Business Awareness 

Spreadsheets for accounting are also covered throughout the AAT Level 3 course. 

While AAT Level 2 is an introduction course into the profession of accounting, AAT Level 3 on the other hand is aimed towards mid-level accounting professionals looking to move into the next stage of their career.

Therefore, the AAT Level 3 course has a slightly longer average completion time, of 8 months, than Level 2, which is 6 months.

To qualify for AAT Level 3 courses you must have a reasonable standard of English and Maths (e.g. GCSE Level 4 or equivalent), an AAT Level 2 related qualification and/or at least 6 months of professional experience in a related role. 

Alternatively, if English is your second language then it is recommended that you have successfully gained an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. 

Yes! You can enrol on an AAT Level 3 course in Accounting without a Level 2 qualification, as long as you have at least 6 months of experience in the profession. 

However, along with that you should also be able to demonstrate a reasonable standard of English and Math (eg. GCSE Leve 4 or equivalent), and if English is not your first language then we recommend having an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. 

Yes! If the qualification you hold is a Level 2 in accounting from a different awarding body then you can qualify for the AAT Level 3 course.

However, if your qualification is a more general finance or economics qualification we recommend that you take the AAT Skillcheck to help you identify which AAT level you should be enrolling onto based on your existing knowledge and experience.

An accountancy career has the potential to to take you anywhere you want to go. Whether you want to work in TV, sport, fashion, or for a charity, every organisation in every sector needs qualified accountants. 

Finance professionals are in consistently high demand the world over, so when you choose to study an AAT accounting qualification, you'll be opening the door to hugely rewarding and respected career opportunities.

Want to start your own accounting practice or go freelance? Once you complete your AAT Level 4 Diploma, you can. 

Is becoming a Chartered Accountant your goal? Your AAT training can be a stepping stone to ACCA, CIMA, and other Chartered Accountancy qualifications, and will even allow you to skip certain modules - potentially getting you to Chartered status faster than the university route.

And if you've got your eyes set on the boardroom, more than half of FTSE 100 CEOs began their career in finance. 

You don't need to wait til you've completed your AAT course to start reaping the benefits of studying AAT. Simply putting 'Studying towards AAT' on your CV can help you attract employers and stand out from the crowd.

After completing the AAT Level 2 Certificate, you'll be ready to take on entry-level finance roles such as:

• Accounts Administrator
• Accounts Assistant
• Accounts Payable Clerk
• Purchase/Sales Ledger Clerk
• Trainee Accounting Technician
• Trainee Finance Assistant

Once you've completed the next qualification, the AAT Level 3 Diploma, you can move into roles like:

• Accounts Assistant
• Accounts Payable and Expenses Supervisor
• Accounts Payable Clerk
• Assistant Accountant
• Audit Trainee
• Bookkeeper
• Credit Controller
• Finance Assistant
• Payroll Administrator
• Payroll Supervisor
• Practice Bookkeeper
• Tax Assistant

Once you've achieved the most advanced AAT training, the AAT Level 4 Diploma, you have a huge number of career options.

If you'd like the freedom of working for yourself, you could start your own accountancy practice or work as a freelance accountant.

You could become a Chartered Accountant by joining an AAT fast-track with ACCA, CIMA, or one of the other UK Chartered Accountancy bodies.

And you could take on a huge number of prestigious finance roles:

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

Here's the average salary of AAT students and graduates at each stage of their career.

• AAT Student: £19,000
• Trainee Accountant: £20,000
• Accounts Assistant: £23,000
• Bookkeeper: £25,000
• Semi-Senior Accountant: £26,000
• Qualified Senior/Executive: £37,000
• Assistant Manager: £41,000
• Manager: £48,000
• Senior Manager: £43,000
• Self-Employed AAT Accountant: £54,000

Plus, if you join the AAT fast-track with a Chartered Accountancy body like ACCA or CIMA, you could earn upwards of £70,000 a year as a Chartered Accountant. 

Average AAT salaries from the AAT Salary Survey 2021. Chartered Accountant salary from TotalJobs.

A global leader in finance training, a qualification from the Association of Accounting Technicians can help you launch a lucrative finance career, with many career prospects.

After completing the AAT Level 3 course successfully, you can move into mid-level accounting roles, helping you move up the career ladder. The AAT Level 3 qualification can lead to jobs such as:

• Accounts assistant
• Audit trainee
• Payroll administrator/supervisor
• Finance assistant
• Accounts payable and expenses supervisor
• Accounts payable clerk
• Credit controller 
• Practice bookkeeper
• Tax assistant