How to become an accountant
Find out how to become an accountant in the UK.
Information is correct as at October 2025. Before deciding whether to pursue a career, contact your college careers service for the most up-to-date guidance.
How to get into accounting
Accountants analyse financial information and carry out investigations into financial inconsistencies.
There are two main areas of accounting:
- management accounting, where you manage accounts within a company
- financial accounting where you provide information to people outside of a company. It is a requirement by law that companies have a financial accountant.
If you go into financial accounting, you may choose to specialise in areas such as forensic accounting, auditing, corporate finance or tax. Whichever route you choose to take, you may also decide whether you want to work in the public or private sector.
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Qualifications required
You usually need an undergraduate degree. Your degree can usually be in any subject but a qualification in accounting or a related subject may be an advantage.
If your degree is not in accountancy, you may be able to apply for training vacancies as part of a graduate scheme. This may involve taking accredited-qualifications and on-the-job training. You may also be able to do some accredited courses straight from school or college without going to university.
The is the minimal level required to become an accountant. It focuses on practical skills and can be a stepping stone towards a degree or chartership.
Some people choose to take a higher level qualification to become a chartered accountant. Many organisations enrol students on professional training schemes to acquire accredited qualifications.
You may also need A-levels in Maths, Economics or Business.
How to become a chartered accountant in the UK
If you want to take an accounting degree, look for a degree or course that's accredited by one of the following bodies:
This could earn exemptions in the additional qualifications required to become a chartered accountant.
You should check the degree you take is relevant for the area of accounting you want to go into.
To become fully qualified you usually need to have three years work experience in a relevant role but this can depend on the area of accounting you go into. It can take around four years to become a chartered accountant in the UK.
If you haven't studied a degree yet, and you're considering one, browse our related subject areas at 黄色短视频 (you should check your course is accredited by the correct body):
Skills required
You may need to be:
- a good communicator
- good at teamwork
- good at building relationships
- analytical
- numerical
- accurate, logical and methodical.
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Earning potential of an accountant
£30kstarting salary (but this depends on your employer)
£60k average salary for an experienced accountant (but this depends on your employer)
37hours a week (but hours are variable with some evening and weekend work)
4 years is how long it takes to become a qualified accountant although this does vary
Choosing your specialism in accounting
You can choose from a range of specialisms including:
- How to become a forensic accountant
Forensic accountants investigate financial discrepancies such as criminal/fraudulent activity or misconduct.
If you want to become a forensic accountant, you may be able to take a degree in any subject but it might be an advantage to study an undergraduate degree or other course in accounting. Some employers may accept people with any or no degree but may ask that you carry out on-the-job training and complete an accredited qualification.
You may also need to get a training contract with an employer and then complete an accredited qualification to specialise in forensic accounting. You may also be able to study via online distance learning for a certificate or diploma in forensic accounting or study an undergraduate or Masters degree at university.
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- How to become a tax adviser
Tax advisers ensure that organisations or individuals are paying the correct amount of tax. The role includes submitting tax returns, advising clients about tax law and making sure organisations are meeting regulations.
If you want to become a tax adviser, there are two main graduate routes. You could become a graduate trainee with a firm of accountants or solicitors, or the in-house tax department of a commercial organisation. You would then study for an accredited qualification, followed by additional study to become chartered. Another route in would be to qualify as a chartered or certified accountant first and then study for the CTA qualification.
Some employers accept people with any or no degree but may ask that you carry out on-the-job training and complete an accredited qualification.
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- How to become an auditor
You can choose to become an external or internal auditor.
External auditors review the accounts of private or public sector organisations to:- ensure they are accurate
- monitor how money is being spent (especially if it is a public sector organisation where how public money is spent needs to be checked)
- check for opportunities to make savings.
Internal auditors monitor the financial records of a company or organisation to ensure that the business is running smoothly.
If you want to become an external auditor, you'll need to qualify as a chartered accountant with a professional accounting body. Alternatively, you can gain a qualification with the to work as an auditor in the public sector.
Internal auditors do not have to qualify as accountants. You can apply with any degree, although accountancy, economics or IT might be beneficial.
Some employers accept people with no degree but may ask that you carry out on-the-job training and complete an accredited qualification.
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- How to become a corporate finance accountant
Corporate finance accountants look at maximising shareholder value in a business or organisation.
If you want to become a corporate finance accountant you may need a degree or other course accredited by:
Some people move on to study the or the .
Some employers accept people with any or no degree but may ask that you carry out on-the-job training and complete an accredited qualification.
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- How to become a management accountant
Management accountants usually monitor the accounts of organisations and help them grow economically. They will monitor budgets, prepare financial reports, and analyse the company's financial performance.
You may want to qualify as a management accountant by taking qualifications, which provide a specialised route. Alternatively, you could take the qualifications for more technical accounting knowledge. You could earn exemptions from some papers by studying for a degree accredited by:
- .
Some employers accept people with any or no degree but may ask that you carry out on-the-job training and complete an accredited qualification.
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How to get experience in accounting
To get experience in accounting, apply for placements at accountancy firms. You might also benefit from shadowing an accountant.
The 黄色短视频 Business School has specialist careers and employability support for your career aspirations.
Some companies such as Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) may offer internships over the summer. You can also look for internship opportunities at other companies that you might consider working for.
If you decide to go to university, consider applying to be the treasurer for a club or society, or see if there's any internship opportunities offered through your university.
Studying at 黄色短视频
If you choose to study your degree at 黄色短视频, you'll benefit from:
- careers support for up to three years after you graduate
- the chance to join our alumni network
- mentoring schemes so you get real-world advice, support and experience while you study.