Studying AAT for free?

theblessedone

I'm currently entertaining the idea of studying for AAT to further enhance my Accounting career.

I currently work in Payroll but I wish to progress in to the Accountancy side of the business, with the hope of becoming a management accountant.

My employer will not pay for me to study AAT as it is not a fundamental qualification to Payroll, which would lead me to having to fund the course myself, should I choose to do it. I have heard from several cases that I am entitled to this course for free because I'm under 24 and have never done a college course before.

Is this true? And who would I need to contact about it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

LadyMissA

theblessedone wrote: »

I'm currently entertaining the idea of studying for AAT to further enhance my Accounting career.

I currently work in Payroll but I wish to progress in to the Accountancy side of the business, with the hope of becoming a management accountant.

My employer will not pay for me to study AAT as it is not a fundamental qualification to Payroll, which would lead me to having to fund the course myself, should I choose to do it. I have heard from several cases that I am entitled to this course for free because I'm under 24 and have never done a college course before.

Is this true? And who would I need to contact about it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Yes you can do it for free if you are working in accounts and under 24 years old. Your work have to agree it and the people (will see if I can remember who) will come to visit your boss and you and you will have to do English and Maths tests too before you start.

LadyMissA

http://www.aat.org.uk/content/item159528/

you employer should be albe to give you more info too

LadyMissA

Actually if you want to be a Management Accountant it's better to do CIMA

theblessedone

LadyMissA wrote: »

Actually if you want to be a Management Accountant it's better to do CIMA

You are right, but hands on accountacy experience is pretty scarce and hardly get to touch on it in Payroll, so it is beneficial for me to do AAT to gain more knowledge of generic accounting and by doing that I also bypass a few of the modules in CIMA when I come to do it.

LadyMissA

theblessedone wrote: »

You are right, but hands on accountacy experience is pretty scarce and hardly get to touch on it in Payroll, so it is beneficial for me to do AAT to gain more knowledge of generic accounting and by doing that I also bypass a few of the modules in CIMA when I come to do it.

Have you thought about doing a mixed role? Accounts Assistant that includes payroll to give you more experience?

heather_helo

be careful if you start the course now you would only get year 1 of the course funded as at 25 some places will withdraw funding - look at bpp - at one point they offered free course if you purchase the books - not sure if this is still the case though.

LittleVoice

theblessedone wrote: »

have never done a college course before.

Do you have 'A' levels?

saintjammyswine

If you dont have a degree, you could do this as an accountancy apprenticeship which will give it to you for free as well.

theblessedone

LittleVoice wrote: »

Do you have 'A' levels?

Nope, and GCSE wise I got 3 D's and 2 C's

LittleVoice

theblessedone wrote: »

Nope, and GCSE wise I got 3 D's and 2 C's

Right. So you don't have a full Level 2 qualification. That should make it easier to get help.

[You mentioned not having been to college but 'A' levels from school can also reduce the options available.]