Free, independent UK guide
Starting out as a trainee accountant? Start here.
Plain-English guides to the main ways into accountancy in the UK: AAT, ACCA, the ACA (ICAEW), CIMA and apprenticeships. We also cover pay, training contracts, exams and CVs, with every fee and pay figure traced to its source.
Compare the routes See what the pay data says
Pick a route
AAT
Step-by-step qualifications from Level 2 to Level 4. You can start at any level.
AAT guideACCA
Thirteen exams, an ethics module and 36 months of relevant experience.
ACCA guideACA (ICAEW)
Fourteen exams plus a training agreement with an authorised employer.
ACA guideCIMA
Management accounting, with three levels that each end in a case study exam.
CIMA guideApprenticeships
Earn while you study, from Level 2 to Level 7, in England.
Apprenticeship guide
Then plan the practical bits
Salaries
What ONS pay data shows for accounts and accountancy jobs, and what it does not show.
Salaries guideTraining contracts
What a training agreement is and the questions to ask an employer.
Training contracts guideExam tips
How to plan, book and revise without wasting fees.
Exam tipsCV tips
How to show your potential when you have little experience.
CV tips
How we keep the figures honest
- Every fee, pay or exam figure has a link to the body's own page or to national statistics, and the date we checked it.
- If we cannot verify a number, we leave it out. You will not find guessed salaries or made-up pass rates here.
- We do not run courses or place people in jobs.
General information only, not professional or financial advice. TraineeAccountant.com is an independent guide. It is not an accountancy firm, not a recruiter or agency, and not affiliated with any professional body. More about this site.