AAT — Association of Accounting Technicians
The practical starting point — no prior qualifications needed.
Who it's for
Beginners and career-changers entering bookkeeping and accounting.
Structure
Three levels: Level 2 Certificate, Level 3 Diploma and Level 4 Professional Diploma.
Time & cost
1–2 years; a common stepping stone to ACCA/CIMA (with exemptions).
Careers
Bookkeeper, accounts assistant, finance officer — and a bridge to chartered study.
The skills you'll build
Many of these serve more than one path.
Best free resources for this path
Curated and vetted, with how to start.
Free certifications (with badges) in the leading cloud-accounting software — valuable for practical roles.
How to start: Open a free accountant account with each and enter their academy.
Free, self-paced Excel and Power BI training — essential analyst skills for any finance path.
How to start: Free with a Microsoft account; the optional PL-300 exam is paid.
Fully free courses — Alison/Saylor give free certificates; Khan Academy for fundamentals.
How to start: Free accounts; learn at your own pace.
Free Accounting Fundamentals and finance courses you can audit free.
How to start: Create a free account and choose the free/audit option.
Free video lectures, notes and mock exams for every ACCA and CIMA paper.
How to start: Free to use; create a free account for the forums. No paid content.
Continuing professional development (CPD)
AAT members complete CPD relevant to their role each year.
Get these hours for free →AI for Accountants
The free resources give you the theory; our course turns it into a paid, practical skill.
View the courseInformation is a guide and may change; always confirm details and requirements on the body's official site. Resources are independent third parties not affiliated with Fileminder.