AAT to ICB

axl2derv

I know it's not a progression but it's extra letters. Can an AAT member apply for ICB membership without having to do any exams? It doesn't state on their website but AAT is more in depth than ICB so I could only assume so.

Thanks

Carl

JJ43

Best way to find out is to ask them !

PAMDILL

I have done it as I had started ICB yonks ago but did not finish it due to work commitments.

You have to sit an examination to prove competence and have references completed by accountants to confimr your work experience.

The examiniation is sent out to you to complete in your own time but you must get 100% to pass. If you get 90% you get it sent back to fix your mistake, anything less than 90% is an automatic fail.

You need to do a section on incomplete records, one on partnership final accounts and of course an extended trial balance.

axl2derv

That all seems great apart from the 2 accountants bit. I do bookkeeping for a company that has accounts prepared by a chartered accountants. I don't know the partners of the practice personally so I am not sure that they would sign me off. Any way to get around this?

PAMDILL

No, they don't need to know you personally just be able to sign off that you can do the work.

taskey

i have emailed them and this is the answer i have received

Dear Tracy,

Thank you for your email, we are delighted that you are thinking of joining the Institute.

If you wished to join the Institute in membership, you can do this by either taking our examinations, or by applying by exemption.

Membership by exemption:
We provide exemptions based on qualification certificates relating to bookkeeping, providing they are dated within 2 years. If applying for membership in this way, please supply copies of these certificates, and a copy of your current CV and passport or photo driving licence.

For exemptions using AAT qualifications, we would require the following:

For ICB Associate Member - Level 2 Foundation and Level 3 Intermediate by examination not exemption
For ICB full Member - As for Associate Member plus Level 4 Technician.

We would only be able to grant exemptions based on qualification certificates rather than results slips, and the latest qualification would need to have been gained within the last two years.

If your qualifications are more than two years old or your qualifications do not match our syllabuses, you may also apply by work experience.

For exemptions using work experience, you would need to have been working as a bookkeeper for at least the last two years. We would again ask that you submit photocopies of your qualification certificates together with your current CV and passport or photo driving licence. We also require the names, addresses and contact telephone numbers of two referees, who we can contact, who can qualify your bookkeeping skills over the last two years. At least one referee, but preferably both, must be a qualified Accountant.

When applying by exemption, you would also be required to undertake a Membership Entrance Paper which is a home based assignment that is sent out to applicants on a weekly basis, every Friday, with a deadline for completion within two weeks. Please note that for membership by exemption, a non-refundable application fee of £45.00 is also payable.

Documentation supporting your application for Membership should be forwarded to the following address:

Membership Department
ICB
Wolverton Park
Wolverton
Hampshire
RG26 5RU

If you do not hold the required criteria for membership by exemption, then you can register as a student and take our examinations which lead directly to membership of the Institute.

Membership by taking our examinations:
If you wish to follow the Manual Bookkeeping route, you would first need to pass our Certificate in Basic Bookkeeping (Level I, £20.00) examination. This is a home based assignment sent out on a weekly basis and students are given two weeks in which to complete and return the paper to us for marking. You may then apply to take our Certificate in Manual Bookkeeping (Level II, £25.00). Upon the successful pass of the Level II examination you will be eligible to upgrade to an Associate Member with us. If you wanted to then go on and take the Diploma in Manual Bookkeeping (Level III, £30.00) you will then be able to upgrade to a full Member. These examinations take place every second Wednesday of February, June and October and are held in a local examination centre. We cannot guarantee which centre you
will attend until shortly after the deadline date of the 1st day of the month prior to the examination itself.

Should you wish to follow the Computerised Bookkeeping route, you would be required to take our Certificate in Basic Book-keeping (Level I, £20.00) and then
take the Certificate in Computerised Bookkeeping (Level II, £25.00). Passing the Level II Computerised would allow you to upgrade to a Computerised Associate Member. However, if you wish to continue with your studies and apply to sit our Diploma in Computerised Bookkeeping (Level III, £30.00) you would then be eligible to upgrade to Computerised Member once you have passed. The Certificate in Basic Bookkeeping, Certificate in Computerised Bookkeeping and the Diploma in Computerised Bookkeeping are all based on home assignments which are sent out to students every Friday and are to be completed and returned to us within a two-week period.

In order to set up as a self employed bookkeeper with the help and support of the Institute, you would need to achieve at least Associate Membership. As an Associate (or even full Member) you would be able to apply for the Practising Certificate (compulsory for all members who wish to set up self employed). You do not need to obtain any previous work experience.

To apply for any of our examinations you will be required to register as a Student for £45.00 with the ICB. Please download the application form from our website.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate in contacting us.

Regards

Chloe
Member Services
Institute of Certified Bookkeepers

axl2derv

Thanks Tracy, that was very useful.

Problem is that I am exempt from AAT levels 2 & 3 so I would have to go down the exam route.

I might just wait until I finish CIMA / ACCA and then go down the exemption route. I only wanted it for the extra letters.