AAT Level 3 --> CIMA BA (foundations) OR AAT level 4 --> CIMA professional qualifications

NicolaiRM

Hi all,

I'm currently studying AAT level 3 in order to get a grounding in accounting, though I intend to move on to study CIMA.

I've read on the CIMA website that you can be exempted from their foundation certificate (certificate in Business Accounting) if you are AAT level 4 certified.

This leaves me with 2 options:

1. Continue on to complete AAT level 4 (taking roughly 1 year), then starting with CIMA at the professional levels

2. Complete AAT level 3, go on to CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (also roughly a year to complete) and then move on to their professional levels

What do you guys think would be the best option? Bearing job opportunities, learning, etc. in mind...

Thank you,

Nicolai

crispy

Hi,

I would definately look at completing your AAT and then move onto CIMA taking exemption from certificate stage. AAT is a recoginised and respected qualification on it's own right of which professional membership will be available on completion, I am not sure that CIMA certificate level is all well regarded ? Also, the final stage of AAT leads very nicely onto CIMA professional stage and will feel like a natural progression - again I am not sure about CIMA certificate but believe the jump will be bigger in terms of diffculty / workload then from AAT.

amurray

NicolaiRM said:

Hi all,

I'm currently studying AAT level 3 in order to get a grounding in accounting, though I intend to move on to study CIMA.

I've read on the CIMA website that you can be exempted from their foundation certificate (certificate in Business Accounting) if you are AAT level 4 certified.

This leaves me with 2 options:

1. Continue on to complete AAT level 4 (taking roughly 1 year), then starting with CIMA at the professional levels

2. Complete AAT level 3, go on to CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (also roughly a year to complete) and then move on to their professional levels

What do you guys think would be the best option? Bearing job opportunities, learning, etc. in mind...

Thank you,

Nicolai

Hi There,

I would also say to move onto your AAT Level 4, completing this and gaining MAAT status. AAT is a highly regarded qualification to have and will be a further foundation before starting your CIMA studies. As you mentioned by completing AAT Level 4 you will be exempt from the Certificate level of CIMA, commencing with the Operational level.

Good luck with your studies!

NicolaiRM

Thank you both for your thoughts. This is what I was leaning towards. On to AAT Level 4 it is!