How to become an accountant: Qualifications and career routes

25 September 2025

If you are wondering how to become an accountant, a career in accountancy and finance may suit you. Particularly if you are detail-orientated, analytical and possess strong problem-solving skills. 

Accountancy and finance is a broad job sector with varied career routes and specialisms, offering opportunities in areas such as auditing, taxation, management accounting, financial analysis, investment banking and much more. 

If you think an accountancy career is for you, keep reading as we’ll be discussing how you can become an accountant and the qualifications you need as well as the career routes available to you. 

Before we dive in, we’ll first explore what an accountant is and the types of responsibilities they have. 

What is an accountant? 

An accountant is someone who manages, reviews and analyses financial records for a company or individual. They ensure compliance with financial regulations and provide financial insights for their employer. The primary role of an accountant is to track, analyse and interpret financial information to help stakeholders make informed decisions that benefit the business financially.

There are several different types of accountants including management accountants, tax accountants, auditors and forensic accountants to name a few. 

What's the difference between an accountant and a chartered accountant?

A chartered accountant is someone who has a chartered status through a qualification or professional training. To qualify as a chartered accountant, you will need to pass a series of exams, gain relevant work experience and undertake professional development training to continually enhance your skills and knowledge.  

Chartered accountants will also be members of a professional body. These include: 

  • Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
  • Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
  • Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
  • Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI).

What does an accountant do? 

The specific responsibilities of an accountant can vary and will depend on the type of accountancy you specialise in. Generally, accountants are responsible for preparing and examining financial records, ensuring accuracy and compliance with laws and regulations. 

This may involve managing financial statements, conducting audits, handling tax returns, and providing financial advice. You may also be involved in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis to help organisations and individuals make informed financial decisions. 

Here are some examples of responsibilities that specific accountant job roles may require:

  • Management accountants are responsible for preparing budgets, forecasts, and performance reports to inform strategic decisions
  • Tax accountants specialise in preparing and filing tax returns for individuals or businesses while ensuring compliance with regulations and laws
  • Auditors examine financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulations. While internal auditors review company operations, external auditors assess financial statements for stakeholders
  • Forensic accountants investigate cases of financial fraud and often work with law enforcement or in legal cases
  • Payroll accountants are responsible for managing all areas of employee compensation, ensuring accurate salary payments, deductions and compliance with payroll laws.

What qualifications do you need to be an accountant?

To become an accountant there are several different routes and qualifications you can take depending on your career goals. A degree in a relevant subject such as accounting, finance or business management is a common first step into accountancy. 

This is because it offers a solid foundation in the field and often includes the opportunity to take part in professional work placements. Some undergraduate courses also offer modules within their courses which can lead to exemptions from professional accountancy exams which can speed up the process of becoming qualified. 

Alternative paths include apprenticeships or professional qualifications and these typically require GCSEs and A-levels. Apprenticeships combine work experience with study, while professional qualifications like AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) provide entry-level qualifications. 

This can lead to more advanced certifications such as ACA, ACCA, or CIMA which can qualify you as a chartered accountant. We’ll explore each of these routes in more depth below. 

How to become an accountant

Academic route vs vocational route

The route to becoming an account is usually split into two paths: the academic route and the vocational route. 

Academic route

It is common for accountants to hold at least an undergraduate degree level qualification. Whilst it's not mandatory, some employers may require it and those who have this qualification may find it more advantageous. This would typically be in the area of accounting and finance such as BSc Accounting & Finance. Read our guide to learn more about why you should consider studying finance and the benefits it can unlock for both your personal and professional development. 

You can hear from Kudzai Moyo, who describes how studying the BSc Accounting & Finance at Warwick Business School helped prepare her for a future career in the financial sector.

Alternatively, you may hold an undergraduate degree in a related topic such as maths, economics, business or marketing. These are all valuable qualifications which are a good step into a career in accounting. 

If you want to continue your education and specialise in a particular field of accounting, a Master’s degree level qualification can refine your skills and knowledge and can set you apart from others when it comes to applying for accounting jobs. Warwick Business School offers various Master’s courses which are ideal if you are considering a career in accountancy and don’t yet hold the qualification in the field:  

Master’s student, Hannah Ibrahim explains how studying for her postgraduate degree allowed her to build a strong foundation in finance while exploring a specialised area of finance: 

“Choosing the MSc Finance course at WBS turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. It provided me with not only a solid foundation in core finance principles but also an opportunity to delve deeper into specialised areas such as behavioural finance”

Vocational route

Some businesses and accountancy firms may offer apprenticeship programmes as an alternative to the academic route. Requirements for this usually include 4 or 5 GCSEs in grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent qualifications. Alongside your role, you will also have the chance to study for an accounting qualification part-time which will usually be the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). 

Accounting qualifications 

As mentioned above, many accountants also pursue professional qualifications to become chartered accountants. A chartered accountancy qualification can be gained through several professional bodies including the ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW, ICAS and CAI.

The training programmes offered by these providers typically include training modules, exams and practical work experience. For example, the ICAEW runs the ACA qualification which requires you to complete exam modules, gain practical work experience, participate in a learning programme and provide evidence of professional development.

Get relevant work experience

In addition to gaining the relevant qualifications, work experience is also incredibly valuable to have. This can be gained in several ways including work placements, voluntary roles, internships and part-time jobs. 

If you are enrolled in college or university, you’ll find an abundance of work experience opportunities through extra-curricular activities such as volunteering, clubs and university societies. 

Formal work experience with larger financial firms is highly competitive and they will often require you to be actively studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Placement opportunities such as these are commonly offered and integrated within degree programmes. For example, Warwick Business School offers a BSc Accounting & Finance with Placement Year which allows students to spend a year within these firms. Previous student George Daniells explains how valuable his placement year at Dyson was.

“As a part of my course, I was able to complete a placement year which has been hugely beneficial. It enables you to hit the ground running when you start your graduate role, giving you first-hand experience of the working environment. My placement year at Dyson has helped my confidence grow and establish a clear understanding of finance in the world of business” 

Universities like Warwick Business School are uniquely positioned to help you find and secure a formal placement as they often have established links with employers across all business sectors both in the UK and abroad. We’ve seen many of our students go on to complete placements with the likes of Accenture, Deloitte, EY, IBM and PwC. 

Hear from WBS undergraduate students Hamzah and Khwaish who undertook a placement at Sony.

Find a job

There are many different routes to finding and securing a job in accounting. As discussed, choosing the vocational route will likely mean joining an apprenticeship scheme which means you’ll study part-time alongside employment. After completing an apprenticeship, many employers offer a permanent role, allowing you to continue your employment with them and progress your career. 

If you’ve completed a degree programme, you may choose to apply for graduate schemes. Graduate schemes often provide structured training, mentorship and the opportunity to work across various departments, helping you gain a broad understanding of the profession.

Continue to study

A career in accountancy is advanced through continuous study and taking every opportunity to develop skills and knowledge through additional training and qualifications is essential. Pursuing professional accounting qualifications, such as ACCA, CIMA, or ACA will advance your credentials and open up more advanced career opportunities in the future. 

Career paths in accounting

A career in accountancy can be varied and there are lots of possible career paths to choose from depending on your interests and skill sets. You may choose to work in the private or public sector and those early in their career may begin as a junior accountant or accounting clerk. 

Accounting and finance graduates may progress quickly into specialist career paths such as auditing, forensic accounting, corporate finance and tax accounting. With experience, you may also choose to become self-employed and work as a consultant or start your own company. 

Progression throughout your accounting career will largely depend on continuous professional development, as well as an awareness of emerging technologies, regulations and industry trends.

Kickstart your accounting career with Warwick Business School

Warwick Business School is one of Europe’s leading business institutions. Our award-winning undergraduate and Master’s courses provide you with world-class teaching and the skills and experience for you to unleash your full potential for a career in accounting and finance. 

 

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