best route to becoming a qualified and chartered accountant?

deepriver

Thinking about retraining and becoming an accountant, but I am very very confused about the best or most appropriate route..

Basically I am looking for the most cost and time efficient route to do this but the options are a bit overwhelming

My background is I have a business masters and this should buy me some exemptions..


Do I need to go into a CAT course and get a good grounding or dive straight into the IATI or ACCA course?

If you complete the CAP1&2 and Prof or the ACCA exams are you then 'qualified' or is there more to come?

At what point can you become chartered and for example if you do the ACCA can you become chartered with the IATI?

Whats the difference between ACCA and IACI (apart from the local/international aspect)? Is there any snobbery in employers that favourse one qualification over the other?

From a cost perspective ACCA seems much cheaper than IACI to the tune of a couple of k, is this true?


So confused I can barely put together the stack of questions I have in a coherent manner

...if anyone could just lay it out in a simple way, it would be much appreciated

JoeTurner

Have a look at this site: http://www.elevationprogramme.ie/

The Institute of Chartered Accountants have just launched this new qualification route....

smcgiff

deepriver wrote: »

Thinking about retraining and becoming an accountant, but I am very very confused about the best or most appropriate route..

Basically I am looking for the most cost and time efficient route to do this but the options are a bit overwhelming

My background is I have a business masters and this should buy me some exemptions..


Do I need to go into a CAT course and get a good grounding or dive straight into the IATI or ACCA course?

If you complete the CAP1&2 and Prof or the ACCA exams are you then 'qualified' or is there more to come?

At what point can you become chartered and for example if you do the ACCA can you become chartered with the IATI?

Whats the difference between ACCA and IACI (apart from the local/international aspect)? Is there any snobbery in employers that favourse one qualification over the other?

From a cost perspective ACCA seems much cheaper than IACI to the tune of a couple of k, is this true?


So confused I can barely put together the stack of questions I have in a coherent manner

...if anyone could just lay it out in a simple way, it would be much appreciated

Your masters will get you exemptions. Check with ACCA / ICAI for particulars.

Going CAT / IATI will add at least a year to being qualified and would make no sense if you've a relevant masters.

You're qualified if you pass the exams, you become a member (can use the term Chartered/Chartered Certified after a certain period of verifiable training.

You're not chartered after just passing the CAT/IATI exams.

From an employer POV I would say their preference will depend on their own qualification. However, I would say this is only a slight advantage and your work experience and your ability to put yourself across in an interview would be much more important.

deepriver

thanks for those two responses which raise these questions...

ACCA course can be completed for around 1k per year (x2 years in Rathmines College) while the elevation programe works out at 7 - 8k for two years, is there a justification for this price difference?

ACCA doesnt appear to have a substantial focus on work experience compared to the elevation programme, again seems a missmatch but results in equally reputable qualification at the end?

Doesnt a CAT course lay out the fundementals of accounting from double entry book-keeping up? Its true I have a business masters but my clerical book making skills would be poor, maybe this isnt a major factor in an accountants work practises?

Just to confirm if I did the ACCA for example, passed and got the relevant work experience I would then be a) in a position to apply to a body to be chartered or b) I would be chartered with ACCA

thanks :P

Slippers

You would be a Chartered Certified Accountant with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Alternatively, if you passed (or got exemptions from) CAP1, CAP2 and the FAE and got 3 or 3.5 years' relevant experience you would be a Chartered Accountant instead, with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

smcgiff

They are both Chartered (as in the specific meaning of the term) - Because the Scottish body was first they call themselves Chartered or CA. Their sister bodies in England and Ireland can call themselves Chartered or ACA (to distinguish from the first chartered body) and ACCA must put Certified after the term Chartered to further distinguish. But they are all Chartered.

Jcastle

Is it possible to complete F1 to F9 in one year at Rathmines college?

TiGeR KiNgS

Jcastle wrote: »

Is it possible to complete F1 to F9 in one year at Rathmines college?

no, only 4 subjects per exam sitting are allowed, 4 in Dec and 4 in June