ACCA? ATI? ACÁ? HELP!!!!

mandik

Hi there!

I have decided to return to college as a mature student! (Daunting, I know). A friend of mine is an accountant. We went through secondary school together. After school we both took some time out. I created a family,, she created a career. I'm now 29. My youngest baby is just 2 (I also have a 9 year old and 4 year old twins) but I've decided that I've done my stay at home mam part and it's time to get back out there! Soooo... I've decided to go along the routes of accounting.

My friend mentioned that I might be better off going through ATI first to make sure I'm definitely interested so I've done some research. Here's my problem (s)

As I'm reading through some forums I see people arguing over which is best.. ATI.. ACCA.. ACÁ. . ICA.. and I'm completely lost! I don't know which one will offer me better qualifications/pay/opportunities to go further.

Could someone please explain to me what, exactly, is the difference? Which would be best for my situation? Which one will offer me better pay? And which one will offer me the most exemptions foe when I sit the accounting exams? Thank you in advance. Any advice/opinions welcomed.

OttoPilot

Hi Mandik,

What course are you doing now (if any)? The course will determine how many exemptions you get for each body.

I can only really speak of ACA as that's what I'm doing. I believe most level 8 accounting courses around the country give full CAP 1 exemptions if you achieve 50% or more in the required modules. Other courses may cover only some CAP 1 subjects but not all of them.

There are 5 CAP 1 subjects. Financial Accounting, Finance, Tax, Law, Management Accounting.

After completing CAP 1, either through exemptions or studying with the institute, you move on to CAP 2. Then there's FAE after that which is the final set of exams. There are a few Masters in Accounting courses around the country that can exempt you from CAP 2 also but FAE must be done with the institute and generally after you have a year or two work experience. To qualify fully after FAEs you must get 3-4 years work experience (Some of this will be gotten before and during FAEs in most cases).

I don't know a whole lot about ACCA but exemptions work in a similar manner, how many you get depends on the course. I think ACCA attracts more older students too because it's more flexible but someone with more knowledge could confirm that. Some people say it is easier too because people switch from ACA to ACCA more but that's for you to decide.

I know nothing of AITI.

Kaylalala

I just started first year as a mature student doing a level 8 accounting and finance. Last year I did year 1 of the ATI (Accounting Technicians Ireland, the sister group to Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACA).

I would definitely recommend doing the first year (out of 2) before deciding to take on 3/4 years full time. After each year you get a certificate, so I still got a qualification without doing the second year. If I had done 2nd year ATI then I could have gotten into year 2 of a level 8 but to me I felt happier doing the full degree.

They have the option to do the ATI cert online as well, and we met up a few times during the year. Most of the rest of my year doing online as well had young children or working full time or both. Its very flexible. If you like it, then its a good way of getting yourself into a level 8 and you will have a smoother first year having been eased into it over the previous year. And if you don't, you can find something else, without having wasted your chance at college.

Avatar MIA

Not sure why you have the A in ACA as Á :-)

First things first, ACA and ICA are the same body. ACA being the designation of those that qualify through ICAI.

ACCA and ACA are much of a muchness. Something else to look into is CIMA.

However, as a mature person biting at the bit to get into accountancy skip the technician level, go straight into the professional exams.

^^^ don't understand why someone with a BBS hons degree would start at a technician level.

I'm ACCA.

Shaque attack

CIMA definitely worth considering though it does depend on what kind of exemptions you'd have with any of the bodies.

The most important question to answer is what kind of accountancy work do you see yourself doing when you're qualified?

IrishAlice

I would say it depends on your personal background, do you have any experience in accounting?

I hadn't studied accountancy since Junior Cert so I decided to do the Accounting Technicians course first (ATI). I found it to be a very good foundation and an extremely useful qualification to have. It also helped me to get a taster of what accountancy was like and decide if I'd like to go on further.

The salary and progression opportunities with the qualification do have an upper limit with the max salary being around the 35k mark from what I've seen online.

I know a lot of people who have gone on to do either CPA, ACCA or CIMA after gaining their qualification.

I'm now studying for my professional level papers with ACCA and am very happy with the route I chose. From what I remember there are 3 exemptions you can gain by having the ATI qualification but it depends on your results in certain subjects.

Another thing to note is that the time pressure and commitment level for any of the accountancy body exams is quite high. In this regard I would agree with your friend that it's a good idea to do ATI first and see if you like it.

It's a great qualification and it would be a good way of easing yourself back into education after a number of years.

Best of luck with your decision!

mandik

IrishAlice wrote: »

I would say it depends on your personal background, do you have any experience in accounting?

I hadn't studied accountancy since Junior Cert so I decided to do the Accounting Technicians course first (ATI). I found it to be a very good foundation and an extremely useful qualification to have. It also helped me to get a taster of what accountancy was like and decide if I'd like to go on further.

The salary and progression opportunities with the qualification do have an upper limit with the max salary being around the 35k mark from what I've seen online.

I know a lot of people who have gone on to do either CPA, ACCA or CIMA after gaining their qualification.

I'm now studying for my professional level papers with ACCA and am very happy with the route I chose. From what I remember there are 3 exemptions you can gain by having the ATI qualification but it depends on your results in certain subjects.

Another thing to note is that the time pressure and commitment level for any of the accountancy body exams is quite high. In this regard I would agree with your friend that it's a good idea to do ATI first and see if you like it.

It's a great qualification and it would be a good way of easing yourself back into education after a number of years.

Best of luck with your decision!

Thank you so much. I had wondered if I would be wasting time by going the ATI route but you've definitely helped me make up my mind that that's the way I should go! 😊

IrishAlice

mandik wrote: »

Thank you so much. I had wondered if I would be wasting time by going the ATI route but you've definitely helped me make up my mind that that's the way I should go! 😊

No problem at all, if you've any other questions at all just ask

starbear

I just came across this, I am into my first year at ATI.. I am really enjoying it. I have had a career break of over 5+ years and this area is completely foreign to me! Over the Christmas I have been looking at job prospects etc. my previous work salary was double the max scale however I was unhappy in my job etc...
What is getting to me now is the task of getting work experience signed off & where to obtain some work experience. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. The fact that you need 2years work exp before you achieve your qualification gets to me. For any other qualification you obtain your award & then get employment & work your way up! The pay scale in my opinion could also be reviewed it's an intense course with a lot of responsibility when you do eventually achieve employment!

Avatar MIA

What pay scale?

You are qualified, but you need experience for membership.

hmn

Kaylalala wrote: »

I would definitely recommend doing the first year (out of 2) before deciding to take on 3/4 years full time. After each year you get a certificate, so I still got a qualification without doing the second year. If I had done 2nd year ATI then I could have gotten into year 2 of a level 8 but to me I felt happier doing the full degree.

I am going into the second year of the ATI course in September. Which courses allow you to progress into the 2nd year (level 8) following on from studying the 2nd year of ATI?

Thanks

tanit

hmn wrote: »

Kaylalala wrote: »

I would definitely recommend doing the first year (out of 2) before deciding to take on 3/4 years full time. After each year you get a certificate, so I still got a qualification without doing the second year. If I had done 2nd year ATI then I could have gotten into year 2 of a level 8 but to me I felt happier doing the full degree.

I am going into the second year of the ATI course in September. Which courses allow you to progress into the 2nd year (level 8) following on from studying the 2nd year of ATI?

Thanks

After doing and passing 2nd year ATI you can continue either to a Honors Bachelors degree in several of the Institutes of Technology, such as Limerick, Athlone, Tallaght, etc. You usually enter on 3rd year and you do 3rd and 4th year only.

You can also go directly to either Chartered Accountants, CPA, ACCA or CIMA.

Accounting Technicians have a Guide to Further Studies

Being an Accounting Technician, if you want to continue studying, I'd go for either a Bachelors in one of the Institutes of Technology or go to either Chartered Accountants or CPA as it's the best from the exemptions point of view in my opinion.

I hope this helps

hmn

Thanks tanit! I will look into it