AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting with Work Experience

The AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting follows a clear structure and provides essential accounting skills and knowledge. The course is divided into four key units designed to build your understanding of accounting fundamentals, ensuring practical and applicable learning for real-world business scenarios.

Unit 1: Introduction to Bookkeeping

This unit covers the basics of financial accounting in manual and digital bookkeeping systems. You will learn the procedures and principles behind double-entry bookkeeping, a fundamental accounting technique.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand how to set up bookkeeping systems
• Process customer transactions
• Process supplier transactions
• Process receipts and payments
• Process transactions into the ledger accounts

Unit 2: Principles of Bookkeeping Controls

Building on Unit 1, this unit focuses on control accounts, journals, and bank reconciliations, which are bookkeeping essentials for accurate financial record-keeping.

Learning outcomes:

• Use control accounts
• Reconcile a bank statement with the cash book
• Use the journal
• Produce trial balances

Unit 3: Principles of Costing

This unit introduces you to basic costing principles, preparing you for more advanced costing and management accounting tasks in the future.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the cost recording system within an organisation
• Use cost recording techniques
• Provide information on actual and budgeted costs and income
• Use tools and techniques to support cost calculations

Unit 4: The Business Environment

Gain an in-depth understanding of business concepts and their real-world applications. This unit explores everything from contract law to the role of finance functions within a business.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the principles of contract law
• Understand the external business environment
• Understand key principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethics and sustainability
• Understand the impact of setting up different types of business entities
• Understand the finance function within an organisation
• Produce work in appropriate formats and communicate effectively
• Understand the importance of information to business operations

The AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting can be completed within 6 to 9 months. We'll provide you with 12-month access to the course so you can have plenty of time to absorb the content at your own pace.

Meanwhile, the guaranteed work experience component takes 4 to 16 weeks, which you can take either full-time or part-time.

The AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting requires you to pass three objective-type tests and one synoptic assessment before earning the qualification. All exams are computer-based, making them straightforward and convenient.

Exam Details

Objective tests: These tests assess the learning outcomes covered in each unit.

• Introduction to Bookkeeping: 90 minutes
• Principles of Bookkeeping Controls: 90 minutes
• Principles of Costing: 90 minutes
• The Business Environment: 120 minutes

Synoptic assessment: This computer-based test evaluates your knowledge across all four units.

Once you've completed your exams, the raw marks per exam are converted into a percentage and weighted according to the unit assessment within the qualification, providing an overall grade. Here's the weighted contribution of each exam:

• Introduction to Bookkeeping: 25%
• Principles of Bookkeeping Controls: 25%
• Principles of Costing: 20%
• The Business Environment (Synoptic assessment): 30%

You must score at least 70% overall to receive your qualification.

Passing Scores:

• Distinction: 90–100%
• Merit: 80–89%
• Pass: 70–79%
• Unclassified: 0–69% (or failure to pass one or more assessments)

You can take these exams through remote invigilation or in AAT-approved test centres. To sit the exams, you must become an AAT member, with student membership and exam fees separate from the course price.

At e-Careers, we offer various study options to suit your learning style and schedule. With access to our industry-leading eLearning platform, you can study the course materials online or participate in tutor-led live online sessions.

We provide everything you need to stay on track and succeed throughout your AAT Level 2 studies. From expert tutor guidance to exam preparation materials, our exam preparation and study support are designed to help you feel confident at every stage.

Our Level 2 AAT course includes:

• Live Online Sessions – Join weekly live tutor-led sessions for interactive study support and exam preparation. Recordings are available for flexible learning.
• Study Resources – Access digital study materials, including Kaplan PDF notes, workbooks, mock exams, and slides to reinforce your learning.
• Hardcopy Textbooks – Receive physical Kaplan textbooks delivered to your door, ensuring you have essential reference materials for your studies.
• High-Quality Training – Engage with interactive content and AAT-accredited resources to help you understand key accounting concepts effectively.
• Exceptional Tutor Support – Get guidance from expert tutors available to assist with questions and keep you motivated throughout your course.
• Industry-Leading eLearning – Learn through our cutting-edge eLearning platform, designed to give you a seamless learning experience.
• Sage Course – Access a comprehensive Sage Accounting course to develop your computerised accounting skills.
• Sage Software Access – Use Sage Accounting software for 3 months to practice and enhance your accounting skills in a real-world software environment.
• Guaranteed Work Experience – Take part in guaranteed remote work experience, where 1 in 4 students are offered a job with their host company.
• Employability Preparation – Benefit from CV writing, LinkedIn optimisation, and cover letter services to boost your job prospects.
• Ongoing Professional Development – Receive continuous support from your success coach and engage in weekly feedback loops to track your progress.

• 0% Finance available – Spread the cost with flexible plans
• Choose a plan that suits your budget and start immediately.