AAT Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping
Subject: Accounting & Bookkeeping
Awarded by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), the Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping is ideal for any of your team that are looking to enhance their existing skillset, and require an advanced level of skill and knowledge on this subject.
Following successful completion of the qualification the individual can then apply for professional status and use the designatory letters AATQB after their name. This indicates the highest standards of professional conduct and up to date technical knowledge.
Key Facts
- Attendance: Half-day/evening classes or blended learning.
- Duration: Six months.
- Next start dates: Classroom attendance - September 2024. Please note, blended learning students can start at any time.
- Location: Huntingdon or blended learning.
Course delivery details:
| Location | Attendance Options | Day | Time |
| Huntingdon | Half-day release (am) Evening |
Thursdays Thursdays |
9:15am-1pm 5:30pm-8:30pm |
| Blended Learning | No college attendance required, start at any time | n/a | n/a |
Entry Requirements
Whilst there are no formal academic entry requirements to undertake the AAT Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping, competency in manual double-entry bookkeeping along with basic maths and English skills are necessary.
Course Content
This bookkeeping qualification offers a combination of classroom or online lessons and regular tutorial support. In addition to your classroom or online lessons, students will be expected to study for an additional eight hours per week.
The following two units will be studied:
Tax Processes for Business
This unit explores tax processes that influence the daily operations of businesses and is designed to develop students’ skills in understanding, preparing, and submitting Value Added Tax (VAT) returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The unit provides students with the knowledge and skills that are needed to keep businesses, employers and clients compliant with laws and practices that apply to VAT and payroll. Students will learn about legislation and the importance of maintaining their technical knowledge through monitoring updates. For VAT, students will understand the registration and deregistration rules, including signing up for Making Tax Digital (MTD), and the rules relating to specialist VAT schemes. Students will be able to recognise different types of supplies and calculate VAT correctly, understanding the importance of the rules relating to the recovery of input VAT and the sanctions and penalties for inaccuracies, omissions and failure to make submissions and payments within the correct timescales.
- Understanding current VAT regulations and building your knowledge of VAT registration requirements, different VAT scheme available, penalties for non-compliance and the different types of classification of supplies.
- Performing the calculations needed to complete a VAT return.
- Submitting completed documentation in a timely manner while maintaining an effective working relationship with the relevant tax authority.
Financial Accounting - Preparing Financial Statements
This unit provides students with the skills required to produce statements of profit or loss and statements of financial position for sole traders and partnerships using a trial balance. In employment, students may be required to prepare a portion of, or all, the final accounts and this unit will give them the theoretical knowledge needed to complete that task. It will also allow them to understand how final accounts have been produced, either manually or automatically through use of accounting software.
- Legal requirements and preparation of partnership accounts, showing division of profits after adjusting for interest on capital, interest on drawings and any salaries due to each partner.
- Preparation of final accounts for partnerships and developing skills in restructuring accounting information.
- Preparing final accounts for sole traders, including the accounting treatment required to incorporate accruals and prepayments, provision for depreciation, irrecoverable debts and allowance for doubtful debts.
Assessment
Computer based exams or projects will be undertaken. As we are an AAT accredited exam centre these exams can be taken at College without the need to travel to an external exam centre.
Course Fees
Course fees can either be paid in full before the beginning of the course, on an annual basis, or via our ‘Pay As You Learn’ monthly payment scheme.
If your employee has not achieved your qualification by the planned end date continued support and course access is available by paying monthly direct debit payments until certification is achieved.
| Full Fee | Pay As You Learn |
| £1,049 | £210 per month |
Awarding Body Fees*
Payment for AAT membership, exam fees (approximately £213*) and textbooks (approximately £33 per unit) will also be required.
* Awarding Body Fees are payable by all students or employers and recharged at cost and may be subject to change.
These are current figures and may be subject to change.
What Next?
Following completion of the AAT Level 3 Bookkeeping qualification your employee may wish to continue their studies by applying for the AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting. For this course exemptions from certain modules will apply.
Their course tutor, or a member of our Customer Advice Team, will help to determine the most suitable progression course.
Testimonials
What our AAT students say…
We asked our students what aspects of their AAT course they have most enjoyed. Here are some of the things they had to say!
- “Learning new skills, socialising with people within a similar field of work and with similar goals”
- “I have really enjoyed the classes and follow up activities for homework. The resources are very good”
- “Manageable sections. Broken down so not overloaded with information”
- “Good tutor making a hard subject easy to understand with good examples”