The following ‘5-Step guide to becoming an accountancy student’ is a must for anyone unsure of where to start!
1. Register as a student member of your chosen institute:
Each Institute has an online process to allow you to register as a student member. This is an important first step as it will ensure you can have all of the benefits of being a member of your chosen body, allow you to book exams and get advice and support you need on the wider requirements of student membership and qualification
2. Check for exemptions
When starting your studies, it is worth checking with your chosen institute if you can claim any exemptions based on your previous studies or awards. Each of the institutes has tools available via their website that allow you to see what you would be eligible for:
3. Have a plan
Before you book your first paper it is worth having a high-level plan for how you would like to progress through your studies. This doesn’t need to be really detailed – just something that can give you some structure.
For example, you might consider:
- How many papers you will aim to complete over the first 12 months
- Your preferred order and combination of papers (although don’t get too hung up on this!)
- When you will aim to sit exams
Remember, when creating any plan, it’s really important to be realistic and to make sure you allow time for breaks, holidays and work commitments.
4. Book your training course
To give yourself the best chance of success with your exams you need to be supported by a quality training provider. At FI we outperform national pass rates and give you loads of support and confidence along the way. Look through our course dates and prices or browse the online store to find a course that works for you. You can book online, over the phone or via email. When you book on your first course you will receive joining instructions that will explain how the course works and confirms all the key dates.
5. Book or register for your first exam
It’s important to know when you will sit the exam so we recommend that you get this booked as soon as possible (we wrote a blog about that here). You can find out how to book (or register for) your exam online via your institute’s website using the links below:
In some cases, FI act as an exam centre. You can find out more about the exams you can arrange through us by visiting the exam booking section of this site.
Now you have your first course and exam booked you are good to go! You can now focus on your studies, and, don’t forget, we are here to help you every step of the way.
