The Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) is a vocational qualification designed by ACCA that will allow you to support the work of professional accountants. The final-level examinations are equivalent in standard to the first year of a university degree programme. Consequently, CAT graduates are allowed to move directly to Fundamentals Level (Skills Module).
The knowledge, skills and practical experience you have gained while studying the CAT qualification can exempt you from certain papers and count towards the practical experience requirement of the ACCA Qualification.
When you have fulfilled the criteria for Certified Accounting Technician status, ACCA will confer on you the title of Certified Accounting Technician and you will be able to use the letters ‘CAT’ after your name.
The CAT qualification could be your stepping stone to the ACCA Qualification and membership of the global body for professional accountants.
How to Earn CAT Qualification?
The ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business
plus two exams from the following, and one year’s relevant practical experience
in an accounting role, to show you can use your knowledge from the exams in the
workplace.
Foundations in Taxation (FTX)
Learning Outcome: You’ll learn how tax affects individuals and businesses, and the basic principles and technical aspects of taxation.
Foundations in Financial Management (FFM)
Learning Outcome: You’ll learn how businesses finance their operations, plan and control cash flows, use working capital effectively, and delegate resources to long term investment activities.
Foundations in Audit (FAU)
Learning Outcome: You’ll learn about external audit, the audit process, and the skills needed to audit financial statements.
You’ll also need to complete a professionalism and ethics module, called Foundations in Professionalism, before you can be awarded any of the Foundation-level qualifications. This is an online, interactive module which will help you understand what it means to act professionally and ethically at work. It can be completed before or after your Foundation-level exams, at your own pace.