AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting

We help you to recognise the learning skills you already use in everyday life. We then coach you to develop those skills further through the techniques listed below. There is an optimum level learner in all of us, it just needs to be nurtured to perform. Our learning style course approach allows all to achieve maximum success. Listed below are some of the skills you will learn through our ‘key to success’ coaching:

Positive learning

Positive learning is a mental and physical attitude that once developed, will simplify, and increase your ability to learn, to store knowledge and increase the speed of your recall. ‘I will’ and ‘I can’ will replace ‘I can’t do’ and ‘I don’t remember’. 

Personalised achievable timetables’

Motivating, successful study fits around life’s commitment, not the other way around.  Success is not just passing exams; it’s completing a lesson that you fully understand. Your coach will help you set a realistic timetable that achieves all outcomes and exceeds personal goals. 

Develop your knowledge recall

Everything you learn is stored in your memory, but not always readily recalled. You will learn techniques to believe in your ability to recall. Over time, instant recall will emerge eradicating any negativity like ‘I’ve forgotten and need to revisit a lesson’.

Time efficiency

Your AAT level 3 studies will be part of your life for a while. Time efficiency management will decrease your completion time without affecting your free downtime. We’ll show you how 15 minutes can be as effective in study as a full lesson timeframe.

There is a reason why we receive multiple AAT excellence award nominations. Our consistently high achieving students demonstrate that we get AAT training right.   

• Course access time 15 months – Meets learning style flexibility.

• Join our high achieving student community – Receive one-to-one coaching support and study at your own pace.

• Easy access 24/7 study through your learning portal – Tutor support 7 days a week.

• Over 200 AAT approved UK assessment centres - short travel distances from home.

• Course resources & delivery meets all learning styles – Live classroom – multi-viewable recorded classroom –key topic animation & interactive online learning – Hardcopy books for manual learning.

• Computer based exam fees and the one off registration fee for AAT level 3 can be purchased as an additional cost at enrolment.

• Average completion time based on 6-8 hours of study a week is 34 weeks.

• Interest free payment plan available to spread the cost of your accounting course.

• Fast response – coaching and tutor support.

• Enrolment 365 days a year

A TOTUM PRO Student Discount Card

Gaining a new career in accountancy is not the only advantage of studying with Gold Edge Training. As a Gold Edge Training student, you can apply for TOTUM membership (formerly known as NUS extra). A TOTUM PRO Student Discount Card offers an extensive range of discounts and deals from eating out, fashion, tech to travel, and daily essentials. The TOTUM platform currently offers over 400 discounts and deals.

Since its launch in 2012, the Gold Edge Training reputation is renowned nationwide for high achieving students. Our exam passes rate far exceed the AAT national average because we develop the learner as well as teach them the AAT.

Our coaching programme was designed and written by our head accountancy teacher.  Alongside teaching and pioneering learning style online delivery, she has specialised in developing the learning skills of accountancy students for over 24 years. 

At Gold Edge, we treat all learners and employers as individuals needing bespoke learning packages. With a collective pedigree of AAT experience spanning nearly 40 years, we’ve learnt to understand AAT students. We deliver excellence through listening and acting on their personal learning requirements.

Flexibility

You control your speed of learning – We support at the same pace.  Our programmes are designed to be studied anywhere and at any time.  15 minutes to spare?  Use it to prepare for the next lesson or recap the last.  These study snippets will increase your learning capacity during the next full lesson.

Kaplan hard copy study textbooks & exam kit books

Optimum learning style study requires a balance of different resources and different learning methods. How you learn online is different to how you learn from a book. When you learn from multiple resources and methods your depth of understanding increases, which strengthens your ability to recall.

Live online classroom

We offer live classroom sessions in the day and evening for levels 3. Watching live lessons best suits auditory and visual learners. The live sessions are also recorded to meet personal availability and the learning style of kinaesthetic and reflective learners. Learning how to adapt resources to suit how you learn best will enhance your learning experience and increase your knowledge absorption. All recording can be multi-watched for deeper understanding.

Online interactive content

All students, based on their natural learning style, will prefer or lead with different learning resources. We offer a full online range of workbooks, animations, interactive questions and videos in addition to the live classroom and hardcopy books. Amongst the online resources you will find PowerPoint presentations, additional manual question banks and practice exams.

Four-stage revision programme

Our programmes leave nothing to chance in achieving your success. Learning a subject is not sufficient to pass exams. Study knowledge needs to transfer to exam ready knowledge. Our four-stage revision programme of: green light testing to check depth of understanding – completing circa 200 manual exam kit questions - Live exam preparation session and finally, exam practice papers all ensure you are at optimum exam level when entering your exam.  Follow our programme, and you will join our high achieving student community

Your AAT level 3 Diploma in Accounting studies start from the initial trial balance. The first unit in level 3 is the financial accounting unit. This module will cover all necessary procedures to record the period end adjustments to produce financial statements.

Throughout your financial studies you will learn to produce sole traders final accounts, partnership final accounts and small limited company final accounts. All accounts must comply with the legal framework and accounting principles.

These studies will require learning advanced bookkeeping and advanced double entry bookkeeping to prepare a month-end and year-end trial balance. You will learn to prepare accounting records for accruals & prepayment, stock valuation and bad debt accounting skills. You will study in depth the techniques required to account for the acquisitions and disposals of non-current assets. You will understand how to implement procedures for the production and upkeep of the fixed asset register where all asset history is kept including a record depreciation calculations for the year.

When all individual year-end processes have been studied, you will learn how to combine them into an extended trial balance before producing final accounts. The AAT Diploma in Accounting ensures all professional accounting knowledge studied is hands-on workplace ready and compliant with data security. This knowledge will continue to build as you study the various levels in the AAT qualification.

Financial accounting, whilst legally produced for all stakeholders also has a key role in cash management and the control of cash flow. Understanding how to interpret financial statements is important in ensuring the financial health of a company.

Next in your distance learning Diploma in Accounting course you'll study cost accounting to provide management accounting information on expenditure efficiency. Cost accounting also known as management accounting, is key to cost control and maintenance of profit and growth. The procedures used will meet organisational requirements that are set and adjusted depending on many factors. Expenditure and the subsequent rise and fall of profits is directly affected by all external and internal environments. Key calculations that warn of any changes are the calculation of profitability ratios. Spreadsheet techniques are studied in this unit as many of the monitoring procedures used in costing will be prepared using spreadsheets. Finally, you'll study the costs and benefits of new projects as part of the long and short term decision making process.

The third unit in the Diploma in Accounting looks in depth at tax processes particularly the preparation of VAT returns. You will learn how to calculate VAT input and output tax including how to verify VAT returns submissions.

The final exam looks at the bigger business picture and how the accounting function of the business plays a significant role in business operations.

• Financial Accounting: Preparing Financial Statements - 1 exam

• Management Accounting Techniques - 1 exam

• Tax Processes for Businesses - 1 exam

• Business Awareness - 1 exam

Booking Exams

Each module will culminate in unit assessments sat at an external examination centre. When to book your computer based exams - It is time to think about booking your computer based assessments when you begin the revision stages of your studies. Revision on average takes 3 weeks to complete. It is possible to study all modules and then sit your exams at the end, but we advise that you sit all exams separately. Booking an exam at this stage gives you a focused end date for exam readiness.

You can sit your exams close to where you live. There are no set exam dates for AAT, you sit them when you are ready. We will advise you on how to book closer to when you are ready  for the first exam. For more information on exams and skills required for each level, please visit the AAT website

The level 3 Diploma in Accounting  is for students who have already passed the level 2 or have extensive accounting business awareness including advanced bookkeeping skills in double entry. If you don’t meet either criterion, you will need to complete the level 2 accounting or fast-track first. On successful completion of level 2 you can then progress to the advanced diploma. There are no successful shortcuts in accountancy.

The level 3 is designed to not only teach you the next levels of accountancy, it is also structured to elevate your understanding to the beginnings of a managerial perspective.

To study you will require access to a PC or Laptop. The learning platforms are both Windows and Mac compatible.

You can enrol as a direct entrant to level 3 if you already have extensive, prior working experience in accounts. Usually, a minimum of 2-3 years’ experience combined with a very good working knowledge of manual double-entry bookkeeping. 

If your experience is purely using an accounting software package that completes the double-entry for you, we recommend that you start at the level 2 either by studying the Certificate in Accounting level 2, Fast-track level 2 or the Certificate in Bookkeeping level 2.

An AAT accountancy career is a career for life - anywhere in the world. The AAT studies are underpinned by international accountancy standards meaning your skills will be transferrable worldwide.

Employers seek AAT studiers and AAT qualified people because the qualification delivers practical, workplace ready skills. This demand is the reason why AAT is the leading accountancy qualification. 

Below are average salaries for level 3 and 4 achievers: 

• Accounts/Finance Officer - £27,000

• Team Leader/Supervisor - £28,000

• Middle Manager - £36,000

• Director/Senior Manager - £46,000

 * Please note the salaries above are the median mid-point from survey participants only. These salaries will vary with level of experience, position held, company size and geographic location.

Q. Is the Accounting route better than the Bookkeeping route?

A. No.  They are different qualifications serving different purposes and which you choose will be dependent on your chosen career path. If you wish to become a self-employed bookkeeper or work in sales or purchase ledger, the Bookkeeping qualification is ideal from both an employment and knowledge basis.

If you want to work in an accounts office and wish to build your career further to credit controller, head of department or become an accountant then study the accounting route.

Q. Can I complete the Bookkeeping and Accounting qualification?

A. There is no point as two separate qualifications. The four units that make up level 2 and level 3 Bookkeeping are financial units taken from the accounting qualification at level 2 and 3.  You will successfully complete the Advanced Bookkeeping qualification as you study the Advanced Diploma in Accounting. The unit and exam content is identical for each qualification.  If you want to achieve both qualifications, study the Accounting route. 

Q.  When can I start to apply for a job?

If you studied the level 2 first you can apply for entry positions once you have passed the first level 2 exam and at any time thereafter. This also applies at level 3, the sooner you apply for work, the sooner you will be building your work experience alongside.

Q. I have some accounting experience and don’t know what level is right for me.  Can I get help?

A. Yes. Our Head of faculty can advise you. Please give us a call on 023 9400 3559. 

Q. If I study through distance learning, can I study at my own speed?

A. Yes.  No two learners learn at the same pace. We are advocates of stress free learning and expect all learners to be different.