AAT Level 1 Access Award in Bookkeeping

The AAT Access Award in Bookkeeping offers an introduction to the core areas of bookkeeping. It consists of four units and one associated assessment, covering the role of a bookkeeper and the basic techniques needed to complete simple bookkeeping activities.

This qualification will particularly suit those learners who run their business and want to understand their accounts better or learners who want to explore the basics of accounting to see if it is an area they might enjoy pursuing further.

It can be useful for those with minimal work experience or those who need some additional support in order to progress. This may include learners seeking tangible and finance-specific skills, or those seeking to validate their existing skills to enter into or progress in their career. It would also benefit students who would like to test their abilities before progressing further with AAT. This is a six week course.

What topics will I study?

The AAT Access Award in Bookkeeping consists of five mandatory units:

• Understand the role of the bookkeeper.
• Understand financial transactions.
• Process customer and supplier transactions.
• Process receipts and payments.
• Understand the benefits and risks of using accounting software to complete bookkeeping tasks

You will be assessed through one timed online examination.

Next steps: 

Finance is at the heart of every business, so demand for accounting and finance skills will never go away. Jobs in accounting and finance are extremely diverse and deliver exciting career opportunities.

With AAT on your CV, you demonstrate a level of industry excellence and work-readiness sought after by employers across all industries.

The qualification can lead to such roles as:

• Trainee bookkeeper
• Accounts administrator
• Billing/payments administrator/coordinator
• Accounts junior, accounts receivable/payable assistant
• Procurement and finance assistant
• Assistant cashier

Dates for 2025 – 2026 are as follows:

You could also progress on to our AAT Level 2 Accounting or AAT Level 2 Bookkeeping courses.

No specific entry requirements are required apart from being able to attend classes one day per week and having a genuine interest in bookkeeping.

A 90%+ Level 1 internal progression test score and a good level of Maths and English will be required to progress onto AAT Level 2.

You will study at our Future Skills Centre, which opened in 2021 near Exeter Airport. The centre has free on site parking as well as an on site cafe and a designated study room for adult learners.

There is no resource fee. You will need to register with the AAT professional body which costs £46.

A basic calculator is essential, and you will also need to bring the following to the first session: pen, paper and a folder to store class handouts.