How long would it take to be qualified as a chartered accountant after a-levels by either going down the route of university or apprenticeships?

Hi MollieUsing my firm as an example, after going to university you will still need to complete a graduate programme to complete the ACA to become a chartered accountant which is another 3 years and will bring the total years to 6 years to become assistant manager. Whereas if you did the apprenticeship it will take 5 years after completing a levels to reach the same point of assistant [link removed] my opinion the apprenticeship route trumps the tradition university route as you also are gaining valuable on the job experience over the 5 years which will put you in a better position in the long run!Hope this helps!Courtney | Level 7 audit apprentice

Hi MollieBecoming a chartered accountant can take 6-7 years via university, where you’d complete a 3-4 year degree followed by a professional qualification like ACA, ACCA, or CIMA. Alternatively, an apprenticeship lets you start working and gaining experience straight away, taking 4-6 years to fully qualify as you progress through AAT and then ACA, ACCA, or CIMA. I think apprenticeships are the better route for accountancy because you get practical experience working in the industry while studying towards qualifications like AAT and ACA. This means you’re applying what you learn directly to real-world accountancy work, which really prepares you for the [link removed] hope this makes things clearer!