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CAT (U.K)

certified accounting technician

The CAT qualification is internationally recognized and highly regarded leading to a challenging and rewarding career. Being a combination of nine exams, CAT is designed to equip you with all the necessary technical skills and knowledge required to fulfill an accounting role to technician level. Upon completion of the exams and required practical experience you will be able to use the letters CAT after your name. In addition, you will have the opportunity to join the CAT Alumni.

- With a range of internationally relevant syllabus options and the choice of

distance learning, face-to-face or self study, the CAT Scheme is ideally suited

to those who are keen to progress their careers. The qualification not only

provides a firm foundation of accounting knowledge but also the opportunity to

fast track towards becoming a professional ACCA accountant.

Should you wish to pursue your career further, completion of the CAT Scheme exempts you from ACCA Fundamentals Level papers F1, F2 and F3. ACCA’s unique partnership with Oxford Brookes University allows you to obtain a BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Accounting upon completion of Fundamentals Level of the ACCA Professional Scheme examination. Passing the Professional Level examination and gaining three years' relevant practical experience will lead to ACCA membership. Lifelong learning continues beyond membership through our portfolio of continuing professional development opportunities, including a bespoke MBA and a range of additional diplomas and certificates.

Eligibility & Exemptions

There is no age restriction to register and no formal academic qualifications required.

Preferably O-levels, Intermediate or Matriculation.

Holders of certain qualifications such as GCE (Advanced Level) may receive exemptions from some of the papers. For details, refer to ACCA Global

Examination Structure

For the CAT qualification you will complete nine exams, split into three levels. These are all designed to test the knowledge, skills and understanding you will need to work in accounting support roles. The exams cover the key areas of accounting, finance, IT and management. The structure of the examinations is as follows:

INTRODUCTORY
Paper 1	Recording Financial Transactions*	2 hr CBE** or written exam
Paper 2	Information for Management Control	2 hr CBE** or written exam
INTERMEDIATE
Paper 3	Maintaining Financial Records*	2 hr CBE** or written exam
Paper 4	Accounting for Costs	2 hr CBE** or written exam
ADVANCED
Paper 5	Managing People and Systems	2hr written exam
Paper 6	Drafting Financial Statements*	3hr written exam
Paper 7	Planning, Control & Performance Management	3hr written exam
Any two optional papers
Paper 8	Implementing Audit Procedures*	3hr written exam
Paper 9	Preparing Taxation Computations	3hr written exam
Paper 10	Managing Finances	3hr written exam
* denotes International and UK adapted streams available
** denotes Computer-Based Exams. For details, refer to Computer Based Examinations

Examination Rules

Manual Examinations can be attempted twice a year in June and December Sessions respectively.

There is no restriction to the number of exams you may attempt, allowing you to choose to sit as many or as few papers as you like at each exam session. However, it is recommended to attempt a maximum of four papers in each session.

The pass marks are 55% in Introductory Level, 50% in Intermediate Level and 50% in Advanced Level.

Papers can be attempted in any order to suit your study needs, although numerical order is recommended.

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

To become a qualified Certified Accounting Technician and use the letters CAT after your name, you must demonstrate that, in addition to passing the examinations, you have obtained at least one year's relevant supervised work experience, which satisfies ACCA's 10 units of competence, including:

- 3 Mandatory units of competence
- A minimum of 7 other units of competence

With the choice of distance learning, face-to-face or self study, the practical experience is ideally suited to those who are keen to progress their careers while maintaining a manageable work-study balance. Experience can be gained either before, during orafter the examinations in any of the following employment sectors:

- Corporate sector
- Public sector or
- Public practice

This means that applicants who have gained relevant experience prior to registration can make use of this to meet the qualification requirements. Your practical experience must be documented in ACCA's Technician Training Record (TTR), which is sent to you upon registration. The forms which you and your supervisor(s) need to complete are included in a separate booklet.

Support FROM ACCA

On registration, you will receive CAT registration card, your CAT welcome pack that contains all the information you need. You will also receive monthly copies of Student Accountant which contains important information on exams, technical articles, news, reviews and other essential information. And if ACCA has your e-mail address, we can send you an electronic version of the magazine too. In addition to this, ACCA provides a number of online resources to help you with your studies, including:

- Past Papers: to prepare you for the types of questions you might face
- Syllabus and Study Guides: to help you plan your study and to provide detailed

information on what could be assessed in any examination session
- Technical Articles: on key examinable topics to support your study
Reading lists
- Information and Resources for your Training Requirements
Project Resources

Simply refer to ACCA Global to find the resources you need.