Inside the Accountancy Learning package that makes qualifying affordable, flexible and entirely on your terms.
Wondering whether AAT self study is worth it? Before signing up for any qualification, it’s worth asking one question: what exactly am I paying for?
For many people weighing up a career in accounting, the honest answer is uncomfortable. Classroom fees. A fixed timetable. A commute after a full day’s work. By the time the real cost becomes clear, the idea has usually gone back in the drawer.
Accountancy Learning has spent more than 30 years building a different answer. It’s called Self-Study EXTRA, a package for people who are happy to steer their own studies, at their own pace, without paying for support they may not need. Prices start at just £118 including VAT, or £33 a month.
It’s also one of the few self-study options for AAT on the market, and it’s far more than a textbook in the post.
At a glance: Self-Study EXTRA
- Courses from £118 (Level 2 Bookkeeping, or £33 a month) to £499 (Level 4 Accounting, or £50 a month), inc. VAT, with interest-free payment plans
- Start any time of year, usually set up within a few hours of enrolling
- Study online, 24/7, from anywhere with an internet connection
- Includes a personal Individual Learning Plan, mock exams, quizzes and video tutorials
- Upgrade to tutor support at any time and pay only the difference
- Interest-free payment plans on all courses
Why AAT, and why now?
First, a quick word on the qualification itself.
AAT qualifications are a well-established way into accounting and finance. They’re valued by employers and recognised around the world. They’re built around practical, real-life skills you can use in the workplace straight away, which is why they suit people at very different stages of life: school leavers, career changers, people returning to education, and people already working in finance who want formal recognition for what they already know.
There are no entry requirements to begin. You don’t need a degree, previous accounting experience or a particular set of grades. For a profession that can seem closed off from the outside, that matters.
The AAT route is also a ladder. Level 2 is the typical starting point. Level 3 builds on it, and Level 4 is aimed at people heading into senior finance roles, specialising in areas like tax or audit, or moving towards Chartered Accountancy routes. Finish Level 4, gain the necessary work experience, and you can apply for full AAT membership and the letters MAAT after your name.
Self-Study EXTRA covers the whole ladder, from Level 2 through to Level 4, plus the shorter bookkeeping qualifications.
So what do you actually get?
Self-study has a reputation problem. Say the words and many people picture a pile of books, a deadline and nobody to ask. That’s not what this is.
Everyone on Self-Study EXTRA gets unlimited access to Accountancy Learning’s full suite of interactive learning materials. Here’s the list:
Learning materials
- Bite-size, step-by-step interactive presentations with voiceovers
- Video tutorials, with downloadable transcripts for studying offline or on the move
- Practical activities with answers, to reinforce your understanding
- Study textbooks (Osborne) for selected Level 3 units.
Testing and revision
- Online quizzes to check your knowledge at every step
- Topic-based Progress Tests to track how you’re doing
- Revision courses with exam-style practice questions
- Practice assessments and full mock exams in AAT format, with marking guides and model answers so you can check your own work
Structure and support
- A tailored Individual Learning Plan (ILP) built around your goals and schedule, with achievable target dates
- A comprehensive Study Support Guide to help you start and stay organised
- A welcome call and regular learner updates
Much of the material has been developed in-house, and Accountancy Learning has won multiple national awards from AAT for the quality of its distance learning. The plan, the mocks and the marking guides are exactly the things that tend to separate learners who finish from learners who drift.
Learner spotlight:
The price of getting started
Here is what each course costs on Self-Study EXTRA, with the approximate time a learner would need studying 6–8 hours a week, and how long you have access to the material.
Compare that with the other Accountancy Learning packages. The same Level 2 Accounting qualification costs £1,056 on Tutor Supported and £1,923 on Tutor Supported PLUS. Those packages add a dedicated personal tutor and, in the case of PLUS, include AAT registration, exam fees and the Pass Plus Guarantee. They’re a different offer, and a good one for people who want it. But for a learner who’s confident working independently, Self-Study EXTRA delivers the core learning at a fraction of the price.
Don’t want to pay in one go? Interest-free payment plans are available on every course, typically over 4 and 8 months depending on the course. Level 2 learners can also choose a rolling £33 monthly subscription: cancel any time, pay as you go, no commitment. If your employer is funding the course, Accountancy Learning can invoice them directly.
What to budget for on top
No honest guide to cost stops at the course fee. Self-Study EXTRA doesn’t include AAT registration or exam fees (those are covered in Tutor Supported PLUS), so here is what else to plan for.
- AAT student membership is required to sit exams and is bought separately. Check AAT’s website for the latest fee.
- Exam fees typically run £120–£150 per exam, remote or at a centre, depending on venue. A Level 2 Accounting learner sits four assessments, so £480–£600 in total is a sensible estimate.
- Delivery is charged on selected courses: £10 for short courses (Level 3 Bookkeeping and the combined Level 2 & 3 bundle) and £17 for the full Level 3.
Which level should I start with?
New to accounting? Start at Level 2. Unsure? Accountancy Learning will help you choose based on your experience, previous qualifications and career goals.
Level 2 Certificate in Accounting is the typical starting point for complete beginners and people already in finance. It covers double-entry bookkeeping, basic costing, ledgers and accounting software, and can lead to roles such as Accounts Administrator, Bookkeeper or Trainee Accounts Technician.
Level 3 Diploma in Accounting is the natural next step, and suits people with accounts experience but no recognised qualification. It covers financial statements, tax processes for business (VAT and payroll) and management accounting techniques, pointing towards roles such as Finance Officer, Credit Controller or Payroll Supervisor.
Level 4 Diploma for Professional Accounting Technicians is for senior finance work: financial statements for limited companies, audit findings, management accounting reports and tax. Roles include Assistant Financial Accountant, Assistant Auditor and Commercial Analyst.
Bookkeeping qualifications (short courses) are a faster, cheaper route in. Level 2 takes around three months. Complete Level 3 and you can apply for AAT Bookkeeping Membership (AATQB) and AAT Licensed Bookkeeper status. The Level 2 & 3 bundle at £320 is the discounted route.
How does a self-study week actually work?
The recommended pace across the accounting qualifications is 6–8 hours a week. For many people, that might mean an hour or so on weeknights plus a longer session at the weekend. That’s just one example, since the whole point is that it’s yours to arrange.
The Individual Learning Plan turns that pace into target dates for finishing sections of work and sitting exams, so you always know what’s next. The materials are online and available around the clock, so you can fit a lesson into a lunch break, an evening or a quiet Sunday. Downloadable transcripts mean you can study offline too.
There’s breathing room built in. Level 2 Accounting is designed to take around eight months at the recommended pace, but you get 12 months of access. Level 3 gives you 15 months and Level 4 gives you 18. Life happens, work gets busy, and that extra time means a hectic month doesn’t derail the whole qualification.
And since courses are roll-on, roll-off, you don’t have to wait for a September intake. You can start any time of year.
Exam day, on your terms
AAT exams are computer-based and sat at approved assessment centres. Learners aren’t tied to Accountancy Learning’s premises: you can sit exams at any of 200+ AAT-approved venues in the UK. If you’re based in the South West, you’re welcome to sit them at one of the company’s centres in Exeter, Falmouth or Plymouth.
Remote invigilation is also available for most units, so you can sit the exam from home. The one exception is the Management Accounting Techniques unit at Level 3, which must be taken at an exam centre. Remote exams can be booked directly through Accountancy Learning.
For many assessments, results are released by the end of the next working day after submission. A few, including The Business Environment at Level 2 and some Level 3 units, take longer. The guide gives six weeks for those.
“But what if I get stuck?”
It’s the most common worry about self-study, and the package is designed around it.
First, the mock exams and marking guides let you see for yourself where your knowledge is solid and where it isn’t, well before you book the real thing. Second, the welcome call and regular learner updates mean you’re never left completely alone.
Third, and most importantly, you can upgrade at any time. If you start on Self-Study EXTRA and realise you’d benefit from a personal tutor, you move up to Tutor Supported and pay only the difference. That brings a dedicated tutor with unlimited support by phone, email and Teams, regular check-ins, marked Progress Tests and Practice Assessments with personalised feedback, and help deciding when you’re ready for each exam.
Accountancy Learning’s advice is to get in touch as early as you can if things feel tough. Most learners know quite quickly whether they need more support.
It’s a low-risk way to begin: start lean, and add support only if you need it.
Who is Self-Study EXTRA for?
It suits you if you:
- Are confident studying independently and motivated by your own targets
- Are already working in finance and want formal recognition of skills you’ve built on the job
- Are juggling work, family or other commitments and need genuine flexibility
- Are a career changer who wants to test the water with AAT without a big financial commitment
- Are an employer or manager looking for a cost-effective way to fund a team member’s qualification
- Want quality resources at a lower cost
It might not be the best fit if you know you’ll want regular one-to-one guidance, marked feedback or help structuring your time. In that case, Tutor Supported might serve you better. The team is happy to talk through the options based on your previous experience, preferred way of learning and budget.
Quick questions, quick answers
When can I start? Any time of year. Enrol online and you’ll be set up quickly, with immediate access.
Do I need to sit exams with Accountancy Learning? No. Choose from 200+ AAT-approved UK venues, or sit most units remotely.
Can I pay monthly? Yes. Interest-free payment plans are available on every course. Level 2 learners can pay £33 a month on a rolling basis, and Level 4 learners can pay £50 a month.
Is AAT membership included? Not on Self-Study EXTRA. It’s required for exams and bought separately (it’s included in Tutor Supported PLUS).
What if my employer is paying? Accountancy Learning can invoice them directly. The enrolment form is on the website.
Our Thoughts
A qualification that employers value, recognised around the world and open to anyone, shouldn’t be out of reach because of the price of a classroom seat. Self-Study EXTRA makes it a lot more affordable: structured, interactive materials, an individual plan, realistic mock exams and a team within reach if you need them. It’s built by a provider that has specialised in AAT distance learning and apprenticeships for over 30 years, and has the awards and reviews to show for it. For current pass rates, which Accountancy Learning says are consistently well above national averages, the website has the latest figures.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to start, there’s no September intake to wait for.
Ready to get started? Enrol online at accountancylearning.co.uk/shop, email [email protected] or call 01392 435349 to talk through your options.
