According to Payscale, a popular compensation and job data collection website, 70% of accounting students in the UK receive a graduate-level work position within 6 months of the completion of their degree. With opportunities to become professionally qualified and a chance to work for some of the largest financial firms and companies in the world, the UK is a great choice for students looking to study accounting and finance.
UK universities also have various professional connections with a number of big companies in the region and offer students the chance to gain work experience for a few weeks to even a year in some cases. Also, many UK degrees offer exemptions from examinations that are required to become a chartered accountant. This means that you will have a much easier route to securing your chartered accountant status. 
In this article, well explore some of the top universities, the courses they offer and the career prospects available to students looking to study accounting in the UK.
Study Accounting in UK Popular Universities
1. THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
QS Global University Ranking – #20
QS Subject Ranking (Accounting and Finance) – #44
International Students 12,000
Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Edinburgh Studying accounting at the University of Edinburgh gives students the chance to experience a flexible and adaptable programme of study. You can combine your accounting studies with subjects like:
- Business
- Finance
- Economics
- Law
Along with other options, the programme has a lot of breadth and offers several specialisation options to students. The accounting programmes are accredited by the following organisations:
- Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
- Association of International Accountants (AIA)
- Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Course Offered - M.Sc. in Accounting and Finance
Start Date Rolling admissions in 5 rounds, starting in October and ending in June
Fee EUR 31,500 per year (international students)
This course is designed for students who have a background in accounting and finance-related subjects and wish to take their knowledge to the next level. The following are the core modules of the programme:
- Advanced International Financial Reporting
- Advanced Management Accounting
- Foundations of Finance Theory
- Statistics for Finance
Along with the above core subjects, you will have the option to choose from a wide range of elective topics that will allow you to create a degree experience which is unique to your interests. You may also elect a course that involves doing a consultancy project for a real company or business.
Some of the companies involved with this programme are:
- Aberdeen Asset Management
- Aubrey Capital Management
- Bailie Gifford
- Costain
- Quince Advisory Ltd.
- Standard Life Investments
2. THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
QS Global University Ranking – #62
QS Subject Ranking (Accounting and Finance) – #47
International Students 9,200
Department of Accounting and Finance at the University of Warwick The University of Warwick is one of the top business schools in the UK and provides students with the best education in the field. With a comprehensive network of business partners, international as well as domestic, students at the University of Warwick have the chance to gain knowledge from guest speakers who are leaders in their fields and meet top professionals through employer events. Some of the most important partners of the University of Warwick are:
- Bank of England
- EDG Energy
- Eversheds
- Emirates
- Yorkshire Bank
- IBM
- Pepsico
- Deloitte
- WBS Board
Courses Offered B.Sc. in Accounting and Finance
Start Date September 2020
Fees EUR 25,770 per year (international students)
This course is professionally-oriented and is consistently ranked highly in major UK ranking lists for subjects. The programme is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to perform at a high-level in the fast paced world of MNCs and global financial markets.
The programme also has affiliations with accountancy firms, investment banks and renowned national and international employers like JP Morgan and EY. In your final year of the programme, you will be presented with a number of real-life case studies which you will have to apply your skills to.
Graduates from this course have gone on to secure employment in organisations like:
- Accenture
- APT
- Citigroup
- Deloitte
- Investec
- JP Morgan
- KPMG
Course Offered – M.Sc. in Accounting and Finance
Start Date September 2020
Fees EUR 35,750 per year (international students)
This programme is aimed at students who have a background in accounting and finance but wish to enhance and develop it further while exploring the latest theories and cutting-edge research in the field. The programme is for 1 year and is taught keeping the future career prospects of the candidates in mind.
The core components of the programme are:
- Financial Markets
- Corporate Financial Management
- Financial Reporting
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Management Accounting and Control
- Research Methods in Accounting
- Dissertation
Graduates from this course have gone on to work for employers like:
- Amazon
- Arup
- BAE Systems
- BNP Paribas
- Delphi
- European Central Bank
- Rolls-Royce
- UBS
- Unilever
Worried about Financial aid? Apply for one of the popular scholarships or university level scholarships to cover up tuition fees. Read – UK Scholarships
3. UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
QS Global University Ranking – #81
QS Subject Ranking (Accounting and Finance) – #51 100 (average)
International Students 8,391
Department of Accounting at University of Birmingham The Department of Accounting at the University of Birmingham is a part of its Business School. They currently have students from over 35 countries enrolled in their undergraduate programmes and offer strong industry links to organizations like Deloitte and Capgemini.
Course Offered – B.Sc. in Accounting
Start Date September 2020
Course Fees EUR 20,220 per year (for international students)
This 3-year undergraduate programme is designed to raise your knowledge about the field and the first year is spent on getting your foundation ready for advanced subjects. In the second year, you get to choose modules that further narrow down your interests so you can maximise your learning in those particular areas. On successfully completing this degree, you may be eligible for exemptions from some professional examinations offered by the following organisations:
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales (ICAEW)
- Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Course Offered – M.Sc. in International Accounting and Finance
Start Date September 2020
Fees EUR 22,500 per year (for international students)
This masters programme is aimed at graduates with a strong background in accounting and finance and will strengthen your existing knowledge. It will also allow you to hone the skill sets required for a successful career in the industry. The course covers the following areas:
- International Accounting
- Public and Private Contexts
- Corporate Financial Management
- Private Sector Investment
- Foreign Exchange Markets
This programme is also accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), granting you exemptions from certain papers of the ACCA examinations after you complete your degree.
4. LANCASTER UNIVERSITY
QS Global University Ranking – #128
QS Subject Ranking (Accounting and Finance) #51-100 (average)
International Students 4,696
Department of Accounting and Finance at University of Lancaster The department has a 20-year-old legacy for producing highly-employable graduates and world-class research. The programmes at the department are ranked highly amongst the best in the world. In fact, The Higher Education Funding Council for England has consistently ranked it as the best in the country.
Every year the department hosts around 20 seminars with leading experts in the fields of finance visiting the university.
Courses Offered: B.Sc. in Accounting and Finance (Hons.)
Start Date To be announced for 2020
Fee EUR 20,865 per year (international students)
The course is designed with the first year of the degree being focussed on studying accounting and finance using real-world data from actual functioning companies. The core subjects are delved into from the second year and include the following modules:
- Auditing
- Financial Accounting
- Risk
- Corporate Finance
- Management Accounting for Business Decisions
- Hedging
- Financial Law
The professional pathway within this degree includes exams accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). This means that when you graduate, youll already have a head-start on your contemporaries.
Course Offered – M.Sc. in Accounting and Financial Management
Start Date To be announced for 2020
Fees EUR 23,000 per year (international students)
This programme is aimed at providing academic training to students looking to work in the highest levels of international accounting and financial management. Some of the modules covered within the course are:
- Risk management in commercial banking
- Financial statement analysis
- Advanced management accounting
- Advanced investment management
The course also has the benefit of allowing students to sit for the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Level 1 professional exam.
On the completion of your degree, you can also secure an Associate of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exemption.
5. DURHAM UNIVERSITY
QS Global University Ranking – #78
QS Subject Rank (Accounting and Finance) – #101 -150
International Students 5,107
Department of Accounting and Finance at Durham University The department of accounting and finance at Durham is designed to provide students with a rigorous curriculum and exceptional classroom instruction, all aimed at preparing students for graduate employment or further study.
The department also invites leading experts from different businesses to provide guidance through lectures and seminars. There is also a work-placement/internship option at the end of most programmes. The consulting society in the department is supported by:
- Deloitte
- IBM
- Accenture
Course Offered – B.A. in Accounting and Finance
Start Date – September 2020
Fee EUR 21,500 per year (international students)
This degree will allow you to explore the fields of accounting and finance in-depth and prepare you for your future, either as an accountant or a masters student. You also have the option to change your degree path to either management or finance after successfully completing your first year.
If you choose the relevant modules, you may gain exemptions from some of the ACA, ACCA and CIMA examinations after the completion of your degree. This will make it easier for you to move on to secure employment and take your career to the next level.
Course Offered – M.Sc. in Accounting and Finance
Start Date September 2020
Fee EUR 26,500 per year (international students)
The M.Sc. programme offered by Durham is partnered with the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute (CFA), the worlds premier association for investment professionals and is the accepted benchmark for technical excellence in financial markets. This means that you will get the benefits from an international curriculum, and also participate in CFA events like the Global Investment Research Challenge, as well as CFA employer network events.
The programmes consist of a set of core and elective modules, which culminate at the end of the degree in a practice-based business project or a research-based dissertation. Some of the modules included in the programme are:
- Advanced Financial Theory
- Corporate Reporting
- Corporate Finance
-
Financial Statement Analysis
REGISTER TODAY TO MAKE A GREAT CAREER IN UK!
Study Accounting in UK Career Prospects
AVERAGE SALARIES OF ACCOUNTANTS IN UK AT TOP ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE FIRMS
| EY (Ernst and Young) | 31,000 |
| KPMG, LLP | 45,000 |
| Price Waterhouse Cooper Ltd | 36,000 |
| Grant Thornton UK LLP | 29,000 |
AVERAGE SALARY BY EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTANTS
| Less than 1 year | 22,000 |
| 1-4 years | 26,000 |
| 5-9 years | 31,000 |
| 10-19 years | 35,000 |
| 20 years or above | 40,000 |
Study Accounting in UK – FAQs
Q. What is the ACCA and why is it important to be accredited by them?
A. ACCA or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is a global professional accounting body that grants an individual the ability to carry out public accounting practices like expressing an audit opinion on financial statements of corporations. The ACCA qualification and accreditation is recognised as being equivalent to a UK masters degree and is recognized by a large number of countries. An accreditation by them means that you can pursue your accounting career anywhere in the world.
Q. Can I opt for a Masters in Accounting programme with an unrelated undergraduate degree?
A. Depending upon the university you are applying to, a non-related degree can be considered to pursue Masters in Accounting as long as you have covered courses like economics, accounting and mathematics.
Q. What kind of careers does a degree in accounting and finance open up for me?
A. A degree in accounting and finance can prepare you for a financial career in any professional organisation. However, it is more relevant for people who wish to work in the following areas:
- Investment management, security analysis and broking
- Capital markets, trading and risk management
- Venture capital or private equity
- Hedge funds
- Retail and commercial banking
- Investment banking etc.
Q. What is the difference between a regular and a chartered accountant?
A. Technically, anyone can hold the title of accountant, regardless of the degree they hold or what education they may have in the field of accounting. A chartered accountant, however, must retain a membership in organisations like the Institute of Chartered Accountants or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. These organisations will only allow membership after a series of examinations have been cleared by the candidate and they have accumulated a predetermined amount of work experience.
Q. Is accounting a difficult subject?
A. As with any subject, it depends upon the aptitude of the candidate. If you have a penchant for numbers and data, the subject of accounting will come naturally to you. However, students in accounting courses have to prepare themselves to work hard as they will have to take courses in not just accounting, but business, economics and mathematics as well.
