Competence requirements for AAT full membership (MAAT)

If you want to apply for AAT full membership (MAAT) we'll ask you to do one of the below.

• Demonstrate your competence through work experience during your application. This means that as soon as you're approved, you'll receive your MAAT certificate.
• Or, if you can't demonstrate competence during your application, you'll need to commit to taking the MAAT CPD pathway after you become a MAAT. This means you'll receive your MAAT certificate once this is complete. You'll need to complete the MAAT CPD pathway as soon as possible in order to maintain your MAAT status.

Work experience

Professional work experience is essential for evaluating an individual's readiness for membership status. This experience entails the practical, hands-on knowledge and skills gained through the real-world application of accounting principles, financial management, and related business practices.

Technical skills

The online application will present you with technical skills separated into sections, each with a list of tasks. For example, under "financial accounting", you'll find the following tasks listed:

• drafting statutory financial statements
• drafting consolidated financial statements
• interpreting financial statements using ratio analysis.

You must have experience in a majority of tasks for at least one technical skill within the last 12 months. 

Professional skills

We also ask you to let us know if you have a number of professional skills. Examples include:

• communicating and presenting
• undertaking continuous learning 
• working collaboratively.

You must be able to confirm that you have gained all of these skills in your experience over the last five years. 

If you're unable to evidence either the technical or professional skills asked for during the application, you'll be directed to the option to complete the MAAT CPD pathway. 

MAAT CPD pathway

The MAAT CPD pathway is designed to help you gain those all-important technical and professional skills to meet the work experience requirements of AAT full membership. 

If you don't have the practical work experience within the last 12 months when you apply for full membership you'll sign up to complete the MAAT CPD pathway. You must complete it as soon as possible to retain MAAT status. 

The pathway gives you access to eight expert-led online learning modules, which are meant to build the technical and professional skills you need in addition to your qualification. 

• After your MAAT application is approved, you'll have access to the pathway and receive support to complete it.
• Finishing the pathway within the first three months of your membership is recommended to secure your status.

Maintaining your professional membership

Continuing professional development (CPD) is a method of learning designed to assist individuals in consistently improving, expanding, and refreshing their skills and knowledge throughout their careers. Engaging in CPD allows professionals to enhance their existing skills and stay competitive as the finance industry continues to evolve.

Any learning, development, training, or experience that helps you to remain competent in your job or advance your career can be counted as CPD. This can include:

• participation in workshops
• going on training courses 
• attending conferences
• learning new software packages
• planned coaching from colleagues or specialists
• research and use of online resources.

Undertaking CPD is mandatory for:

• bookkeeping members (AATQBs)
• full members (MAATs)
• fellow members (FMAATs).

Visit our CPD for accountants page to understand how to undertake CPD in four steps.