About Foundations in Accountancy

FIA replaces the current CAT qualification and consists of four awards:

• Introductory Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting
• Intermediate Certificate in Financial and Management Accounting
• Diploma in Accounting and Business
• Certified Accounting Technician

Students can start at either the Introductory Certificate, Intermediate Certificate or Diploma levels.  The first exams under FIA will be held from 5th December 2011.  Exams can be attempted as either Computer Based Assessments at any time of the year or as paper-based exams in June and December.

Students studying papers T1, T2, T3 and/ or T4 under the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) qualification can still sit computer based exams under the current syllabus until 27th November 2011.

Existing students under the CAT qualification will be transferred to Foundations in Accountancy (FIA) on a like for like basis.

Changes to Papers
Paper under the CAT syllabus	New paper under FIA
T1 - Recording Financial Transactions	FA1 - Recording Financial Transactions
T2 - Information & Management Control	MA1 - Management Information
T3 - Maintaining Financial Records	FA2 - Maintaining Financial Records
T4 - Accounting for Costs	MA2 - Managing Costs & Finances
T5 - Managing People & Systems	FAB - Accountant in Business
T6 - Drafting Financial Statements	FMA - Management Accounting
T7 - Planning, Control & Performance Management	FFA - Financial Accounting
T8 - Implementing Audit Procedures	FAU - Foundations in Audit
T9 - Preparing Taxation Computations	FTX - Foundations in Taxation
T10 - Managing Finances	FFM - Foundations in Financial Management

FIA Modules & Structure

Students can start at any point under the FIA pathway, so you could choose to start at either a Certificate or the Diploma.  However in order to be awarded the CAT qualification, you must complete 9 papers i.e. the Introductory Certificate, the Intermediate Certificate, the Diploma and two optional CAT papers.

All students must also complete the online module 'Foundations in Professionalism'.