BSc (Hons)
£2,000
tuition fee
YOU HAVE THE QUALIFICATION.
But You Keep Hitting the Same Wall
Whether you hold the ACCA, ACA, CAI, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAS or another professional accountancy qualification —
the wall is the same.
You’ve passed the examinations.
You have the technical competence.
But somewhere along the way — a job application, a promotion conversation, a visa process, a postgraduate enquiry — you were told the same thing: we require a bachelor’s degree.
It doesn’t matter that your professional qualification is one of the most respected in global finance.
And in many contexts, a professional qualification alone — no matter how rigorous — does not satisfy the requirement.
THE PROGRAMME
A 1-YEAR TOP-UP THAT CONVERTS YOUR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION INTO A UK BACHELOR’S DEGREE
This is a structured degree completion route for:
ACCA Affiliates and Members
ACA (ICAEW) Members
AAT Qualified Professionals
CA (ICAS) Members
CIMA / CGMA Members
CIPFA Members
Entry is via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Eligibility subject to verification. Not sure if you qualify? Speak to an advisor.
This is NOT:
An entry-level accounting course
A conversion programme
A repeat of your professional studies
It is a direct pathway from your professional qualification to a full BSc (Hons) from the University of Greenwich.
IS THIS FOR YOU?
This is For You IF:
You hold a completed qualification from a recognised professional accountancy body.
including:
ACCA
ACA
AAT
CA
CAI
CIMA/CGMA
CIPFA
or an equivalent international chartered / CPA body
You do not hold an academic bachelor’s degree.
You want to progress to postgraduate study:
MSc
MBA
DBA
PhD
You want to satisfy degree requirements for senior roles, promotions or visas.
You want to complete your degree in one year, online, with no exams.
Not sure? —
Upon successful completion, you are awarded:
A full UK bachelor’s degree with honours. The certificate is issued directly by the University of Greenwich. It does not state “online.” It carries the same academic weight as any degree awarded to an on-campus graduate.
GRADUATION
Graduates may apply to attend the official University of Greenwich graduation ceremony at the main campus — the Old Royal Naval College, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Thames.
This is a formal university ceremony. You receive your degree in person, in one of London’s most historic buildings, alongside graduates from all Greenwich programmes.
Attendance is subject to university scheduling and personal travel arrangements.
WHY THIS MATTERS
ThE SPECIFIC SITUATIONS WHERE YOUR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION ALONE IS not enough
Your qualification proves professional competence. That is not in question. But qualifications operate within systems, and those systems do not always treat professional and academic credentials equally.
Here is where the gap becomes real:
Civil service positions, central banks, regulatory authorities, and public institutions in many countries require an academic degree for eligibility. This includes roles in tax administration, audit, financial regulation, and public finance. Professional qualifications may be valued, but they do not replace the degree requirement.
Job applications and promotion criteria
Large corporates, multinational firms, and international organisations routinely require a recognised bachelor’s degree as a baseline — for recruitment, for internal promotion, and for transfer to senior or managerial roles. HR systems filter by academic qualification. Without a degree, your application may not reach the hiring manager, regardless of your experience or your ACCA.
Immigration and skilled worker visas
Points-based visa systems, skilled worker routes, and international credential assessments frequently require an academic degree. Countries including the UK, Canada, Australia, and the UAE assess qualifications through bodies that distinguish between professional and academic credentials. A degree can change your eligibility category entirely.
Postgraduate progression
Master’s programmes (MSc Finance, MBA) and doctoral programmes (DBA, PhD) require a bachelor’s degree for admission. Without one, the most direct pathway to postgraduate study is closed. This programme reopens it.
For UK Skilled Worker visa applications
Academic degree-level qualifications are assessed separately from professional qualifications. Holding a BSc (Hons) may affect your points score and eligibility category. We recommend confirming with an immigration adviser.
You shouldn’t have to explain why your professional qualification should count as a degree.
You should hold both.
the university
university of greenwich
The University of Greenwich is a UK public university founded in 1890 — the second-oldest polytechnic in the United Kingdom. Its main campus is the Old Royal Naval College, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the Thames, with buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
The university serves over
21,000
Students
From more than
140
Countries
Greenwich holds UK government degree-awarding powers and is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). This is the institution that awards your degree.
Gold — Teaching Excellence Framework
The highest classification awarded by the UK government for teaching quality. Independent, government-led. Only a select number of UK universities hold Gold.
Business & Economics — #201–250 globally
Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Directly relevant to a finance and accounting degree.
Four Queen’s Anniversary Prizes
Awarded by the British sovereign for outstanding institutional work.
140+ countries represented
A genuinely international institution with a global alumni network.
WHAT YOU STUDY
BUILT ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE. Not a repetition of it
The programme does not re-teach what your professional studies have already covered. It takes your existing analytical knowledge and builds into new territory: Investment Management, Machine Learning in Fintech, original quantitative finance research, and Corporate Governance from the perspective of the qualified accountant — four areas that are directly relevant to your career and entirely new to your studies.
Over one academic year, you develop:
Applied financial analysis assignments
Strategic case study evaluations
Business and market assessment reports
Structured academic submissions with substantive feedback from academic staff
Every piece of work you produce is designed to demonstrate capability that is relevant to your career. You are assessed on applied knowledge and professional-level output.
Core modules
Investment Management
30 credits
This module extends your understanding of financial analysis into the world of investment. It covers investment analysis and portfolio management across a global range of asset classes — from fixed income and equities to derivatives and alternatives. No prior investment knowledge is assumed — the module builds directly from the financial analysis skills developed through your professional qualification.
Machine Learning in Fintech
30 credits
Learn Python programming and apply it directly to real financial problems: data analysis, risk modelling, machine learning models, and quantitative investing. Covers regression, neural networks, and supervised and unsupervised learning — the quantitative skills increasingly expected in finance roles, taught through hands-on application rather than theory.
Quantitative Finance Research
30 credits
Choose a finance question that matters to you. Develop the statistical skills to investigate it properly. Collect and analyse real financial data. Produce an original, substantial piece of independent research. This module is unlike anything in your professional qualification — it gives you the tools and the freedom to explore finance on your own terms.
Corporate Governance, Ethics and Sustainable Practices
30 credits
Covers corporate governance frameworks, the role of the board, ESG integration in financial statements, and how to leverage sustainability data in management decision-making. Directly relevant to the evolving role of the qualified accountant and aligned with the professional standards of all major accountancy bodies.
Full BSc (Hons) Final Year
TOTAL: 120 credits
HOW IT WORKS
The practical details
Duration
1
Academic year
Delivery
100%
online
No attendance required at any point
Schedule
Time commitment
Feedback
Support
Examinations
Assessment
Typical assessments include:
Investment Portfolio Analysis
Quantitative Finance Research Dissertation
Machine Learning & Python Applications
Corporate Governance Case Study
Every piece of work you produce is designed to demonstrate capability that is relevant to your career. You are assessed on applied knowledge and professional-level output.
YOUR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION IS THE ENTRY REQUIREMENT
To be eligible, you must hold a completed qualification from a recognised professional accountancy body. Eligible bodies include ACCA, ACA (ICAEW), CA (ICAS), Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), CIMA/CGMA, CIPFA, AAT, and selected international chartered and CPA bodies. You will need to provide official documentation confirming your professional status. Entry is via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
There are no additional academic entry requirements
No prior degree is needed. Your professional qualification is what qualifies you for this programme.
Applications are assessed based on verified professional status
Decisions are issued promptly.
What is RPL?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the formal process by which the University of Greenwich recognises your professional qualification as equivalent to the first two years of an undergraduate degree.
before applying.
WHAT THIS CHANGES
The gap this programme closes
Today
You hold a professional qualification that is respected within the finance profession. But when a job listing requires “bachelor’s degree or equivalent,” when a visa application asks for your academic credentials, when an MBA programme asks for your undergraduate award — you face a gap.
After this programme
You hold both. A professional qualification and a UK bachelor’s degree from a Gold-rated public university. Your credentials satisfy both professional and academic criteria. The gap is closed.
Specifically, upon completion:
You hold a BSc (Hons) from the University of Greenwich alongside your professional qualifications.
You are eligible for postgraduate study: MSc, MBA, DBA, PhD
Your qualification is recognised by employers, governments, and institutions internationally
You satisfy academic degree requirements for roles that currently filter you out
Your credentials are assessable under immigration and skilled worker frameworks that require an academic degree
You join the University of Greenwich alumni network, spanning 140+ countries
TUITION FEE
£2,000 Total
For the full academic year. No additional charges
For context: a traditional part-time undergraduate degree typically costs £9,000–£27,000 and takes 3–4 years.
This programme is £2,000 for one academic year.
There are no hidden module fees. There are no examination costs — because there are no examinations. £2,000 is the complete cost of converting your professional qualification into a UK bachelor’s degree from a Gold-rated public university with a globally ranked Business School.
Payment details and any available instalment options are provided upon application.
Prefer to spread the cost?
Instalment plans are available. Details provided on application.
comparison
HOW THIS COMPARES
the Programme startS
October 1st
Applications Open June 1st 2026.
faq
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this a full bachelor’s degree?
Does the degree certificate say “online”?
Do I need to sit any exams?
Can I complete this while working full-time?
I already hold my professional qualification. Why do I need a degree?
Will this help with visa or immigration applications?
Can I progress to postgraduate study after this?
Is the University of Greenwich a recognised institution?
Is this qualification recognised internationally?
What is the total cost?
Can I attend the graduation ceremony in the UK?
I hold the ACA (ICAEW) / CA (ICAS) / Chartered Accountants Ireland qualification. Can I apply?
I hold the CIMA qualification / CGMA designation. Am I eligible?
I hold a qualification from an international chartered or CPA body. Can I apply?
I am a CIPFA member. Can I apply?
I hold the AAT qualification. Can I apply?
What is Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)?
How many hours per week does the programme require?
Still have questions?
TUITION FEE
£2,000
Duration
One year
The gap
is closed
Application Process:
Submit your application
Upload your professional qualification documentation
Receive confirmation of eligibility
Enrol and begin the academic year
Submit Application:
What happens next: We will review your application and contact you within 5 working days to confirm eligibility and next steps. There is no obligation to enrol at this stage.
No obligation at application stage
Decision within 5 working days
Secure and confidential
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