Accountancy - Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA)
Course Type
Higher Education
Study Mode
Part-time
Duration
2 Years
Start & End Date
7 September 2026
3 June 2028
Days
Mon
Time
09:00-18:00
Location
Coleraine
Interview Required
Yes
A Higher Level Apprenticeship is a work-based programme which enables you to earn while you learn and gain a nationally recognised professional qualification. You will be employed for example in an accountancy practice or an organisation with a suitable accounts department. Northern Regional College will have a close relationship with your employer in mentoring you throughout your training period. The Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy provides an alternative entrance route to starting your career in the accountancy and finance profession and is supported by Accounting Technicians Ireland. It is also equivalent to a Foundation Degree programme and is recognised by leading accountancy bodies.
This apprenticeship aims to provide a structured environment where you will develop the professional values, leadership, technical/functional competencies, and the personal and interpersonal attributes that define the role of an accounting technician.
This Higher Level Apprenticeship programme will allow you to start your highly-skilled career without the student debt that your university peers will have accumulated during their degree course – providing a real alternative to university.
During Year 1, you will spend one day per week (9am-5.15pm) at the Northern Regional College (Coleraine Campus).
You will study the following the following modules:
You will also complete Work Based Assessments during the course of the year.
External Exams are held in May/June and there is a resit opportunity in August. Exams are set and marked by ATI.
On successful completion of Year 1, you will progress into year 2.
Laura Todd, Chartered Accountant, shares her experience of studying the Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy.
The Accounting Technicians Ireland qualification is currently undergoing a revalidation process. As a result, the following information sessions may be subject to change.
Monday 26 January 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 23 February 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 23 March 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 27 April 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 25 May 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 15 June 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 17 August 2026 - 5.30pm
Are you interested in employing an apprentice in accountancy?
Please email admissions@nrc.ac.uk and the Course Co-ordinator will be in touch
Information For Employers
Employers' Guide
Upon successful completion of this programme, you may be eligible to progress to full chartered accountancy status through the Chartered Accountants Ireland professional Level 7 programme. Alternatively, you will be able to use your qualification as a stepping stone to study with other professional awarding bodies i.e. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Having completed the Level 5 Diploma you may be eligible for module exemptions from other qualifications.
Getting a Higher Apprenticeship with an employer is the same as getting a job. Following submission of your application to the college, you will be required to submit a CV. CVs are provided to employers who are seeking to employ a HLA apprentice. You will be invited to go through the employer’s recruitment process. It will be competitive and there are likely to be several people applying for each Higher Apprenticeship vacancy, so you will need to sell yourself and convince the employer that you are the right person for the role.
Candidates must be:
At least 18 years of age and meet the minimum entry criteria set by the awarding body, Accounting Technicians Ireland. The criteria is currently 96 UCAS tariff points or CCC at A Level, grade B at GCSE level in Mathematics or Accountancy and grade C at GCSE level in English. For those over 21 years of age, relevant work experience or a recommendation from your employer is required.
A new employee in, or about to take up a permanent remunerative employment offer, or an existing employee moving to a new job role that requires a substantial amount of learning and skills development commensurate to the apprenticeship pathway. An exception may be made if an individual is already on an apprenticeship pathway at a lower level, with the HLA providing a progression route without the need to move to a new job role. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure this criteria is met.
Employed by a company with a permanent base in Northern Ireland, have a contract of employment in place, be contracted to work a minimum of 21 hours per week (which includes day release/off-the-job directed training) with one employer, and in receipt of the appropriate wage.
Third country nationals, including European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Nationals and their family members, are eligible to undertake a HLA provided they have a right to live and work in the UK. See HLA page for further details
NOTE: you may start your employment up to a maximum of 6 months prior to the commencement of your off-the-job training. The College will require a copy of your contract of employment and a wage slip to provide evidence that you are employed.
Where students wish to have prior education and/or experience taken into account, in lieu of meeting the full course entry requirements, they should contact the relevant Course Director or Admissions. APEL applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the start date of the programme. More details can be found in the APEL Policy.
No fees.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement and at the beginning of each academic year, regardless of whether your programme of study is one, two, or three years in duration. Fees for subsequent years (Year 2 and/or Year 3) may be subject to change due to annual increases in awarding body charges, such as registration or examination fees.
Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer, you must upload an approved Employer Consent Form to the online admissions portal.
Payment Options
You can pay your fees in full by cash, cheque, credit/debit card, direct debit payment or via a Student Loan. For further details visit our fees and funding page.
Contact Details
Student Loan Queries
T: 028 9085 5048
E: studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk
Direct Debit or Payment Queries
E: finance@nrc.ac.uk
Funding Options including Scholarships
There are several funds available to help with costs related to your course such as grants and scholarships. For further details visit our student finance page.
Additional Mandatory Costs
Additional mandatory costs are essential expenses which are required in order to complete your course. These costs are separate from, and in addition to, any course tuition fees. Most courses do not have any additional mandatory costs. Examples of additional mandatory costs includes trips which are included as a component of your course, essential textbooks which are not available from our learning resource centres, essential equipment which is not provided by the College, professional memberships which are linked directly to the course.
These costs do not include stationery materials or items which a student may choose to purchase, personal computer equipment or software or additional textbooks or journals, memberships of professional bodies not essential for your course. Many students will choose to purchase their own equipment and materials during their course, these are not mandatory costs. For most courses, equipment and materials will be provided by the College.
All tutors are qualified and experienced counsellors. This underpins the authenticity of teaching and learning activities as students engage with practitioners who understand the challenges and opportunities of the counselling role. The following teaching team deliver this course at Northern Regional College:
Staff Team
The Accounting Technicians Ireland qualification is currently undergoing a revalidation process. As a result, the following information sessions may be subject to change.
Monday 26 January 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 23 February 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 23 March 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 27 April 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 25 May 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 15 June 2026 - 5.30pm
Monday 17 August 2026 - 5.30pm
Are you interested in employing an apprentice in accountancy?
Please email admissions@nrc.ac.uk and the Course Co-ordinator will be in touch
Information For Employers
Employers' Guide
A Higher Level Apprenticeship is a work-based programme which enables you to earn while you learn and gain a nationally recognised professional qualification. You will be employed for example in an accountancy practice or an organisation with a suitable accounts department. Northern Regional College will have a close relationship with your employer in mentoring you throughout your training period. The Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy provides an alternative entrance route to starting your career in the accountancy and finance profession and is supported by Accounting Technicians Ireland. It is also equivalent to a Foundation Degree programme and is recognised by leading accountancy bodies.
This apprenticeship aims to provide a structured environment where you will develop the professional values, leadership, technical/functional competencies, and the personal and interpersonal attributes that define the role of an accounting technician.
This Higher Level Apprenticeship programme will allow you to start your highly-skilled career without the student debt that your university peers will have accumulated during their degree course – providing a real alternative to university.
During Year 1, you will spend one day per week (9am-5.15pm) at the Northern Regional College (Coleraine Campus).
You will study the following the following modules:
You will also complete Work Based Assessments during the course of the year.
External Exams are held in May/June and there is a resit opportunity in August. Exams are set and marked by ATI.
On successful completion of Year 1, you will progress into year 2.
Laura Todd, Chartered Accountant, shares her experience of studying the Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy.
Upon successful completion of this programme, you may be eligible to progress to full chartered accountancy status through the Chartered Accountants Ireland professional Level 7 programme. Alternatively, you will be able to use your qualification as a stepping stone to study with other professional awarding bodies i.e. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Having completed the Level 5 Diploma you may be eligible for module exemptions from other qualifications.
Getting a Higher Apprenticeship with an employer is the same as getting a job. Following submission of your application to the college, you will be required to submit a CV. CVs are provided to employers who are seeking to employ a HLA apprentice. You will be invited to go through the employer’s recruitment process. It will be competitive and there are likely to be several people applying for each Higher Apprenticeship vacancy, so you will need to sell yourself and convince the employer that you are the right person for the role.
Candidates must be:
At least 18 years of age and meet the minimum entry criteria set by the awarding body, Accounting Technicians Ireland. The criteria is currently 96 UCAS tariff points or CCC at A Level, grade B at GCSE level in Mathematics or Accountancy and grade C at GCSE level in English. For those over 21 years of age, relevant work experience or a recommendation from your employer is required.
A new employee in, or about to take up a permanent remunerative employment offer, or an existing employee moving to a new job role that requires a substantial amount of learning and skills development commensurate to the apprenticeship pathway. An exception may be made if an individual is already on an apprenticeship pathway at a lower level, with the HLA providing a progression route without the need to move to a new job role. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure this criteria is met.
Employed by a company with a permanent base in Northern Ireland, have a contract of employment in place, be contracted to work a minimum of 21 hours per week (which includes day release/off-the-job directed training) with one employer, and in receipt of the appropriate wage.
Third country nationals, including European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Nationals and their family members, are eligible to undertake a HLA provided they have a right to live and work in the UK. See HLA page for further details
NOTE: you may start your employment up to a maximum of 6 months prior to the commencement of your off-the-job training. The College will require a copy of your contract of employment and a wage slip to provide evidence that you are employed.
Where students wish to have prior education and/or experience taken into account, in lieu of meeting the full course entry requirements, they should contact the relevant Course Director or Admissions. APEL applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the start date of the programme. More details can be found in the APEL Policy.
Course Fees
No fees.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement and at the beginning of each academic year, regardless of whether your programme of study is one, two, or three years in duration. Fees for subsequent years (Year 2 and/or Year 3) may be subject to change due to annual increases in awarding body charges, such as registration or examination fees.
Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer, you must upload an approved Employer Consent Form to the online admissions portal.
Payment Options
You can pay your fees in full by cash, cheque, credit/debit card, direct debit payment or via a Student Loan. For further details visit our fees and funding page.
Contact Details
Student Loan Queries
T: 028 9085 5048
E: studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk
Direct Debit or Payment Queries
E: finance@nrc.ac.uk
Funding Options including Scholarships
There are several funds available to help with costs related to your course such as grants and scholarships. For further details visit our student finance page.
Additional Mandatory Costs
Additional mandatory costs are essential expenses which are required in order to complete your course. These costs are separate from, and in addition to, any course tuition fees. Most courses do not have any additional mandatory costs. Examples of additional mandatory costs includes trips which are included as a component of your course, essential textbooks which are not available from our learning resource centres, essential equipment which is not provided by the College, professional memberships which are linked directly to the course.
These costs do not include stationery materials or items which a student may choose to purchase, personal computer equipment or software or additional textbooks or journals, memberships of professional bodies not essential for your course. Many students will choose to purchase their own equipment and materials during their course, these are not mandatory costs. For most courses, equipment and materials will be provided by the College.