Accounting and Finance with Foundation Year

This accounting and finance degree at the University of West London will help you gain both knowledge and practical experience. You will learn from professional accountants who will support your academic and career goals, equipping you to compete in the financial jobs market.

The course is designed to maximise exemptions from the exams set by professional accountancy bodies such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). This means you will sit fewer ACCA exams, and you could shorten the length of time it takes you to gain your professional qualification.

Foundation year

The foundation year course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to continue on to your honours degree. You will study a range of subjects that will underpin your future study and also gain valuable experience of university life, with full access to campus facilities. Successful completion of the year allows you to progress straight on to Level 4 of this course.

What you'll study

On this Accounting and Finance course, you will learn essential principles while developing the practical skills you need to succeed. Our professionally qualified tutors all have industry experience, most of them with the Big Four accounting firms; with their guidance, you will grow your understanding of current practices.
As a team, we do everything we can for our students, but do not take our word for it. Since the student satisfaction ratings were first introduced, this course has frequently featured in the top ten accounting degrees in the country.

Alongside your specific professional abilities, we will encourage you to develop the transferable skills that will help you to stand out to potential employers. These include analytical, research and communication skills.

All our teaching staff pride themselves on putting students first, and you will always have academic support when you need it. Your tutors will work with you as an individual to make the most of your career opportunities.

You will listen, learn, discuss and gain hands-on experience of how business and finance work through:

• lectures
• seminars
• tutorials
• workshops.

Professional accreditation

The University maintains strong ties with the leading UK and international professional accountancy bodies. Upon completion of the course, students have the opportunity to gain up to nine exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exams, up to six exemptions from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) exams, and up to eight exemptions from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) exams, subject to application to the relevant professional bodies.

Foundation year

There are many reasons for joining a foundation year course; you may not have the exact subjects or grades at A level to meet the entry requirements, you may have been living abroad or you may want to change direction with your career. Whatever your starting point, the foundation year offers a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge that you will need to get the most from your studies and thrive at university. Successful completion of the foundation year allows you to progress straight on to Level 4 of this course.

It's not too late to study at London’s 2nd highest-rated university for student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2026).

UWL's world-class facilities and outstanding teaching will give you all the tools you need to succeed. Musicians can rehearse in performance rooms, audio recording spaces and a 200 seat black box studio. Pilots can brave the storm in the Boeing 737 flight simulator. Lawyers can perfect their argument in the mock courtrooms, and chefs can whip up delicious creations in industry-standard kitchens and serve real customers at Pillars, the student-run fine-dining restaurant located on campus.

You'll also be learning in one of the world's best student cities (2026 QS Best Student Cities) - think Saturday afternoons in Covent Garden, study sessions in the British Library and live concerts in the O2 arena. With scholarships and bursaries reserved for Clearing applicants, no ambition is out of reach!