With so many routes, including everything from short online courses to postgraduate programmes, choosing accounting courses in Ireland can be tricky. You might want a practical way to build your skills or enrol on a course to move towards a professional role. Let's compare the options.
Key Takeaways
- Accounting courses in Ireland include QQI, apprenticeship, online, diploma, and postgraduate routes.
- Online accounting courses in Ireland are useful for flexible study, especially for beginners or career changers.
- Postgraduate accounting courses are often best for graduates who want professional exemptions and a faster route into accountancy.
- Course fees, delivery format, entry requirements, and exemptions can vary significantly between providers.
- The best accounting course is the one that aligns with your current qualifications, career goals, and preferred learning style.
Quick Guide to Accounting Courses in Ireland
There are different accounting courses in Ireland. It's worth knowing the level, format, and career outcome for each. Let's take a quick glance at a few of them.
Best options at a glance
- For beginners: QQI, bookkeeping, finance, or apprenticeship routes can help students build practical accounting knowledge before committing to a degree.³
- For flexible study: Online accounting courses can suit working adults, career changers, and students who need part-time learning.⁴
- For graduates: Postgraduate accounting courses are usually best for students with a relevant degree who want professional exemptions and a faster route into accountancy.⁵
| Route or provider | Course or option | Level | Format | Best for | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Technician Apprenticeship | Level 6 QQI Advanced Certificate in Accounting | QQI Level 6 | Two-year apprenticeship | Students who want paid, practical accounting training | Apprentices earn at least €27,593 per year while studying.¹ |
| The Open College | QQI Finance Course | QQI Level 6 | Online, flexible part-time | Students who want finance and accounting-related skills online | The module is worth 15 NFQ credits and covers financial statements, budgeting, cashflow, costing, pricing, and capital budgeting.⁴ |
| UCD Professional Academy | Professional Academy Diploma in Bookkeeping and Payroll | Professional diploma | Online | Students who want practical bookkeeping and payroll skills | The course covers financial record keeping, payroll, PAYE, tax credits, and financial statements.⁸ |
| UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School | Master of Accounting | Postgraduate | Full-time, 12 months | Graduates with business, accounting, or finance backgrounds | The 2026/27 fees are €16,150 for EU students and €23,870 for non-EU students, plus a mandatory €575 materials fee.⁶ |
| University of Galway | Master of Accounting | Level 9 | On campus, full-time, 1 year | Graduates seeking a professional accounting route | The programme offers full Chartered Accountants Ireland CAP 2 exemptions on graduation.¹⁰ |
| University College Cork | Accounting MACC | Level 9 | Full-time, 1 year | Students seeking a focused postgraduate accounting course | For 2026/27, UCC lists fees of €10,800 for EU students and €19,700 for non-EU students.⁹ |
| Dublin City University | MSc in Accounting | Postgraduate | Full-time, 12 months | Students aiming for Chartered Accountants Ireland or tax exemptions | The course offers exemptions from all CAP2 subjects with Chartered Accountants Ireland and Part 1 of the AITI Chartered Tax Advisor Programme.² |
| Technological University Dublin | Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting | NFQ Level 9 | On campus, full-time, 1 year | Students who want a professional-exemption-focused postgraduate route | Students can obtain exemptions from Chartered Accountants Ireland CAP1 and ACCA Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams, subject to module performance.⁵ |
Accounting Course Pathways in Ireland
Ireland offers various pathways into accounting. This means students from different academic backgrounds can still make it. Some may prefer practical training, whereas others may want to go to university. Choose the pathway that matches your learning style and long-term goals, whether it's an accounting QQI Level 6 course or a degree.
Not all accounting courses in Ireland lead to the same type of qualification. QQI Level 5 and Level 6 courses are often practical options for students who want to build accounting, finance, or bookkeeping skills before committing to a longer degree.¹ Postgraduate accounting courses are usually Level 9 qualifications and are better suited to students who already have a relevant undergraduate degree. Before applying, check the course level, entry requirements, delivery format, and whether the programme offers exemptions from professional accounting exams.
QQI and further education courses
- Best for: Students who want practical accounting, bookkeeping, finance, or business training before choosing a longer qualification.³
- Useful option: The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship is a two-year route leading to a Level 6 QQI Advanced Certificate in Accounting.¹
- Why it works: It can give learners a structured entry point into accounts, payroll, finance support, or further accountancy study.¹
per year while studying towards a Level 6 QQI Advanced Certificate in Accounting.²
Online accounting courses in Ireland
- Best for: Students who need flexible study around work, family, or another course.
- Course example: The Open College offers an online QQI Level 6 Finance module worth 15 NFQ credits.⁴
- Skills covered: Online accounting courses can include finance, budgeting, cash flow, and financial statements.⁴ UCD Professional Academy's online Bookkeeping and Payroll diploma also covers practical areas such as financial record keeping, payroll, PAYE, tax credits, and financial statements.⁸
Online accounting courses in Ireland that students can take are useful if you need to study around work, family, or another course, but you should always check whether the course is self-paced or live, what support is included, and whether it leads to a recognised award or professional diploma before enrolling.³
NFQ credits and can be completed through flexible part-time study from home.⁴
University and postgraduate accounting courses
- Best for: Graduates with a relevant business, accounting, or finance background.
- Study format: Many postgraduate accounting courses in Ireland are one-year full-time programmes.⁷
- Key benefit: Some programmes offer exemptions from professional accounting exams, making the route to qualification more efficient.⁵
Best Universities for Accounting Courses in Ireland
There are several good postgraduate accounting options in Ireland. If you want to take the university-based route into accounting, there are several options. Do your research into the various universities before applying to courses, as specialisations like auditing, bookkeeping, and other types of accounting are all worth thinking about before you start.
University College Dublin
- Course: UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School offers a Master of Accounting for graduates who have majored in business, accounting, or finance.⁷
- Duration and start date: The programme runs full-time for 12 months and starts in September 2026.⁷
- Fees: For 2026/27, UCD lists full-time fees of €16,150 for EU students and €23,870 for non-EU students, plus a mandatory €575 materials fee.⁶
University of Galway
- Course: The University of Galway offers a Level 9 Master of Accounting through J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics.¹⁰
- Duration and format: The course is delivered on campus, full-time, for 1 year, with 90 ECTS credits, and has a September 2026 intake.¹⁰
- Professional exemptions: The programme offers full Chartered Accountants Ireland CAP 2 exemptions on graduation.¹⁰
University College Cork
- Course: UCC offers the Accounting MACC as a Level 9 postgraduate course.⁹
- Duration and start date: The course runs full-time for 1 year and has a listed start date of 7 September 2026.⁹
- Fees: For 2026/27, UCC lists fees of €10,800 for EU students and €19,700 for non-EU students.⁹
Dublin City University
- Course: DCU Business School offers the MSc in Accounting as a postgraduate full-time programme.²
- Duration and start date: The course lasts 12 months and starts in September 2026.²
- Fees and exemptions: DCU lists EU fees of €11,900 and non-EU fees of €23,000, and the course offers exemptions from all CAP2 subjects with Chartered Accountants Ireland and Part 1 of the AITI Chartered Tax Advisor Programme.²
Technological University Dublin
- Course: TU Dublin offers the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting, course code TU304, at NFQ Level 9.⁵
- Duration and location: The course runs full-time for 1 year, starts in September 2026, and is delivered on campus at Aungier Street.⁵
- Fees and exemptions: TU Dublin lists total fees of €6,500 for EU students and €11,000 for non-EU students. Students can obtain exemptions from Chartered Accountants Ireland CAP1 and ACCA Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams, subject to module performance.⁵
How to Choose the Right Accounting Course
Don't just choose the supposed “best” course. While there are plenty of good courses, a good course that's a bad fit for you could be a terrible decision. Think about your current qualifications, your budget, the kind of accounting career you want later, and which accounting firms you'd like to work for.
Some accounting courses can reduce the number of professional exams you need to take later, so check whether the course offers exemptions from bodies such as Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, or the Irish Tax Institute before you apply.¹⁰
Entry requirements and exemptions
- Check degree requirements: Many postgraduate accounting courses require a relevant undergraduate degree, often in business, finance, or accounting.
- Check exemptions: Professional exemptions can reduce the number of exams needed later, but they depend on the course, modules, and grades.⁵
- Check fit: A course with fewer exemptions may still be useful if it better matches your study format, location, budget, or career plan.
Fees, study format and career goals
- Compare fees carefully: Fees can vary by provider, course type, and EU or non-EU status.⁶ ¹⁰
- Check the format: Some students need full-time campus study, while others may need online, part-time, or flexible learning.⁴
- Match the goal: Choose a course based on whether you want bookkeeping skills, a finance role, professional accountancy training, or postgraduate progression.
Accounting Careers After Graduation
Accounting careers cover various areas of business. Your training could be used in financial reporting, tax, audit, bookkeeping, business finance, or management accounting, depending on the route you choose. This is something to consider both before choosing a course and once you've finished.
of students on its MSc in Accounting pursue a Chartered Accountants Ireland qualification after graduation through audit or tax training contracts.²
Roles in accountancy, finance, tax and auditing
- Accountancy: Graduates can move towards trainee accountant, financial accountant, or management accountant roles.
- Finance: Accounting courses can also support careers in financial analysis, reporting, budgeting, and business finance.
- Tax and audit: Students interested in tax or audit careers should pay close attention to professional exemptions and employer training programs.²
References
- Accounting Technicians Ireland. “Apprenticeship ROI.” Accounting Technicians Ireland, https://accountingtechniciansireland.ie/apprenticeship-roi/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- Dublin City University Business School. “MSc in Accounting.” DCU Business School, https://business.dcu.ie/course/msc-in-accounting/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- Quality and Qualifications Ireland. “National Framework of Qualifications.” Quality and Qualifications Ireland, https://www.qqi.ie/what-we-do/the-qualifications-system/national-framework-of-qualifications. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- The Open College. “QQI Finance Course: Online Level 6 Certificate.” The Open College, https://www.theopencollege.com/courses/qqi-business-and-management-courses/online-finance-course-qqi-level-6/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- Technological University Dublin. “Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting.” TU Dublin, https://www.tudublin.ie/study/postgraduate/courses/accounting-tu304/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. “Eligibility and Fees.” UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, https://www.smurfitschool.ie/programmes/masters/masterofaccounting/eligibilityfees/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. “Master of Accounting.” UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, https://www.smurfitschool.ie/programmes/masters/masterofaccounting/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- UCD Professional Academy. “Professional Academy Diploma in Bookkeeping and Payroll.” UCD Professional Academy, https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/findyourcourse/professional-diploma-in-bookkeeping-payroll-management/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- University College Cork. “Accounting MACC.” University College Cork, https://www.ucc.ie/en/ckl26/. Accessed 24 May 2026.
- University of Galway. “Master of Accounting.” University of Galway, https://www.universityofgalway.ie/courses/taught-postgraduate-courses/accounting.html. Accessed 24 May 2026.
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