November 26, 2025
The Key to Retaining a Part-Qualified Accountant
Retaining a part-qualified accountant requires a structured investment in their professional development, combining financial study support with a clear post-qualification career path. By aligning incremental pay rises with exam success, businesses can reduce turnover and secure long-term loyalty from their emerging finance leaders.
Key Points
- Financial Incentives: Offer incremental salary increases linked to exam progress to prevent talent from seeking higher pay elsewhere.
- Study Support Packages: Provide comprehensive funding and dedicated leave to demonstrate a tangible commitment to their career.
- Long-Term Mapping: Clearly define the role's evolution into a qualified position to ensure the employee sees a future within the firm.
- Mentorship: Pair studiers with qualified peers to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.
Hiring a part-qualified accountant can be one of the smartest long-term investments your finance team makes. But holding onto them in the long run can be where many businesses fall short.
If you’re looking to hire someone who’s planning to study or is mid-study, you’re not just hiring for now. You need to acknowledge that you’re making an active investment into someone’s future. If that employee doesn’t feel valued or supported throughout their study journey, there is every chance they’ll look elsewhere before you can say “exam results”.
The pressure is real. AAT research from October 2025 found 4 in 5 UK employers struggling with finance skills shortages, which hands studiers genuine leverage to move (AAT, 2025).
To help, we talked to our specialist Accountancy & Finance Recruitment specialists to get them to break down what really keeps a part-qualified finance team member engaged and loyal, even once they’re qualified. Many arrive through graduate routes into accountancy and finance, which shapes what they expect.
Top 5 Things to Consider When Hiring a Part-Qualified Accountant
How do you keep a part-qualified accountant motivated?
Offering incremental pay rises throughout an accountant's studies acknowledges their hard work and maintains high levels of motivation. In our experience, lack of financial recognition is the primary driver behind why part-qualified accountants leave. If an employee does not see their technical advancement reflected in their salary, they are significantly more likely to explore the external market.
The qualified premium is widening too, with accountancy student intake in slight decline per the FRC's Key Facts and Trends 2025, so a studier who qualifies with you becomes harder to replace (FRC, 2025).
Lawrie Bacon, who leads part and newly qualified finance recruitment at Sewell Wallis, says: 'The studiers who leave almost never go for a few hundred pounds. They go because the pay stopped tracking their exams, or because no one showed them the job they were studying towards. Fix those two things and most stay well past qualification.'
What should a part-qualified progression plan include?
A clear progression plan defines exactly how a part-qualified accountant will use their ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification within your business once they pass their final exams. If the answer is unclear, it signals a problem to the candidate. Ask yourself: do you really need a student in this role, or would a qualified-by-experience hire meet your finance team's needs more sustainably?
What does full study support look like?
Full study support typically includes course funding, exam fees, and 2-3 days of study leave per module to ensure the candidate has the best chance of success. It’s not just about paying for the course - providing a supportive environment benefits both parties. Companies offering full packages see higher retention rates compared to those offering only partial reimbursement.
Does mentorship improve part-qualified retention?
Pairing your new part-qualified accountant with a mentor lifts both performance and confidence. The ideal mentor is someone who has completed the same professional qualification. A mentor helps connect classroom theory to day-to-day practice, providing real-world insight and responsibility as the junior accountant grows, making them a more capable asset faster.
What pay rise should a newly qualified accountant expect?
If you’ve been rewarding progress along the way, the qualification pay rise shouldn’t come as a shock. Planning your budget ahead of time ensures your newly qualified accountant feels properly valued when they reach their goal. Failing to meet market rates upon qualification often results in immediate resignation as the candidate's market value peaks. Once they qualify, mapping them onto the senior finance skills that carry a premium in 2026 keeps the progression concrete.
Be Sure of These Things Before You Hire
Before you hire a part-qualified accountant, it’s worth asking yourself a few tough questions:
- Can your business offer most of the support outlined above?
- If not all, can you adjust your package to be as competitive as possible?
- To ensure you’re being as competitive as you can be, have you benchmarked your potential package against other similar positions in the region?
- If you can’t offer those essentials, is a qualified-by-experience professional a better fit?
Making sure you and your hiring team are being honest about what you can and can’t offer from the outset will prevent frustration. This is better for your business in the long run; without this certainty, you run the risk of losing a key team member. In our experience across Yorkshire, replacing a part-qualified accountant costs £12,000 to £15,000 once recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity are counted.
Retention Ultimately Comes Down to Trust
Ultimately, retaining a part-qualified accountant in your team is all about building a relationship of mutual trust and respect. When you value their effort, invest in their growth, and recognise their achievements throughout their qualification, they’re far more likely to return that loyalty long term.
Psychologically, people feel a sense of loyalty toward employers who’ve supported their journey. It’s a simple but powerful retention tool, and one that goes beyond salary. When structuring these retention strategies, the distinction between working flexibly and flexible working shapes what actually retains them. You may also find our 2026 Talent Forecast useful for understanding wider hiring trends.
When a competitor approaches them, a planned counter-offer response decides whether you keep the hire.
Need advice on attracting and retaining part-qualified accountants?
Our accountancy and finance recruitment team benchmarks these packages against the live Yorkshire market. Our finance recruitment specialists can help you structure a competitive, realistic offer that keeps top talent loyal. Get in touch with Sewell Wallis today.
Accountancy Recruitment FAQs
What is a part-qualified accountant?
A part-qualified accountant is a finance professional who has commenced their professional studies with a body such as ACCA, CIMA, or ACA but has not yet completed all required exams. These individuals typically possess strong
foundational knowledge and are actively working toward full chartered status.
How much study leave should I offer a part-qualified accountant?
Standard competitive practice in the UK is to offer 1 to 3 days of study leave per exam sitting, in addition to the day of the exam itself. Providing this time allows the employee to focus on their professional development without the distraction of daily tasks, leading to higher pass rates.
What happens to an accountant's salary when they qualify?
Upon becoming fully qualified (ACCA/CIMA/ACA), an accountant typically expects a significant salary uplift to match their new market value. This increase reflects their ability to take on more complex financial responsibilities and sign off on statutory requirements.
Can I hire a qualified-by-experience accountant instead?
Qualified-by-experience (QBE) accountants are professionals who have the equivalent knowledge of a chartered accountant through years of practical work but have not sat the formal exams. QBE hires are often more stable and cost-effective if your firm cannot offer a full study support package.
How do I prevent my part-qualified accountant from leaving after they qualify?
To prevent post-qualification turnover, you must provide a clear "Step 2" for their career, such as moving into a Finance Manager or Senior Analyst role. Retention is highest when the employee feels their new skills will be utilised in a more strategic capacity within the firm.
Hiring A Part-Qualified Accountant?
At Sewell Wallis, we have a team specialising in part-qualified finance hires. Reach out for a discussion about your next steps today.
Author Bio
Lawrie Bacon is Assistant Manager at Sewell Wallis, specialising in the recruitment of part-qualified and newly qualified finance professionals across South and West Yorkshire. Over five years in the market, he has built strong, lasting relationships with both clients and candidates, earning a reputation for his straightforward approach and genuine understanding of what makes a hire work technically and culturally. Alongside his own desk, Lawrie supports the development of the wider Transactional Finance team, contributing to the collaborative, relationship-led environment Sewell Wallis is known for.
Meet Our Recruiter
Lawrie Bacon
Assistant Manager | Part & Newly Qualified Finance
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