← Certificate IV qualifications
Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping
FNS - Financial Services
Foundation bookkeeping and accounting qualification meeting the educational requirements for BAS agent registration with the Tax Practitioners Board.
Entry requirements
- Year 12 or mature-age entry
What you will learn
The FNS40222 covers the technical skills required to manage a small to medium business's bookkeeping and tax compliance work. Core units include preparing financial reports, processing payroll and superannuation, establishing and maintaining accounting information systems (Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks), administering subsidiary accounts and ledgers, and introducing the Australian taxation system through GST and Business Activity Statements (BAS). The two specialist BAS units (FNSTPB411 and FNSTPB412) meet the Tax Practitioners Board education requirements for BAS agent registration. You also study basic accounting principles, the Australian Auditing Standards and ethics under APES 110.
Skills you build
- Double-entry bookkeeping in Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks
- GST processing and Business Activity Statement preparation
- Payroll, PAYG withholding and Single Touch Payroll reporting
- Superannuation guarantee compliance
- Bank reconciliation and accounts payable/receivable
- End-of-month and end-of-year accounting close
- Ethics under APES 110 for finance professionals
How the course runs
Most students study online over 12 months on a self-paced model, or full-time on campus over 6 to 12 months. Around 400 to 600 hours of formal training, weighted strongly toward applied bookkeeping software exercises and case studies. No work placement is required, but most students study while working as a bookkeeper or accounts officer.
How you will be assessed
- Practical bookkeeping exercises in Xero or MYOB
- BAS preparation case studies
- Written knowledge tests per unit of competency
- Payroll processing simulations including STP reporting
- Workplace project or portfolio of bookkeeping evidence
Workplace and placement
No mandatory work placement. Most students work concurrently as a junior bookkeeper, accounts payable or accounts receivable clerk under the Clerks - Private Sector Award. The course is widely studied online through providers like Open Colleges, TAFE NSW and Monarch Institute, and supports career changers entering small business bookkeeping.
Typical employers
- Public practice accounting firms (BDO, RSM, Pitcher Partners, local CPA practices)
- Small business owners contracting bookkeeping out
- Not-for-profit and community organisations
- SME accounts teams in trades, retail and professional services
- Independent contract bookkeeping practices
- State and federal government finance teams
Pay after this qualification
$55,000 - $75,000 per year
Source: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/bookkeepers. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
Is this the right course for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You enjoy detailed numerical work
- You are organised with deadlines (BAS quarterly, payroll weekly)
- You can keep client confidentiality
- You can self-direct learning new accounting software
- You can work independently without daily supervision
It is probably not for you if
- You make consistent errors with numbers or attention to detail
- You struggle with deadline pressure
- You cannot keep up with changes to tax legislation
- You are not comfortable with confidential financial data
After you finish
After Cert IV you can progress to the Diploma of Accounting (FNS50222) for the broader accounting principles required for CPA Australia or CA ANZ entry. Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and similar programs at RMIT, Swinburne, Charles Sturt, Edith Cowan and Deakin offer credit for the Cert IV. BAS agent registration with the Tax Practitioners Board requires the qualification plus 1,400 hours of relevant experience.