Questions
Everything people ask before they join.
Fees, how the teaching and marking work, what our certificates do and do not mean, and the practical details. If something is missing, student support will answer it.
Joining and fees
- How much does Mai Studies cost?
- Membership is £29 a month or £290 a year and opens the site and the included programme library. Specialist and advanced programmes carry their own fee from £49, which gives you twelve months to complete that programme.
- Can I cancel any time?
- Yes. Monthly membership can be cancelled whenever you like from the billing area, and you keep access until the end of the period you have paid for.
- Is anything free?
- Yes. The practice test and the free mini course are open to everyone, and our scholarship and open-access routes waive programme fees in full for learners who cannot pay.
- Do I need an account before I can buy a programme?
- No. You can pay first and your student account is created from the email you enter at checkout, with a sign-in link in your receipt.
How the learning works
- What is inside a programme?
- Full written lectures with worked examples, diagrams and common mistakes; a marked assignment in every module; at least twelve explained practice questions per module; and two timed mock papers per programme. Exam programmes carry 120 explained questions and two three-hour papers.
- Can I listen to lessons instead of reading?
- Yes. Every lesson reads itself aloud with the words highlighted as they are spoken, with speed control and click-to-jump, so you can study while travelling.
- Can I download the course material?
- The teaching material stays online — it is original Mai Studies content. You can download your own notes for any lesson or for the whole programme at any time.
- How is my work marked?
- Assignments are marked criterion by criterion with a mark and a reason quoting your own words, then checked again by a second moderator pass. Borderline results are reviewed by staff. Once you pass, that submission is sealed and cannot be changed.
- Can I talk to other students?
- Yes. The student community and the study circle let classmates on the same programme discuss topics, ask for help and share what worked. Nothing posted there is ever marked, and students are asked to discuss the thinking rather than hand over finished answers.
Qualifications and certificates
- Are Mai Studies programmes accredited?
- No. Mai Studies programmes are original completion programmes, not regulated qualifications or university accreditation. We issue our own completion certificates, which can be verified on our site.
- Do you award AAT, ACCA, ATT or ICAEW qualifications?
- No. Those bodies award their own qualifications and you sit their exams with them. Mai Studies is an independent tuition provider: we teach the subject, mark your practice work and prepare you for those exams.
- Will employers accept a Mai Studies certificate?
- It evidences the study and assessed work you completed with us. It is not a substitute for an awarding body's qualification, and we never claim otherwise.
Practical and technical
- What is a MAI number?
- Every programme has its own code, such as MAI-CUL-010. You can type it into the search bar at the top of any page to go straight to that programme.
- Can I use Mai Studies on my phone?
- Yes. The site works on phones and tablets, and it can be installed as an app on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone from the Install app button.
- Do the bookkeeping programmes include software?
- No. Where a programme uses bookkeeping software, you take out your own basic subscription with that provider. We write the business scenarios and teach the work; we are independent of those providers.
- What happens if I leave a mock paper part way through?
- Your answers are saved automatically while the paper is open and restored when you return, as long as the clock is still running.
Still unsure? Read the study guides or contact student support.