KPMG school leaver programme OR just an accounting and finance degree?

I studied at Durham (Stephenson) and have recently finished my last chartered accountancy exam with ICAS in May 2013. (The KPMG program started a few years after I graduated)

6 years is pretty standard in getting a honours degree and becoming a chartered accountant (most firms require 3 years from starting a training contract, usually after you have started a graduate job). If I was in your shoes I would definitely consider it, but I would be a bit worried about the stress of completing a degree whilst having responsibilities working for periods of the year. Personally I loved my university experience for the balance of working hard for exams and then having loads of free time to party, socialise etc.

You would also be putting all your eggs in one basket (although many different routes exist such as tax, auditing, working in industry, insolvency, ..... ) but on the positives, your getting paid, gaining experience and developing contacts. Probably the biggest one is the experience. I studied a few accounting modules at university (degree in business studies BA hons 2.1) but they didn't really sink in until I actually started to work in practise, you would have a big advantage here.
You should also think about the covenants in your contracts, what happens if you hate durham and kpmg and want to leave half way through.Hope that helps.

​I know I want to go into a career in accounting/finance so I've been looking at courses at various uni's then came across the KPMG programme at Durham University: (https://www.dur.ac.uk/business/degrees/undergrad/acc-finance/programmes/kpmg/)

I'd like to know if in terms of career prospects which is the better route; KPMG - The six year programme, where I'd get a Bsc Accounting degree as well as a chartered accountancy qualification or just do three years getting a degree in Accounting & Finance, and then go from there as with this degree will it widen my career possibilities?

-Also with the KPMG school leaver programme, will I miss out on the 'Student life' as I know in the first three years you only study at Durham for 2 months, and the rest will be at KPMG?
-To anybody actually on the KPMG programme, does 6 years feel like a long time to be tied down?
-And finally, after the four years at Durham when you've got the degree in Accounting, can you take a gap year before you spend a further two years with KPMG to achieve the Chartered Accountant qualification?

Any advice/information etc will be greatly appreciated!

First of all congratulations on the SL scheme. They are tough to get into.

In a nutshell, if you are sure that accountancy is for you (either within practice or in industry)- then the KPMG SL scheme is good. You have one of the best names in the field on your CV, a solid degree and extra work exp. However, if you are unsure whether you want to have a career within the financial services or some other area, and not just audit, then the SL scheme can be problematic. The ACA will open many doors- but from what I've heard moving from audit of one firm to the CF department of the same firm is hard enough let alone switching to a completely different line i.e. banking, consultancy at a different firm.

I do believe that the degree route will leave more options open and that's why I chose this.

After interning at KPMG, I met a large number of school leavers who were loving the job- getting paid, uni, experience etc. I've met others who only did it so that they didn't have any uni debt- and are thinking of jumping ship straight away.

Also remember: you will be doing audit. Try and get some experience of audit before you commit to anything and don't just look at it from the viewpoint of an entry level employee (there will be a lot of grunt work at this stage) but instead judge it from the perspective of someone with 3 to 4 years experience (the work will be more interesting then).

This really is a question of accounting vs. potential of other careers. Research how easy it will be to transition from one path to another with the ACA in hand. Hopefully you make the right decision for yourself. Good luck

I've not got into the SL scheme, I was just looking at it! But think I'll definitely apply! I wouldn't be doing the scheme though because of no uni debt, that doesn't bother me. Yes I'm getting some work experience so hopefully that will help me decide. Thank you for the advice.