Bursary scheme

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Bursary scheme

“A candle in the dark”: I was trafficked and tortured, but the AAT Bursary gives me hope for the future

8 Sep 2022
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When MD Hossain arrived in the UK from Bangladesh in September 2014, his plan was to build on the Master of Business Studies degree he had attained in his home country by studying for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification.

“I love accounting and came to the UK to take advantage of the studying opportunities available here,” says Hossain, 34.

However, his plans went badly awry when he met some fraudsters while travelling in Austria and lost his passport, his money and cards, and his student visa.

“I lost everything,” he adds. “I went to the authorities, but because I am an immigrant, it took several months to sort out and by the time I got back to the UK, my student visa had run out.”

Sadly, Hossain’s luck didn’t change once he was back on UK soil. While trying to find a way to earn money without a visa, he fell in with another bad crowd who promised to give him a job but betrayed him and turned him into a slave.

“I trusted those people, but I ended up being trafficked and tortured,” Hossain says. “It was a very traumatic experience that left me needing medical treatment for several years.”

Since escaping the clutches of his captors, he has been living in a safe house while the Home Office reviews his application for a new visa.

“I can’t earn any money because I don’t have a work visa, even though my application has been in the system for several years now,” Hossain says.

“However, I am extremely grateful to the team here at the safe house, the admissions department at my local college in Cheshire, and now the AAT itself for helping me to find a way to keep studying the subject I love.”

A new start: Hossain’s AAT journey

Hossain began studying with AAT last year after the team at his safe house worked with the local college to fund a place for him.

His previous accounting experience meant he was able to start with Level 3, in which he has so far scored more than 90% in all but one of his exams.

“I really wanted to start again,” Hossain says. “Accounting is in my blood, but I couldn’t raise the money to continue studying with no work rights or income, so it was amazing to be given this opportunity.”

While he was looking into the funding options available, he also came across the AAT Bursary, which he decided to apply for to enable him to carry on with his studies and complete Level 4.

“I explained my story in my application,” Hossain adds. “But when I found out I had been accepted about two months ago, I almost couldn’t believe it.

“I was feeling so hopeless at that time, so it took a while for it to sink in. When it did, I just started shouting: ‘I got it, I got it!’”

He will now start his Level 4 course in January 2023.

Big dreams: Hossain’s career plans

Despite his visa application being stuck in the system, Hossain can continue to move forward with his Level 4 studies thanks to being awarded the AAT Bursary. And if he can, he’d like to go further still.

“I want to be a chartered accountant, so if my visa has been approved when I finish Level 4, I’d like to go back to studying for my ACCA qualification,” Hossain says.

“My dream is to work for a big firm such as KPMG, although I also wouldn’t rule out starting my own firm one day. Why not?”

About the AAT Bursary scheme

The AAT Bursary scheme supports financially disadvantaged students who are keen to study for an AAT qualification – helping to ensure that dedicated individuals can succeed in the sector regardless of their personal circumstances.

The scheme is open to UK residents aged 16 or over and includes a range of AAT accounting, bookkeeping, and business qualifications – from the Access Award in Bookkeeping (Level 1) and the Foundation Diploma in Accounting and Business (Level 2) for 16 to 19-year-olds to the Professional Diploma in Accounting (Level 4).

For successful applicants, it covers all the costs involved in taking the relevant qualification, thereby offering a potentially life-changing chance for people who would otherwise struggle to pay these costs.

How to apply for an AAT Bursary

You can apply for the AAT Bursary via the AAT website. To meet the eligibility criteria, you’ll need to be:

  • 16 or over
  • Resident in the UK
  • In genuine financial need

If you are not already enrolled with an AAT training provider, you’ll also have to find a suitable organisation that offers the course you want to do.

The application process involves filling in a form with five different sections, including sections on your financial position, what you want to study, and why you are applying.

Good luck!

AAT is proud to have been changing lives for more than four decades. Thank you to Hossain for sharing his inspirational story. We wish him the best of luck with both his studies and his career.

Further reading:

Jessica Bown is an award-winning freelance journalist and editor.

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