Becoming a chartered accountant: path and realities of the profession
DCG, DSCG, internship, DEC, exercise, firm and field requirements: what you need to know to become a chartered accountant in 2026.
Expert note: This article was written by our chartered accountancy firm. Information is current as of 2026. For a personalised review of your situation, contact us.
Becoming a chartered accountant: career path and realities of the profession
Updated March 30, 2026 - Becoming a chartered accountant requires following a long, demanding and very professional path. In 2026, the general plan remains known: accounting training, accounting internship, then DEC. But you also need to understand the reality on the ground, beyond the diploma.
The general route
The classic path goes through:
- ▸basic training in accounting;
- ▸the DCG;
- ▸the DSCG;
- ▸the internship;
- ▸the DEC.
The Order, Onisep and SIEC each recall this logic at their level.
To complete, see Training for accountant, BTS accounting and management and DEC dissertation: Generation Z and the liberal accounting profession.
What the job really requires
- ▸technical rigor;
- ▸long-term work capacity;
- ▸quality of organization;
- ▸relational ease;
- ▸adaptation to tools and regulatory developments.
Hayot Expertise advice: wanting to become a chartered accountant is not just aiming for a title. It means accepting a job that mixes technique, responsibility, customer relations and continuous learning.
The most frequent errors of perception
- ▸believe that the job is limited to data entry;
- ▸underestimate the length of the route;
- ▸do not look at the different forms of exercise;
- ▸ignore the growing importance of tools and advice.
Do you want to better understand access routes and outlets?
We can help you read the course from a realistic perspective: level of requirements, opportunities and transformation of the profession.
Quick link: Discover the realities of the profession and the exercise
Conclusion
In 2026, becoming a chartered accountant remains an ambitious and very structuring project. Success is as much about technical progression as it is about the ability to last over time and to project oneself into an evolving profession.
Contact: Do you want to understand if this course really corresponds to your profile and your project? Our firm can help you ask the right questions about the profession and its realities. Make an appointment with Hayot Expertise
(Official sources: Order of Chartered Accountants, Onisep, SIEC)
Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
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