This report aims to investigate student's choices for studying accounting in New Zealand polytechnics. It provides information on students’ motives for choosing the institute and their expectations of the accounting programmes it is offering. The gap between accounting education and practice is an increasing problem for accounting firms. The skills accounting graduates display are often not the skills the workplace is interviewing for. This creates problems for accounting students trying to make a career in the industry. If they are not showing the skills that employers are looking for, their chances of finding paid employment are much lower. Nine polytechnic students studying for an accounting degree were interviewed for this report, using convenience and then snowball methods. The researcher followed a question guide for each interview focused on gaining the student’s opinions. Tentative results have found that students are satisfied with their overall level of learning. Study at the polytechnic was chosen over university because of flexible class times and being able to have a life outside of study. University was considered huge and scary, but also difficult for international students to pass entry criteria. There were 78 percent of students studying the CAANZ major, but only 56 percent wanted to study further to gain Chartered Accountant qualifications. This report will be of benefit to polytechnics as it will assist them in attracting and retaining more students
