CPA Australia - Membership

Membership

CPA Program consists of 14 education segments and a fully integrated practical experience requirement. The educational component of CPA Program has two parts: the foundation level and the professional level.

To be a CPA, candidates must hold a degree or a postgraduate award recognised by CPA Australia, have demonstrated competence in CPA Australia’s prescribed foundation level knowledge and within a six-year period have successfully completed CPA Australia’s professional level examinations and the Practical Experience Requirement.

The foundation level represents the first eight exams (segments) of CPA Program, and each designed to assess technical knowledge gained through work experience or study to ensure candidates are ready to undertake the professional level of CPA Program. The completion of an accredited or recognised degree, such as an accounting degree, will often meet all the requirements of the Foundation level and allow candidates to commence at the professional level.

The professional level is made up of six post-graduate education segments and builds on this strong foundation with higher level analysis, judgment, decision making and reporting and focuses on areas that ensure a CPA is valued by any employer - ethics, governance, leadership and strategy.

The three-year practical experience requirement, part of the professional level of CPA Program, has been designed in response to the needs of different stakeholders including employers, industry and graduates. The practical experience requirement develops candidates technical, business, personal effectiveness and leadership skills.

Candidates entry point into CPA Program will be determined by an individual assessment of prior education and experience. The completion of an accredited or recognised degree, such as an accounting degree, will often meet all the requirements of the foundation level and allow you to commence at the professional level.

Compulsory CPD applies to all ASA, CPA and FCPA members, including retired members who provide public accounting services, in any year (whether or not this is for reward). Upon renewing membership each year members are required to declare their ongoing compliance with the CPA Australia constitution, by-laws and minimum continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. Fulfilment of 120 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours per triennium (3-year period) with a minimum of 20 CPD hours in each year is required for continued membership. Members must monitor their own CPD hours and CPA Australia also conducts random audits of members to confirm that they are meeting the CPD requirements.

Full members of CPA Australia use the designatory letters CPA, (CPA (Aust.) in Hong Kong). Senior members may become Fellows and use the letters FCPA, (FCPA (Aust.) in Hong Kong).

CPA Australia has approximately 132,000 members (CPA/FCPA/ASA). An increasing proportion of these members are from other countries or Australians located overseas.