How to advance to CPA status

The three steps to CPA status

1. Hold a degree recognised by CPA Australia 

To become a CPA you must hold a degree that is assessed by CPA Australia as comparable to the Australian bachelor's degree level or at least 8 standard units (one year full-time) of the Australian postgraduate degree level. You can check your degree status by logging into My CPA Program, or alternatively check the official outcome of your membership application. If you are yet to notify us about your degree status, you can simply apply for an update of your membership application and submit your degree completion evidence.

2. Successfully complete the CPA Program education component

Check to see if you have successfully completed all your required CPA Program subjects by logging into My CPA Program. If you joined via a Mutual Recognition Agreement, please refer to your membership assessment result email, as you may have additional CPD requirements to complete.  Contact us if you are unsure or require support.

3. Satisfy the Your Experience requirement

To satisfy Your Experience you must submit a claims application that provides details of 36 months of experience and 10 skills. Your application must be signed-off by a CPA, FCPA or equivalent member of an International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) member body.

Once you have met all of your individual requirements you'll be notified of your new status via email.

If you believe you're eligible to advance to CPA status but have not received notification from CPA Australia, contact us.

When can you use the CPA designation?

As soon as you have received email confirmation from us about your new CPA status, you can start to use your CPA designation.

Remember to update your online profiles, business cards and resume.

There's more information on our page about what's next about professional development, membership obligations and member services.

When will you receive your certificate?

Certificate presentation ceremony dates and times vary by location. Some larger Australian states may run a presentation ceremony twice a year and others once a year. In smaller divisional locations the ceremony may be combined with the annual divisional AGM. Your email confirmation will provide you with details about your certificate presentation ceremony. If you have any questions about your certificate or ceremony, contact us.

Your membership fee

As an Associate member, you've paid a discounted annual membership fee each year. As a CPA, your next annual membership renewal notice (sent in November) will automatically update to reflect the CPA status fee for the following year.