Academic Pathway

A PhD or Masters by Research in an accounting or finance discipline.

To be eligible for this pathway, you must currently hold an academic role and have completed at least three years of full-time academic employment (approx. 35 hours per week), including two consecutive years, at a higher education provider within the past 10 years.

While specific titles are not mandated, typical roles include Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Professor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor. Other roles may also be considered, provided they were full-time and recognised within the academic or professional community.

In reviewing applications, assessors will consider the size, reputation, and academic standing of the applicant’s institution, as well as their professional experience and alignment with CPA Australia’s competency requirements to become a CPA. Whether the university is accredited, public or private will not be determinative but may be used to inform overall evaluation.

Assessors will consider “subject(s) that leads to CPA Australia’s accreditation” as ones referring to CPA Australia’s core competency requirements (e.g. Management Accounting, Financial Accounting and Reporting).

All standard admission criteria also apply, including Fit and Proper requirements, Professional Practice Certificate (PPC) eligibility (where applicable), and verification of identity and documentation.

Download and fill out this PDF version of the Academic Pathway application form. 

Prepare the form so it is ready to be added to the application during the CPA membership process.

Before submitting your online application, make sure you’ve gathered all the required documents.

All supporting documentation must be provided in English. If your documents are in another language, they must be translated by a professional translator. We will assess both the original and the translated documents as part of your application.

The required documents include:

1. Academic Application Form - Completed Academic Pathway application form, signed and dated.
2. Proof of Identity / Identification (ID) - Please have your ID ready, as you will be prompted to complete an online ID verification while submitting your application
3. Detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) - A comprehensive CV must be submitted, outlining your academic career and responsibilities.
   Please include:
   
   • Employment history with dates and position titles
   • Subjects taught that relate to CPA Australia accredited content
4. A letter of support from your Department/Faculty/Head of School
   The letter of support must include:
   
   • your full name 
   • position title
   • whether you are employed on full-time or part-time basis, and specify the number of hours you work per week
   • a summary of your teaching role at the university 
   • name and contact details of the referee 
5. A testimonial from a current member of CPA Australia or another IFAC member body
   The IFAC testimonial must:
   
   • be signed by a current, fully qualified CPA (CPA or FCPA) or IFAC member in good standing
   • be issued on organisational letterhead, dated within the last six months and include your full name and position
   • referee’s relationship to you
   • referee’s professional body name, member ID, and contact details
   • details that demonstrate your academic capabilities and professional conduct.
6. Course outline/syllabus - syllabus or course outline of the accredited or equivalent subject(s) you teach (not required if subject/course is accredited by CPA Australia, or syllabus can be found online).
7. Evidence of a PhD or Masters by Research in completion in an accounting or finance discipline

You can start your CPA Australia membership application here.
Please upload all the required documents (as specified in Step 2) and submit your application.

Note: Please disregard the predicted outcome you will see on your online application prior to submission. This does not relate to the Academic Pathway.
(The predicted outcomes will also present a different membership fee. You can avoid this by not itemising the subjects within your undergraduate degree, or by contacting us to have it manually removed prior to submission.)

We’ll assess your application and, if required, request further information from you to support your application.

You may be eligible to earn CPA designation straight away, but if not, you may be assessed as eligible for other pathways to becoming a CPA.