US Certified Public Accountant Exam
(CPA Course)

CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is a designation given by AICPA to the individuals who have passed the Uniform CPA exam, met the required and relevant experience. The CPA designation enforces high professional standards in the field of accounting.

The CPA Exams are administered by AICPA, the world's largest accounting body. AICPA offers membership to all the aspirants successfully clearing all 4 CPA exams. CPA license, however, is issued by the 55 state boards of accountancy of the US that are part of NASBA. Each state board has different eligibility criteria that the aspirant needs to meet to take the US CPA exams.

There are indeed many job opportunities in India for US CPA qualified professionals. Obviously, there are the big 4s like Deloitte, EY, etc where CPAs have an opportunity. Apart from the big 4s there are many more international companies like PwC India hiring CPAs even right now. According to Naukri.com there are around 26,426 job openings for a CPA in India as of now and this number keeps increasing, changing every day.

There are four sections in the CPA exam:

You need a score of 75 or higher to pass the CPA exam. Specifically, you must earn a 75 or higher on each of the four tests that make up the CPA exam.

There is no negative marking in the US CPA exam.

There are four sections in the CPA exam. The total duration of the exam is 16 hours (4 hours for each section).

Simandhar Education has corporate tie-ups with Invesco, EY, Citrin Cooperman, etc.

CPA has 4 papers compared to the CA exam which has 3 levels and 18 papers on a whole. Moreover, CPA takes less than a year to complete. The CA, on the other hand, takes close to 5 years to complete.

No, ACCA doesn't give credit for CPA. NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) and the state board of accountancy govern CPA's eligibility rules.

Mr. Sripal Jain (CA, CPA) is the Co-Founder and Lead Instructor at Simandhar Education.

CA and US CPA are both professional qualifications. However, the qualities, structures, and durations differ completely; also please note there are no exemptions in any of the subjects as ICAI currently don't have MOU with AICPA, so you will need to write four sections in order to pass the CPA exam.

CPA exam fee is $1000 and International testing fee is $1500. Additionally, $225 for evaluation making the overall CPA exam cost INR 2, 00,000 without training fee.

There are many US firms all over the globe, and a lot of accountancy related assignments are being outsourced to India. There are many US companies now in India, so the job scope is good. Companies like Deloitte, EY, Amazon, Synchrony, Invesco and so many more frequently hire in India.

ACCA is a UK program, it is a good course, but the scope for jobs in UK companies is limited worldwide.

We select the state for you based on your educational background and make sure you get maximum credits as required. US CPA is a uniform exam and the paper will be the same no matter which state you apply from.

CPA US is a 4- paper exam- Online 50% MCQ, 50% SIMS (Case Law based questions)

Exam format: MCQs, simulations, and written communications.
The student will have access to Authoritative literature when he is answering Simulations part in all the 4 papers. Authoritative literature comprises of GAAP, IRS, GAAS where a student can use it to answer, but it requires a lot of practice to locate the exact answer as it is too vast to search.

Yes, a graduation degree from IGNOU is considered valid for the CPA exam. IGNOU Graduation can give you 60 or 90 credits depending on the MOU, if the MOU is for 1 year- then 60 credits, if you're writing B. Com for 3 years – 90 credits.

A qualifications are both related to finance, there are significant differences between the two. A CFA's expertise is focused on the investment industry. Consequently, CFAs work as portfolio managers, investment advisors, and research analysts.
A CPA, on the other hand, is a specialist in accounting and taxes. You can find CPAs working in public accounting and also in the finance departments of small and large businesses.

B.Com gives you a total of 90 credits and to qualify for the CPA exam you need 120 credits but there are certain states which allow you to sit for CPA exam even with 90 credits provided you sign an undertaking that you will meet the balance credits within 18 months of appearing for the first paper. Yes, you can do CPA but you need to sign an undertaking and we will help you with a bridge course to meet the balance credits. Additionally, B. Com with NAAC A- First division is also an eligibility criterion.

A CPA's knowledge is more broad-based. An individual who holds the CPA license would have proper expertise in a wide-variety of finance-related areas. A CFA is a more specialized course and is targeted at those who want to work in the investment management profession. Compare and know the details of both CPA vs CFA designations.

To be eligible to appear for the US CPA exam one must have 120 credits, each graduation is converted into 30 years of credits thereby adding 90 credits for 3 years, if your NAAC A, the first division you will get 30 additional credits. To apply for the license, one must have 150 credits. Although certain other requirements vary by jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has specific requirements about education, experience, and residency. Refer to your jurisdiction's application materials for additional information.

The continuous testing window is applied now; they will need to apply for NTS again and write the exam.

The exam has 324 multiple-choice questions, 20 simulation questions, and 3 written communication (essay) questions.

Both US residents and foreign nationals who meet the requirements of a particular state board can take the CPA exam.

The aspirant who is willing to take the CPA exam must have to pass all four sections (AUD, FAR, BEC & REG) within 18 months. The sections can be taken in any order as per the candidate’s wish and the credit for any of the sections shall be valid for 18 months from the actual exam date. Also, the credit of the examination expires by section. Once the candidate passed outside the period of 18 months then he/she has to retake those sections.

A Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) is someone who has earned a professional designation with a combination of experience, education and licensing. Besides, The US CPA designation enforces high professional standards in the fields of finance and accounting.

In this broad field, CPAs can hold various positions ranging from financial analysts and staff accountants to CFOs. They are responsible for recording, analyzing, and reporting financial information for organizations. Additionally, they perform budgeting and internal auditing functions.

US CPA is a designation given to the individuals who have passed the uniform CPA exam and met required educational qualifications. Chartered Accountant (CA) is the professional who has passed the CA exam.

When it comes to which course is difficult between CPA and CA, we can’t come to a conclusion of stating a particular course. But, we have to know the exam pattern of both CPA and CA.

The CPA exam has 4 parts:

1. Audit
2. Regulation
3. FAR
4. BEC

The CA exam has 3 levels:

1. Foundation level
2. Intermediate level
3. Final level

In general, the US CPAs work with strict reporting deadlines at heavily regulated industries. It often leads to overtime work regularly. Maybe general accounting work leads to boring work for most people. Apart from the work of CPA, the designation itself has a huge demand across many countries.

CPA can bring many and better opportunities for you. After US CPA, you can explore opportunities in organizations that require knowledge of US GAAP, US Tax and US Audit. CPA US has global recognition, and the scope is not just limited to India or the US, but you can find opportunities across the globe.

US CPA and CFA both are well-respected credentials. The US CPA exam consists of 4 exam parts: AUD, BEC, FAR & REG. Whereas CFA is a three-level exam covering some topics like Economics, Accounting, Ethics, Security Analysis and Money Management. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) has a lower entry-barrier when compared to the US CPA.

One must have to pass the CPA exam within 18 months and meet the required relevant experience of 2 to 3 years in accounting or finance to become a licenced CPA.

Definitely not. The CPA exam just consists of 4 papers, and it's very easy to pass. The exam consists of Multiple Choice Questions, Task-based simulations and Written communication tasks.

According to Payscale, the US CPA's average salary is INR 7,00,000 per year and the average salary of a CFA INR 5,50,000 per year.

A minimum of 12 to 18 months time is enough to clear the CPA exam.

The Certified Public Accountants are in demand across many industries. They can command high salaries because of their expertise in financing. Also, many companies retain the CPA's accounting talent by paying good salaries along with hikes and bonuses.
The average salary for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in India is ₹701,387.

The CPA certification paves countless opportunities to work for some of the most renowned companies around the world.

Mentioned below are some of the best jobs in India for a CPA:

• Senior Financial Analyst
• Risk and Compliance Professional
• Corporate Controller
• Accounting Software Developer
• Information technology Accountant
• Personal Financial Advisor
• Finance Director

With more than five years of experience, a US CPA can earn between $68,000 to $130,000.

Yes, you can become an accountant without a CPA designation. The regular Accountant does the reporting and recording of financial transactions. Anyone who does accounting without any professional degree can call themselves an accountant. Without any certification degree, the accountants can perform some tasks like general accounting and bookkeeping.

The educational requirement is to have 120 or 150 credits depending on the state you want to apply for from a NAAC recognized college. A candidate must also have certain designated hours in accounting and each university academic year in India provides 30 credits.
Completing your three-year graduation would provide you with 30*3=90 credits unless you have passed it with first-class you will get 120 credits. In any other case to get the rest credits you must either go for a master's degree or a diploma course at any professional course such as CA/CWA etc. You must also keep in mind that you complete the required hours in accounting or else you will have to take extra classes to complete the rest credits.

1. Business Environment and Concepts (BEC)
2. Auditing and Attestation (AUD)
3. Regulation (REG)
4. Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)

Certified Public Accountant

The average salary CPAs earn (in India) is found to be INR 7,68,552 per year. Most people move on to other jobs if they have more than 10 years' experience as CPA. A Chartered Accountant (in India) earns INR 6,08,976 per year on an average.

Both CA and CPA are highly qualified professional certifications, but the CA course (which is limited to only India) has a strong focus on the technical aspects of accounting and complex tax matters. The CPA course (globally recognized) has a broader focus on accounting and business management.

Nowadays, no state board allows associate degree or 3-year degree holders to get the CPA license. Colorado and Michigan used to recognize CA certificates as a prerequisite to sit for the exam, and many Indian candidates applied through them.

CA and CPA both great professions together are definitely an amazing combination. If you are a Chartered Accountant who wishes to explore the world and global opportunities, also get proper experience in MNCs then going for CPA (Certified Public Accountant) certification is your chance to unlock the arena of career options.

CPA is a globally recognized accounting professional, even a B.Com graduate who is unable to do Chartered Accountancy because of the time span of 5 years can do CPA and get a good salary. Being a CPA one can go abroad and set up their own practice or get employment.

Candidates who passed CA (Inter) or CWA (Inter) or CS (Inter) exams are eligible for CPA. And, candidates who have passed MBA (finance) with 70% marks and above (with minimum 4 elective subjects in finance) are eligible for accelerated CPA course.

Yes. The most valuable addition of a CMA certification for an existing CPA is to see how he/she is equipped with working in management accounting, especially the costing area. If the CPA qualification and the external audit job doesn't cover much on management accounting, a CMA certification can help fill the gap.

Yes. In fact, some CMAs go on to get the CPA to further widen their career opportunities. But again, candidates still must meet all of the requirements for the CPA license;they won't get any exam exemptions if a candidate is a CMA holder.

Holding an international designation like CPA Australia is always a value-addition to existing qualifications, provides good career opportunities and helps you stand out from other professionals.

Most people find that the CPA is a bit harder. However, CMA can be more useful for accounting professionals. People who take the CMA will find a greater focus on management accounting. If this is the field they work in already, this is going to be an easier exam.

Having a CPA license also opens the doors to more benefits, whether that comes in the form of better benefits for a higher ranking job or through negotiating power. Since CPAs are in higher demand than their non-CPA counterparts, CPAs can negotiate better benefits.

Doubling down on accounting credentials, especially obtaining both your CPA license and CMA certification can broaden your knowledge base of accounting concepts and skills, enhance your marketability and provide numerous other benefits.

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification is a certification that public accountants can obtain in order to provide accounting and financial services to businesses and individuals. A CPA provides assurance for investors, creditors, and other stakeholders who need to evaluate an organization's financial performance.

Yes. Passing the CPA Exam can not only help elevate your personal credentials, but may also help distinguish you from other candidates when applying to new job positions. To get the most out of your accounting career, getting your CPA license is the key to doing so.

A CPA can be a great career for someone who has the right experience and skill sets. They work in some of the most prestigious industries such as banking, finance, and healthcare. With some experience, they can also land jobs with other companies in different industries.

The AICPA does not limit the number of times you may take the CPA Exam. With a pass rate of approximately 50%, steep examination requirements, and regularly updating materials, many candidates will take one or more sections multiple times on their path to the CPA certification.

There are many different jobs that you can get with a CPA, so you'll want to explore your options. Some job opportunities include business taxes, management consulting firms, credit counseling agencies, and private equity firms.

In general, it's recommended that CPA candidates study for 300-400 hours for the CPA exam in total to ensure you pass. Essentially, this equates to about 80-100 hours of CPA study hours for each exam section.

If you failed a CPA exam section, you can sit for it in the next month or two and score 75 or above. You only need 2-6 weeks to study for this retake, assuming you can put in around 15-20 hours per week of CPA exam study time.

The Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination (CPA Exam) is the examination administered to people who wish to become U.S. Certified Public Accountants.

The CPA exams are conducted four times a year. The months when the Exams are conducted are termed as testing windows. The Testing windows are open for the following four time periods every year.

• January 1 - March 10
• April 1 - June 10
• July 1 - September 10
• October 1 - December 10

After a successful pilot testing of the CPA exam in India during 2020, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) have decided to switch to continuous CPA Exam testing from January 1, 2021.

The choice totally depends on you. CPA is a better course than an MBA if accounting is your interest. It also opens the avenues of the international job market and you get perfectly equipped for the various job roles across the world.

The Certified Public Accountant or CPA course is equivalent to the CA course in India. CPA course is a license issued by any State out of the 55 States of the USA. After the completion of course, the CPA professionals can find high-profile jobs in the sectors of banking, construction, financial services and manufacturing etc.

If you are interested in management opportunities or general business consulting, then an MBA would be better. On the other hand, you should become a CPA, especially if you want to work for a big four accounting firm.

A certified public accountant, or CPA, is a finance professional who has passed the CPA exam and helps individuals, organizations and businesses interpret and communicate their financial data. CPAs assist with managing expenses, investments, taxes, audits and planning and reaching financial goals.

The main difference between CAs and CPAs is that the CPA is used in the United States, while CA is used in India. If these CA professionals pass a test, their qualifications can transfer to the United States, working as CPAs.

What you should study after CPA depends on what you want to do. If you want to go into the finance industry, then it is best to take a course in accounting. If you want to work in marketing, then it is best to take a course in marketing or management.

Yes. It is possible to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), especially if the candidate has met the 150 semester hours of college coursework required to be licensed.

Yes. The CPA and CFA combination is best suited if you plan to work in the research department within investment banks, hedge funds, and mutual funds or plan to hold another job in the investment or finance community.

Testing for CPA Exam candidates at test centres in India will begin on January 1, 2021. Also, the candidates may begin to use the scheduler on November 2, 2020.

Indian candidates may schedule to take the "US CPA Exam" in the Prometric locations given below:

The Certified Public Accountants are in demand across many industries. They can command high salaries because of their expertise in financing. Also, many companies retain the CPA's accounting talent by paying good salaries along with hikes and bonuses.

The average salary for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in India is ₹701,387.

The CPA exam requirements vary by state jurisdiction. Every state board of accountancy has a different set of requirements, but most states have a core set of qualifications for a candidate to be eligible for the CPA exam.

Below are the requirements to obtain CPA license.

Yes, Candidates who passed CA (Inter) exam are also eligible to do CPA.

Simandhar Education follows Becker (a global education provider headquartered in the US) study material for CPA.

Simandhar Education provides you with access to Live Interactive classes from anywhere in the world and provides the facility to access recorded videos for students who seek to revisit the material taught.

The reasons behind "How Simandhar Education different from other Institutes" are:

2020 CPA Exam Pass Rates

275+ hours of video lessons per section by Top CPA.

No, US CMA doesn't give credit for CPA.

Yes, Simandhar Education provides evaluation and licensing assistance for CPA. The CPA aspirant must have 2,000 hours of work experience in taxation, auditing, accounting and management consultancy (need not be under a CPA supervisor, Mr.Sripal Jain (CA,CPA) can verify for you).

US CPA license is used mainly when one wants to be self-employed and practice as a Certified Public Accountant living in the US.

A CPA's knowledge is more broad-based. An individual who holds the CPA license would have expertise in a wide variety of finance-related areas. A CFA is a more specialized course and is targeted at those who want to work in the investment management profession. Compare the details of CPA vs CFA designations.

Certified Public Accountants work in a wide range of professions. You can find them in banking, financial services, government jobs, and education. However, most CPAs are employed in public accounting or corporate accounting.

No, the exam is NOT in an open book format. You are not allowed any resources in the testing center while taking the exam.

The Notice to Schedule (NTS) is your notification that you may begin scheduling your examination with Prometric. It is a Hall ticket. NTS is issued in 2-4 weeks of exam application at the CPA Central.

Certified Public Accountants provide a range of services across different types of organizations.

To be eligible to appear for the US CPA exam one must have 120 credits, each graduation is converted into 30 years of credits thereby adding 90 credits for 3 years, if your NAAC A, the first division you will get 30 additional credits. To apply for the license, one must have 150 credits. Although certain other requirements vary by jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has specific requirements about education, experience, and residency. Refer to your jurisdiction's application materials for any additional information.

Your NTS will be valid for a specific amount of time. This time varies by jurisdiction. For most of the states, it is valid for 6 months whereas for a few it has 9 months validity. You must sit for the examination before your NTS expires. If you do not sit for the examination within the established time frame, your NTS will be expired and you will need to submit a new application to receive a new NTS. The expiration date will be mentioned on the NTS.

You need a score of 75 or higher to pass the CPA exam. Specifically, you must earn a 75 or higher on each of the four tests that make up the CPA exam.

If you are appearing for exams in any country other than the US you will have to take the license within 3 years of passing the CPA exam or your credits will lapse. If you appear for the exam in the US you have to apply for a license within 10 years.

Yes, you can hold a multiple state license provided you meet the CPE (Continuous Professional Education) as per the state rule.

To decide when to take the CPA exam, follow these steps:

According to the AICPA, 2021 CPA Exam scores will be released on the following CPA Exam score release dates:

Once you have found the estimated date your scores will be released, you will need to login to the NASBA website to access your scores. NASBA releases your scores to your state board of accountancy, but be aware that not all boards use the online score retrieval service, so check with your state board for support on where to find your CPA scores.

For most candidates, Prometric sends Exam data files to the AICPA within 24 hours after you complete testing.

Your target release dates are based on two factors:

Most of the changes have been delayed due to the pandemic. Here there are minor changes made to the exam for January 2021, there isn’t a major change.

Regulation (REG)

Removal of the CARES Act changes which were made in October 2020

Exam Topic: Individual and Corporate Taxation.

Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR)

Auditing and Business Environment & Concepts Increased emphasis on the following:

Business processes and internal controls

Use of SOC 1 reports

Understanding the importance of SOC 1 reports for outsourced IT functions

Topics Expected to be Removed from the Exam:

There are certain topics that are also expected to be removed from the uniform US CPA Exam which are:

Changes in Content and Skill Weighting:

AUD

There are no particular weighting changes for FAR and REG

AICPA (American Institute of CPAs) publishes the blueprints and summary of the revisions. For complete information about CPA material, click: AICPA.

AICPA & NASBA administered the CPA exam in India at eight Prometric test centers.

Testing for CPA Exam candidates at test centers in India will begin January 1, 2021. Also, the candidates may begin to use the scheduler on November 2, 2020.

To take the CPA exam in India, you must be a long-term resident or citizen of the following countries:

AICPA had given an official statement regarding this stating that CPA exams will be held in India in December 2020. However, due to continuous havoc by COVID-19 even this decision was very unclear.

In times like these CPA exams being held in India is something that the candidates are really concerned about. Now the AICPA and NASBA have come to a proper conclusion finally and gave great news for all CPA aspirants that the CPA exam will be held in India continuously every month from January, 2021.

If you have already paid for the international administration process for another test region and wish to move to India, please send an email to iexam@nasba.org with the following information: