To be eligible for entry into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP), all applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements:
Three or four-year undergraduate or master’s degree
14 prerequisite courses completed either as:
120-credit hours of post-secondary education
Provide satisfactory evidence of good character
Please note: only Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, or persons who are otherwise lawfully permitted to work and study in Canada may be enrolled in the CPA PEP program.
For more information, please refer to the International Students page.
Completion of the prerequisite courses can be completed as part of an undergraduate or graduate degree through a post-secondary institution; or through the CPA Preparatory Courses offered by the CPA Western School of Business (CPAWSB). Students should note the different grade and time requirements of the prerequisite courses.
Must be completed within the past 10 years
60% minimum grade per course
65% overall grade average required
Intermediate Financial Reporting I
Intermediate Financial Reporting II
Advanced Financial Reporting
Corporate Finance
Audit and Assurance
Taxation
Intermediate Management Accounting
Performance Management
Information Technology*
No time limit
50% minimum grade per course
Introductory Financial Accounting
Introductory Management Accounting
Economics
Statistics
Business Law
*Information Technology is a core prerequisite requirement for admission to CPA PEP, effective May 1, 2022. For more information on this change, visit this page.
Course exemptions may be granted if you have completed course equivalents through a post-secondary institution:
If you have completed some or all of your prerequisite course equivalents at one or more major post-secondary institutions within British Columbia or the Yukon, please see our Academic Prerequisites to see how your course equivalents count towards meeting the program admission requirements.
Alternatively, students who lack some or all of the prerequisite knowledge required for admission to the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) may choose to complete the CPA Preparatory Courses offered by the CPA Western School of Business (CPAWSB).
CPABC’s regulatory mandate is to protect the public. In addition to the above prerequisite requirements, as of August 2019, applicants may only be enrolled as students if the applicant has provided satisfactory evidence that they are of good character. Please consult the Good Character Requirement section for more details.
Visit our Application Steps page to learn more about the application process.
CPAWSB and AFOA Collaborate on Tailored CPA Certification Program Offerings.