After years of being U.S.-based only, the CPA exam is going international due to high demand for the CPA exam around the world. Read on to learn who is eligible to sit for the exam in international locations and how to sign up.
In response to rapidly escalating international demand for U.S. CPA licensure, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has announced that the U.S. CPA exam will be offered internationally for the first time in 2011. In 2010 more than 10,000 international CPA candidates traveled to the U.S. to take the CPA exam, and now the international exam will provide additional opportunities for candidates who want to become U.S. certified CPAs. The first five countries selected for international testing of the U.S. CPA exam are Japan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
These countries were selected due to high demand for the U.S. CPA exam among citizens and businesses and the volume demand of candidates from those countries taking the exam in the United States (nearly one-third of international candidates who traveled to the U.S. to take the exam last year were from Japan). The countries were also chosen because all security procedures performed at U.S. Prometric Testing Centers can take place within them. As the AICPA gains more experience with international exam testing, more countries are expected to be added to the list.
Who is eligible to sit for the international CPA exam?
Citizens and long-term residents in each of the countries in which the testing is taking place are eligible. In the Middle East, citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan may take the exam in Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, and the UAE. U.S. citizens living abroad are eligible to test at any of the international locations. Although available internationally, the exam will be in English.
How can I sign up?
International candidates must choose the U.S. jurisdiction through which they will apply, contact that jurisdiction’s Board of Accountancy for an application, and submit the application and any fees. Once they are approved to take the exam they can schedule a date to take the exam. Not all U.S. jurisdictions are participating in the International CPA Examination Administration program, so make sure the jurisdiction you choose is a participant and that you meet that accountancy board’s eligibility requirements.
When can I take the exam?
International CPA testing will start in August 2011 and take place during the second month of each testing window (February, May, August, and November). All four sections of the exam will be available during each testing window.
International candidates will be required to sign an “informed consent” form before taking the exam, which will require the candidate to agree to certain conditions, including agreeing to become licensed upon passing the examination. International candidates are also subject to some additional fees on top of the regular exam fees.
Upon passing the exam, international candidates will be listed in the International Candidate Database as having completed the exam. If the candidate does not become a licensed CPA within three years of passing the exam, their scores will be removed from the database and archived. The scores will be released from the archive once the candidate meets the requirements to become certified (as set by the state they applied for the exam through).
If you live abroad and are interested in becoming a CPA, you need to take the U.S. CPA Exam as part of certification – and now you can do it internationally! Start studying with an online CPA exam review course and you will be ready to take the International CPA exam in no time at all.
