Certified Public Accountant Exam

The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam is a widely known and socially recognized exam in the country. Numerous economic and financial institutions; enterprises; and government units are in need of people with CPA certificates. The competition is fierce.

Purpose of the examination: It is a key link in the admission of the CPA profession, an important support for the professionalization of the profession, and plays the role of a wind vane for the professional selection and growth of CPA talents.

Exam value: industry access, some regions can correspond to the title

Exam Subject

The professional phase of the Unified National Examination for Certified Public Accountants tests whether candidates have the professional knowledge, basic professional skills and code of ethics needed to practice as a certified public accountant. Examination subjects: Accounting, Auditing, Tax Law, Economic Law, Corporate Strategy and Risk Management, Financial Cost Management.

The Comprehensive Stage of the Uniform National Examination for Certified Public Accountants tests the ability of candidates to apply their knowledge of professional disciplines in a professional environment in an integrated manner, to uphold professional values, follow professional ethics, adhere to professional attitudes, and effectively solve practical problems. The comprehensive phase of the examination consists of two courses, "Comprehensive Test of Vocational Aptitude (Paper I)" and "Comprehensive Test of Vocational Aptitude (Paper II)".

Exam Duration

The professional phase of the examination will be held on 26-28 August 2022 (of which: four subjects - accounting, financial cost management, economic law and tax law - will be administered in two sessions in some examination areas).

The comprehensive phase of the examination will be held on 27 August 2022.

Continuing education

Persons with professional and technical accounting qualifications shall attend continuing education from the year following the year in which they obtain professional and technical accounting qualifications, and persons who do not have professional and technical accounting qualifications but are engaged in accounting work shall attend continuing education from the year following the year in which they engage in accounting work and obtain the prescribed credits within the prescribed time.

Learn more China Institute of Certified Public Accountants - Talent Development (cicpa.org.cn)

As the saying goes, sometimes choice is more important than effort. Choosing the right track based on your strengths on the path to the CPA can greatly save the time and effort put into the exam.

Here's a look at what is required for exemption

1. Persons with senior accountants, senior auditors, senior economists and senior statisticians or senior technical titles of associate professor or associate researcher or above in economics, management and statistics-related disciplines may apply for exemption from the examination of one specialized subject in the professional phase of the Unified National Examination for Certified Public Accountants.

2. Where the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) has reached a mutual exemption of some examination subjects with overseas accounting professional organizations in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, those who meet the conditions for exemption may apply for exemption of some subjects from the examination.

Holders of HKICPA certificate are exempted from four examinations. Hkicpa is a Hong Kong Certified Public Accountant, one of the few certificates that can be mutually exempted with the domestic CPA three exempted subjects are: accounting, auditing, financial management and strategy.

Pass the ACA exam and be exempted from two exams. Financial cost management, and auditing, respectively.

3. Subjects exempted from the examination may not be changed once they have been determined.

Exemption Application Process

1. Fill out the Application Form for Exemption from the Professional Stage Examination Subjects of the Unified National Examination for Certified Public Accountants and provide: the exemption application form; a copy of the examination pass certificate that meets the exemption conditions; a copy of the identity document; a copy of the membership certificate of the overseas accounting professional organization; a recent standard identification photograph and other relevant information to the local examination office for examination.

2. The local examination office reviews the senior technical title certificate and produces the documentation for submission.

The approval will be granted within 30 working days after the review. The year in which the exemption takes effect is the year in which the exemption applicant submits the application.

Having said that the conditions for exemption from the exam are mentioned in passing the conditions for not being allowed to take the exam.

A person may not register for the CPA national examination if he or she

1. Those who have had their CPA certificate revoked for less than five years from the date of the penalty decision to the date of application for registration

2. Those who have not completed the period of suspension from taking the National Unified Examination for Certified Public Accountants in previous years due to irregularities.

3. Those who have passed the CPA examination

Enrollment Portal Online Registration for the Unified National Examination for Certified Public Accountants (cicpa.org.cn)

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