The forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest. CPA may not be a forbidden fruit but it certainly is not in
reach for everyone. To taste and enjoy the benefits of CPA, you need to prove your worth to the
lords of NASBA. Unlike any other religion, the Accountancy religion in USA has 55 lords, from which
you can choose the kindest one who would let you cross the CPA eligibility threshold much easily.
I’ll stop it there, lest you wondering if CPA is a cult of some kind. Now that I think about it, it does
have characteristics of a cult. All those people spending years, forgoing the world around them, to
get the three letters “CPA†beside their name and reap the benefits of such abstract association.
Eligibility for CPA:
Most state boards of accountancy require a minimum of 150 hours of post-secondary education
from a regionally accredited institution. This typically equates to a Master’s degree.
In case my opening paragraph isn’t clear enough. There are 55 state boards offering the CPA license
and to be eligible for writing exam for their licence, you must meet the CPA eligibility requirements
set by that state board.
Most state boards also require a minimum number of college credits in various accounting topics
and business law. So if you want to become a CPA by first passing the CPA Exam, plan on obtaining a
Bachelor’s degree in accounting (typically at least 120 semester hours) as well as a Master’s degree
in accounting or taxation (typically at least 30 semester hours).
Now you see why I call them lords?
Earlier there were states like California, Colorado, Illinois, were more friendly to international
students but they have changed their stance and now almost all the states require the 150 semester
hours course work.
If you are a candidate from India, planning to take the CPA exam with a B.Com. You are,
unfortunately, ineligible to do so. To be able to write the CPA exam, you should, in addition to the
B.Com have a masters degree that covers the rest of 30 credits. You can do this by joining a distance
learning program of a recognized university.
If you need further help. Comment below and our experts will get in touch with you.
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