CPA Professional Program FAQs

The Knowledge Assessment is an exam that assesses whether you have the prerequisite knowledge to position you for success in the program. It also provides a pathway for applicants who possess the prerequisite knowledge but do not have recognized coursework, such as career changers, international learners, or those with relevant experience gained outside traditional academic programs.

The Knowledge Assessment ensures all applicants enter the program with a consistent baseline of knowledge.

Applicants are required to write the Knowledge Assessment before starting the Foundational Development Module unless they qualify for an exemption through post-secondary coursework.

If you hold 45 credit hours in accounting and business as part of or in addition to a 120-credit-hour degree from a Canadian or international post-secondary institution and meet the other admission requirements, you may be exempt.

We anticipate sharing more information about specific courses at post-secondary institutions that meet the exemption criteria later in 2026.

To help you evaluate your readiness, practice exams will be available. Additional details, including the exam format and topics, will be provided later in 2026.

Knowledge Assessment results are valid for five years from the date the exam is written.

Yes. If you complete the CPA preparatory courses before the transition deadline and meet the other admission requirements, you are exempt from the Knowledge Assessment and can enter Foundational Development.

The national CPA preparatory program will be offered until at December 2027, after which point they will no longer be available. The final date to register for a course is October 20, 2027, and the final exam sitting will be in December 2027. There will be no rewrites available after the final exam sitting.

Students who have successfully met the degree and GPA admission requirements for the CPA Professional Program but have not completed all coursework requirements will be eligible for the following options:

• Complete the remaining courses at a post-secondary institution (PSI) and enter the CPA Professional Program Foundational Module directly.
• Pass the Knowledge Assessment to gain entry to the CPA Professional Program Foundational Module.

No, the Knowledge Assessment is one option, but not the only one.

You may also complete missing accounting and business courses at a post-secondary institution and then submit official transcripts. You do not need to complete all courses at the same post-secondary institution.

The CPA Professional Program is different from the current program. It is being developed to meet the standards set out in Competency Map 2.0 and uphold the rigour of the CPA profession.

The CPA Professional Program consists of four modules, exams, and a practical experience component.

Details about the exam structure will be provided in 2026.

Yes, the exams will be consistent across the country.

Starting in September 2027, all exams in the new program will be offered annually in January, May, and September.

The new CPA Professional Program will include three comprehensive, summative examinations keeping with the current practice of incorporating cases to test the competencies of anyone on the path to the CPA. This was informed through comprehensive research across accounting bodies and other professions around the world to examine best practices and modern approaches as well as looking at the latest pedagogical methods.

There will be a May CFE in 2026. In 2027 and 2028, there will be one CFE written in September of each year. The September 2028 CFE is the final one.

You can–and we recommend that you do–continue in the current program until the module or exam you require is no longer offered, at which point you will need to transition to the new program. Everyone must transition by December 2028. For example, if you do not pass Core 2 by its final offering, you will need to transition to the new program.

Yes. There will be criteria for people to enter without a degree. The specific requirements will be shared later in 2026.

We anticipate sharing a detailed schedule in Fall 2026.

Canada’s CPA certification pathway is moving from the current program (CPA Certification Program) to the new program (CPA Professional Program). Current candidates may be able to transition depending on eligibility.

The transition period is January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2028. Eligible candidates may apply to transition during this window. More information on ‘how to apply for transition’ will be shared later this year.

No. Not all candidates will transition. Some candidates will remain in the current program and must complete their requirements under current program rules.

The primary indicator is your program time limit:

• If your time limit ends after December 31, 2028, you may be eligible to transition (subject to other requirements).
• If your time limit ends before December 31, 2028, you are not eligible to transition and must complete the current program within your existing time limit. For the purpose of transition eligibility, the CPA PER completion deadline is the date used to determine whether your time limit ends before, or after, December 31, 2028.

Yes. To transition, candidates must also meet standard administrative requirements, including: being active and in good standing, re-enrolled for the academic year, no outstanding fees, PERT up to date and reviewed, good character requirements met, no outstanding penalties, and training contract compliance.

No. Transition is not automatic. Eligible candidates must submit a Transition Application, and transition is confirmed only after the CPA Atlantic School of Business reviews and approves it. More information on ‘how to apply for transition’ will be shared later this year.

Not necessarily. If you are close to completing the current program and have a viable path to finish using available offerings, we generally encourage you to stay and complete the current program. If you are unsure, contact us for advising.

If you choose not to transition, you may remain in the current program only if you still have a viable path to complete your remaining requirements through available offerings. If required offerings are no longer available, you may need to consider other options (including withdrawal and later applying under the new program rules).

Your placement will be based on what you have already completed in the current program (modules/exams and CFE status), and practical experience recognized to date (including intended licensure path, where applicable). Placement is confirmed when your transition is approved.

For a visual overview of CPA Professional Program components required based on CPA PEP completion, review the transition guide.

Yes. In the new program, candidates may get three attempts per module and per challenge exam, regardless of prior attempts in the current program, if their time limit allows.

Candidates who transition may receive up to three (3) additional years to complete outstanding requirements in the new program. This is not automatic and will be assessed individually—not everyone will receive the full three years.