CA Program academic entry requirements & CA ANZ accredited courses

Understand the academic entry requirements to join the CA Program

In Brief

  • View a list of tertiary courses accredited by Chartered Accountants ANZ
  • Find out how to have your non-accredited degree assessed and bridge your knowledge with further study
  • See the flexible / alternate study pathways to enter the CA Program

Academic entry pathways

You can be admitted to provisional CA membership and the CA Program via one of the following academic pathways:

(a) Hold a CA ANZ accredited degree or qualification that has been assessed by CA ANZ as equivalent to at least an Australian or New Zealand Bachelor degree (level 7 or higher) with coverage of required competency areas (see our ‘Recognised academic qualifications’ information and form for Standard Assessment of Academic Qualification);

or

(b) Hold a degree which has not been accredited by CA ANZ, but has been assessed by us as equivalent to at least an AU or NZ Bachelor degree (AQF level 7 or higher) with coverage of required competency areas and where the degree has not been delivered in English attainment of the English Language requirements

and

(c) Meet the ‘Required Competence’ through completed study to commence at least one core subject in the CA Program’s GradDipCA course.

If you do not hold an accredited degree or are in your final year of study towards a degree, identified knowledge gaps can be satisfied by completing additional study. This can be completed through an accredited conversion course or CA Foundations.

You can start CA Foundations units during your final year of degree study. Once you complete your degree and have completed the prerequisites for at least one CA Program subject, you can apply for provisional membership.

Each year, we assess Australian and New Zealand accounting degree programs and create a list of Accredited Tertiary Courses recognised for entry to the CA Program. While there is a range of recognised qualifications to enter the CA Program, all applicants are expected to demonstrate assumed knowledge in specific competency areas.

Further details can be found in the Required Competency Areas section below.

English language requirements

The study of Chartered Accounting is nuanced. Successful completion of the course requires a well-developed proficiency in the English language, reading and writing ability.

Candidates admitted on the basis of a CA ANZ accredited degree or qualification are deemed to have meet the English language requirements for admission.

Candidates admitted on the basis of a degree that is equivalent to at least an AU or NZ Bachelor degree (AQF level 7 or higher) with coverage of required competency areas that has not been delivered in English are required to demonstrate:

  • they meet the required English language competency through demonstrating that, in the last two years, they achieved an academic IELTS minimum overall score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking), or an accepted equivalent^.

or

  • have passed the CA ANZ Full (Permanent) migration skills assessment which includes an assessment of the above minimum accepted English Language English Language Proficiency skills of IELTS with a minimum overall score of 7 with no test score less than 7.0 in each of the of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking), or accepted equivalent for the migration skills assessment.

^ English language skills tests accepted include:
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language: internet based (TOEFL iBT)
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
  • Cambridge English C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) and Cambridge English C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE)

See CA Program Candidate Admission Policy and Procedure for further details

Academic entry pathways

  • Accredited degree entry

    The simplest, most common way into the CA Program is by completing an accredited degree with passes in subjects which cover specific competence areas.

    Each year, we assess Australian and New Zealand accounting degree programs and create a list of Accredited Tertiary Courses recognised for entry to the Chartered Accountants Program.

    If you plan on applying to the Program this way, you can review the Accredited Tertiary Course section below. It includes details on assessment of qualifications and the application process.

  • Degree not accredited

    We recognise some students and professionals want flexibility so they can change direction at some point in their career.

    Having diverse skills and experiences in the accounting profession is an important part of this. That’s why we’ve developed options for those who don’t have an accredited accounting degree to pursue a career as a Chartered Accountant.

    If you are studying or have completed your degree which is not accredited by us, you can:

    • Apply for a Standard Assessment to have completed study assessed towards academic entry requirements for the CA program before, during or after your completed degree level qualification; and
    • Complete any gaps in knowledge for entry through accredited conversion courses or CA Foundations units.

    Conversion course at an accredited tertiary

    A conversion course enables you to 'convert' your studies to a new career.

    Before starting a conversion course, you will need to apply to have your non-accredited degree assessed by completing the standard assessment form. You’ll be advised by letter of any further study you need to do for entry to the CA Program.

    CA Foundations Pathway

    If you need to complete further study in one or more of the required competency areas and do not want to study subjects in an accredited conversion course, CA Foundations offers an alternative pathway to entry.

    This option is not a postgraduate program but the content has been developed to address the same levels of knowledge expected from an accredited conversion course.

    You do not need to hold a completed degree to enter CA Foundations. You can enrol in CA Foundation units in your final year of degree level study.

    Standard Assessment of Qualifications

    Important Note:
    Australian student visa holders based in Australia cannot enrol in the CA Program, as CA ANZ and the CA Program are not registered on the Australian Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). If you are living in Australia and you are on an Australian Student Visa, you may still apply for a Standard Assessment but you will not be able to enrol on the CA Program until you hold a visa that entitles you to study the CA Program.

    Citizenship, residency, and visa requirements:

    Click here for requirements

    Download the form and apply.

    Apply now
  • Overseas qualifications entry

    If you are studying or have completed an overseas qualification, you can find out if you meet academic competence for entry to the CA program by applying for a Standard Assessment.

    Assessment process

    To apply for a qualification assessment, download and complete the standard assessment form below. 

    You will need to have your overseas qualifications assessed by us before applying for the Program, or enrolling in an accredited conversion or CA Foundations course.

    The assessment will confirm if your overseas qualification is deemed by CA ANZ to be equivalent to an Australian or New Zealand bachelor degree; and if you have the necessary level of knowledge in the required competency areas.

    If you are still studying towards your Bachelor degree, you can still have the academic courses you have successfully completed assessed by CA ANZ. It is important to note that incomplete courses cannot be assessed.

    If knowledge gaps are identified, you will need to enrol in a conversion course at an accredited tertiary provider or CA Foundations and pass any of the identified subjects.

    You can start taking CA Foundation units in your final year of degree study.

    Once your degree has been conferred and you have completed the prerequisites for at least one CA Program module, you can apply for membership as a Provisional CA and enrol in the CA Program.

    Standard Assessment of Qualifications

    Important Note:
    Australian student visa holders based in Australia cannot enrol in the CA Program, as CA ANZ and the CA Program are not registered on the Australian Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). If you are living in Australia and you are on an Australian Student Visa, you may still apply for a Standard Assessment but you will not be able to enrol on the CA Program until you hold a visa that entitles you to study the CA Program.

    Citizenship, residency, and visa requirements:

    Click here for requirements

    Download the form and apply.

    Apply now
  • Accredited Tertiary Courses

    Meeting the CA Program academic requirements

    Find out if your tertiary education meets the Chartered Accountants Program competency area requirements by using the Accredited Tertiary Course lists (ATC) below.

    • Select the schedule that relates to the year you started your academic course
    • Locate your tertiary institution
    • Choose your level of qualification from the schedule
    • Check your subject codes and subject names against the required competence areas in the schedule.

    If you have completed an Australian or New Zealand qualification you are encouraged to assess yourself using the ATC list.

    If you believe you meet all the requirements you can apply for provisional membership.

    If you believe you need to complete more study, use the ATC list to help guide you to the appropriate subjects.

  • Required Competency Areas

    What you need to know

    To ensure success in the Chartered Accountants Program, you need to demonstrate that you have sufficient knowledge in the following areas:

    • Accounting Systems and Processes
    • Audit and Assurance
    • Business Law
    • Economics
    • Finance and Financial Management
    • Management Accounting
    • Quantitative Methods
    • Taxation
    • Information and Communication Technology
    • Business Acumen (required from 2022 only)

What you need to know

To ensure success in the Chartered Accountants Program, you need to demonstrate that you have sufficient knowledge in the following areas:

  • Accounting Systems and Processes
  • Financial Accounting and Reporting
  • Audit and Assurance
  • Business Law
  • Economics
  • Finance and Financial Management
  • Management Accounting
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Tax
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Business Acumen (required from 2022 only)

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