all about us cpa course

You might have heard about this term ‘CPA’ but are you aware of what it is? The full form is–Certified Public Accountant (CPA). And, it is the highest designation in the field of Accountancy awarded by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). CPAs are recognised globally as top-ranking accountants and are hired all over the world. AICPA is the world’s largest Accounting body. It is present across 130 countries with the highest number of members in the world approx. 4.5 lakh members.

Do I Need To Go Out Of India For An Exam?     

    

After a successful pilot test of the CPA exam in India during 2020, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) declared India a permanent and continuous testing site for the US CPA Exam, effective from January 1, 2021.

Table of Contents

What Is The Syllabus Of The US CPA Exam? 

 

The whole syllabus for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam has been broken down into 4 sections/ subjects and they are as follows:

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

The Accountant shortage in USA

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

How to pass CPA while in a full time job

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

CPA job market and salary

Audit (AUD)  

 

Covers SAS (Statements Of Auditing Standards)

This section/subject mainly focuses on testing the examinee’s potential on how he/she applies their knowledge of professional tasks in real life-scenarios. 

Some main points of AUDIT are:-

  • Professional Responsibilities & Ethics
  • Planning & Supervision
  • Internal Controls
  • Corroborative Audit Evidence
  • Audit Sampling
  • Audit Reports
  • Other Auditing & Attestation Topics

Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR)

Covers US GAAP and IFR

This section consists of accounting principles generally accepted in the USA along with financial reporting framework and requirements. Here are the topics that you will learn:

  • Conceptual framework, Financial Reporting & Misc. Topics
  • Current Assets and Liabilities
  • Investments, PP&E and Intangibles
  • Bonds, Leases and Pensions
  • Deferred Taxes, Equity, EPS & Cash Flows
  • Consolidation, Foreign Currency, Partnerships & NPO
  • Governmental Accounting
  •  

cpa webinar

Regulation (REG)     

Covers US Federal Taxation

Regulation or REG mainly focuses on Federal Income Tax, Business Laws and Ethics. It is the only exam that does not cover accounting. It covers the following topics: 

  • Taxation of Individuals
  • Property Transactions & Depreciation
  • Taxation of C-Corporations
  • Taxation of Other Entities
  • Supplementary Taxation Topics
  • Statutory Reg. & Business Structures
  • Business Law

 

Am I Eligible For US CPA? 

 

Establishing your eligibility for international candidature (outside the USA) can be challenging. Each of the USA’s 50 states and 5 territories have their one Board of Accountancy. We at EduMont help you with verifying eligibility for free. However, here are the rules for your review: 

To enroll in the US CPA exam, you need to have completed 150 credit hours. For instance, if you have finished your first year of a Master’s Degree, M.Com, or MBA and are currently in your second year, you are eligible for the exam.

In the Indian education system, each academic year typically equals 30 semester credits. Therefore, a graduate would accumulate: 

90 credits (3 years × 30 credits)

However, if you have 8 or more credits in Accounting, Business and Economics, you might still be eligible for the exam with 90 credits, benefiting those with a Commerce background.

If your graduation is in a field other than commerce, you can qualify with:

  • Graduation + M.Com/MBA/Equivalent = 150 credits
  • Graduation + CA/CS/CWA/Equivalent = 150 credits

Who All Are Not Eligible For US CPA?

Now, you are certainly aware of what is the eligibility criteria for appearing in US CPA exams. So, let’s talk and learn about who all are not eligible for sitting in this examination:-

  • If you are currently pursuing school education then you are not the eligible candidate for this examination. 
  • If you are still completing your graduation, then you will have to wait util you pass out.
  • If you have less than the required 120 credits and no further qualification.
  • Individuals with less than 4 subjects i.e. Accounting, Business and Economics courses. 

 

Why US CPA?

In India CPA is a new concept introduced by the growing Outsourcing Industry. As a result, there are only 10,000 CPAs in India as against 2.5 lakh Indian accountants. The growing number of jobs and lack of existing CPAs allows for a great demand at all Big 4s and all large MNCs. Most of the top brands you could think of would need to hire a team of CPAs for their Finance & Accounting functions. These are the main reasons you must think of pursuing this course. 

What’s the minimum package? 

 

Let’s clear the doubts about the pay-scales, it is absolutely equivalent to a qualified CA or an ACCA. This means that you will get the same sort of respect as every other professional accountant in India. However, when it comes to global opportunities, the CPA has a distinct advantage over other qualifications. It not only opens doors to a wider range of job opportunities but also grants access to more countries around the world.

Once you clear each exam, it opens the entryway to substantial pocket work and a good career prospect. The investment you make in the course is often recouped within a few months of starting your first job. It does not matter if you are fresher or have no experience, you will still be earning an initial package of 6-8 LPA.

We hope this answers all your questions and queries about US CPA. All these points will help you to understand the course, its eligibility, syllabus, fee structure and salary package in a more easier way. If you still have more queries for us to answer, you can mail us at support@globalacademician.com or drop us a line at: +91-9821003785.

Rohan Chopra

Rohan Chopra

Chief Mentor @ EduMont
CPA,CMA, TEDx Speaker

All Posts
Myth Buster Podcast- CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

CPA vs ACCA vs CFA

Myth Buster Podcast- The Accountant shortage in USA

The Accountant shortage in the USA

Myth Buster Podcast- How to Pass CPA While in Full time Job

How to pass CPA while in a full time job

Myth Buster Podcast- CPA Job + Salary

CPA job market and salary

cpa webinar

What Are You Waiting For?

Register For The Upcoming Webinar!