CPA Atlantic School

Introducing the CPA Professional Program

The CPA profession in Canada is updating the CPA certification program. This includes refreshing the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP), its exams, and the practical experience requirements. Collectively, these re-imagined components form the CPA Professional Program.

While we anticipate that most candidates currently enrolled in CPA PEP will have an opportunity to finish the program, there is a transition plan to the CPA Professional Program for those who are unable to complete their current program.

Overview

The CPA Professional Program prepares you to lead across industries. It blends essential technical excellence in accounting and a strong grounding in ethics with real-world experience and future-focused skills that evolve alongside the demands of an ever-changing economy and international standards.

Check out the competency map at the core of the new program

Program Features

Community Building

Module assignments and activities are completed online asynchronously with weekly submissions. Some synchronous online learning is incorporated with module orientations and check-ins within the modules.
The program also includes opportunities for in-person engagement where it matters most: at the very beginning of the program through a 2-day orientation session and at the very end of the program through a 5-day Professional Readiness workshop, where learners can form connections with each other that can carry them through the program and beyond.
Throughout their journey, learners are also surrounded by CPAs and advisors who support and guide their learning.
Learners are exposed to the stories of real CPAs working in a variety of sectors, demonstrating to learners the diverse professional community they will be joining and the wide-ranging career paths available to them.

Admission Requirements

The academic admission requirements for the CPA Professional Program are summarized as follows and described in detail here:

All learners must meet the following criteria:

A degree or equivalent.
Completion of at least 120 credit hours of post-secondary education.
A minimum GPA of 65%.
Good character.
Lawful permission to study and/or work in the registered province/region.

To be eligible to enter the CPA Professional Program directly at the Foundational Development Module and receive exemption from the Knowledge Assessment, learners must meet the above criteria in addition to the following:

Complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in accounting or business courses from a post-secondary institution(s), the CPA preparatory courses, or a combination of both.
- At least 21 of those credit hours cover the following required topic areas

- - Intermediate Financial Reporting
  - Advanced Financial Reporting
  - Intermediate Management Accounting
  - Finance
  - Assurance
  - Taxation

- The remaining 24 credit hours may be any accounting or business-related courses
At least one course among the 45 required topic area credit hours must have been completed within five years of admission, demonstrating recent academic engagement in the field.

Pre-requisite knowledge may be acquired as part of, or in addition to, the 120-credit-hour degree as follows: In accounting or business courses from a post-secondary institution(s), the CPA preparatory courses, or a combination of both.

Applicants who do not meet the required accounting coursework requirements (including currency education) will have the option to demonstrate their accounting and business competencies by passing the Knowledge Assessment before entering the CPA Professional Program at the Foundational Development module or by meeting the remaining admission requirements at a post-secondary institution.

For detailed information regarding the admission process and requirements, please refer to our Academic Admission Requirements page.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Before entering the CPA Professional Program at the Foundational Development module, applicants need to demonstrate accounting and business knowledge so that they are positioned for success in the program. Accounting and business knowledge can be demonstrated by either completing 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 or by passing the Knowledge Assessment.

Additional information about the prerequisite knowledge requirements will be available in 2026.

Your Journey Through the CPA Professional Program

The CPA Professional Program consists of four modules, completed in sequence. You will move through the CPA Professional Program step by step, completing each module in order, and you must pass each module before writing the associated final exam.

For full module content and detailed competency coverage, see the Module Guide.

Foundational Development

In the first module of the CPA Professional Program, you will build your Specific, Foundational, and Sub-foundational Competencies and begin developing your CPA Advanced Professional Competencies. You will also start integrating the Foundational Common Core and developing your CPA Ethical Mindset, including human values, skills, and professional competencies.

See CPA Competency Map 2.0 for more about the competencies.

You may begin reporting your experience when you start this module. After passing this module, you will need to pass the Foundational Development Exam before moving on to the CPA Core module.

CPA Core

Next, you will choose between two versions of the CPA Core module:

CPA Core – Common: This version strengthens your Specific Competencies in areas like financial reporting, assurance and trust, big data and analytics, and taxation. You will also continue developing your CPA Advanced Professional Competencies.
CPA Core – Licensure: If you intend to pursue a career in public accounting, you must complete this version of CPA Core. It includes all components of CPA Core – Common, with additional depth in financial reporting, assurance and trust, big data and analytics, non-financial reporting, and taxation.

See CPA Competency Map 2.0 for more about the competencies.

After passing this module, you will be eligible to write the Professional Final Exam 1. There are two versions of the exam, and you will write the version that corresponds to the version of the module you pass.

CPA LEADERSHIP

Here, you will take your CPA Ethical Mindset and CPA Advanced Professional Competencies to the next level. You will apply decision-making processes to real-world CPA challenges, integrating all your competencies across topics. This module focuses heavily on developing your ethical mindset, critical thinking and CPA Advanced Professional Competencies.

After passing this module, you will be eligible to write Professional Final Exam Part 2. You will need to pass Professional Final Exam parts 1 and 2 and complete all practical experience requirements before moving onto the next module.

CPA Professional Readiness

Before you can take this module, you must have met all practical experience requirements.

This module is where you will strengthen your CPA Ethical Mindset and build your CPA Advanced Professional Competencies through both self-study and five-days of interactive case-based learning. You will explore what it means to be a CPA professional, understand the CPA Code of Conduct, work effectively in teams, and tackle emerging global, social, and technological issues.

After passing this module, you will be eligible to write the Professional Final Exam Part 3. After passing Professional Final Exam Part 3, you can apply for CPA membership in your province. Once you become a member, you can use the CPA designation.

Experience Requirements

The CPA Professional Program will require a minimum of 24 months of qualifying experience, excluding time away from work, with demonstrated competency. All learners complete an experience work plan, submitted in advance, to outline how their experience will meet the requirements. Experience must be met before eligibility into the CPA Professional Readiness module.

Candidates not eligible to transition must complete all practical experience requirements under the current program. Candidates are encouraged to contact CPA Atlantic School of Business to confirm any outstanding practical experience requirements and to work closely with their employer and practical experience teams to ensure they remain on track to meet all requirements before their program time limit expires.

Learn More About the Experience Requirements Model

Additional information about practical experience will be provided in 2026. CPA ASB will have additional information about transitioning your experience.

Fees and Schedules

Fees

The CPA Professional Program costs* approximately $15,560 + GST. This does not include the cost of taking the CPA Knowledge Assessment or any prerequisite education that may be required for entry into the CPA Professional Program.

*All fees and costs shown are based on the 2027-2028 Academic Year fee schedule and assumes 2.5 years completion. Actual costs will vary by Learner and be based on individual pace and progress.

Total estimated cost of the CPA Professional Program

Eligibility Assessment	Domestic: transcripts from institutions inside Canada, the United States, and Bermuda International: transcripts from institutions outside Canada, the United States, and Bermuda	$140 $365
Initial One-time Program Enrollment	Enrollment Fee	$980
Annual Dues		$845 per year
Module Fees (excluding exam fees)	Foundational Development CPA Core CPA Leadership CPA Professional Readiness	$2,045 $1,585 $1,535 $1,840
Exam Fees	Foundational Development CPA Core (PFE 1) CPA Leadership (PFE 2) CPA Professional Readiness (PFE 3)	$1,225 $1,225 $1,225 $1,225
Estimated Total		$15,560 + GST

Please note: The total cost above represents the cost for applicants who complete the entire CPA Professional Program starting with the Foundational Development module. It is based on successfully passing modules and exams on the first attempts. Additional costs will be incurred for module retakes, exam retakes, late registrations, deferrals, appeals, etc.

Module Schedule

Key Dates & Registration Timelines (2027 – 2028 Academic Sessions)

Please note that all dates are subject to change without notice. More information on module and exam schedules will be released at a later date.

2027

CPA Professional Program
	Please note, these dates are subject to change.
	Late 2026	Registration for the first Knowledge Assessment opens in Atlantic Canada & Bermuda
	January 2027	Learners can begin submitting work experience plans. Up to 8 months of prior experience may be approved
	January 2027	Current learners can begin transitioning to the new program
	March 2027	First offering of the Knowledge Assessment
	May 2027	First offering of new CPA Professional Program modules
	September 2027	First offering of the CPA Professional Final Exams (subsequent offerings will be three times annually, with timing to be confirmed)

Foundational Development
Module Offering	Registration Open	Module Start Date	In-Person Workshop	Exam Date
May 2027 - Sep 2027	Feb 1, 2027	May 15, 2027	May 15 to May 16, 2027	Sep 15, 2027

2028

CPA Professional Program
	Timing of future offerings to be confirmed

Foundational Development

Module Offering	Registration Open	Module Start Date	In-Person Workshop	Exam Date
May 2027 - Sep 2027	Feb 1, 2027	May 15, 2027	May 15 to May 16, 2027	Sep 15, 2027

Transition Overview

Candidates transitioning to the CPA Professional Program may receive recognition for the learning and experience they have successfully completed in CPA PEP. Please note, existing CPA PEP policies remain in place for CPA PEP candidates until they complete the program or transition to the CPA Professional Program.

For a detailed overview of the transition, please review our CPA Professional Program Transition Guide for Current Candidates.

TRANSTION GUIDE FOR THE NEW CPA PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

CPA Professional Program

Introducing the CPA Professional Program

Overview

Program Features

Contact an Advisor

Admission Requirements

Prerequisite Knowledge

Your Journey Through the CPA Professional Program

Foundational Development

CPA Core

CPA LEADERSHIP

CPA Professional Readiness

Experience Requirements

Fees and Schedules

Fees

Total estimated cost of the CPA Professional Program

Module Schedule

2027

2028

Foundational Development

Transition Overview

Plan your CPA Path Now!