2026 US CPA Course Guide to Becoming a CPA

The three international bodies responsible for delivering the exam include the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, or NASBA, the AICPA, and Prometric. The AICPA Board of Examiners, or AICPA BOE, helps these bodies comply with scoring and development policies with psychometric and legal standards. Additionally, the BOE is responsible for keeping the exam in line with newly licensed CPAs' required skills and knowledge.

As such, any candidate wanting to appear for the exam should attend a US CPA online course to ensure maximum compliance with international standards.

A standard application process has also been put in place to facilitate international students. This exam application process is completed in 3 stages:

• Eligibility determination: Candidates should meet the jurisdiction criteria of 120 to 150 hours of training and education.
• Application submission: Aspirants should submit their complete application with documents. After this, the application is evaluated to confirm eligibility. A Notice to Schedule is then sent to the applicant if they qualify.
• Exam Scheduling: The candidate can then schedule the exam at their convenience. For this, any US Prometric test centre can be selected, irrespective of the jurisdiction.

 However, you need to pay an added fee in case of an international location.

Every candidate must meet the following requirements to sit for the exam: Educational Qualification: A higher education degree in a relevant subject with at least 150 credit points. Work Experience: At least 2 years Keeping in mind that the B.Com stream is most suited for the certification, the candidate must fall into one of the following cases:

B.Com: 3 years with 30 credits each, totalling 90 credits.

B.Com with M Com or MBA: With a minimum of 150 credits.

B.Com with CA or CS: At least 150 credits are required.

A student with a CA/CS or CWA qualification from a non-US board or university is considered equal to a US university's 2 to 3 years or 60-semester credits. Further, if a non-US citizen wishes to earn a US CPA certification, they must meet the eligibility criteria in at least one of the 55 US jurisdictions. The exam is conducted only in English, so the candidate should also fulfil the language requirement.

The online CPA exam assesses the required accounting skills and knowledge integral to a newly licensed CPA's work. The overall structure of the exam entails 5 testlets within each section. Each of these tests contains a mix of three main question types:

• Multiple Choice Questions or MCQs: These mainly appear in Testlets 1 and 2.
• ask-Based Simulations or TBS: Application-based questions generally appear in testlets 3, 4, and 5.
• Written Communication Tasks or WCT: Scenario response questions that only appear in testlet 5.
• A total of 16 hours of exam time is allotted. Out of this, there is a division into four hours for each section. Further, there are separate time slots allotted for:Initial settling time: 5 minutes
• Copyright screening/ Confidentiality introduction: 5 minutes
• Optional standardised breaks: for 15 minutes after testlet 3
• Surveys: for 5 minutes after the exam
• Optional breaks: available after testlets 1, 2, and 4.
• To get the certification, candidates must clear the exam within 18 months. The start of this period differs depending on the jurisdiction where the exam is being held.

Tests can be taken throughout the year to facilitate faster clearance. The final scores are announced on a rolling basis. Every candidate must score at least 75 out of 100 in each section.

Read More :

• Quitting CA to Pursue US CPA? Things You Must Know
• Eligibility Criteria for Becoming a US CPA

The CPA USA exam consists of 4 total papers, with 3 core papers and one optional paper:

Paper 1: FAR: Financial Accounting and Reporting: This paper contains topics like Financial Reporting & Disclosure, Liabilities, Conceptual Framework & Financial Reporting, Assets & Related Topics, NEP Accounting & Governmental Accounting and Investments, Statement of Cash Flows & Income Taxes.

Paper 2: AUD: Auditing and Attestation: This section covers topics like Risk, Evidence, Sampling, Engagement Quality & Acceptance Planning and Control, Audit Reports, Integrated Audits, Compliance & Government Audits, Attestation Engagement, Performance of Further Procedures, Forming Conclusions & Communications, and Accounting & Review Service Engagement, Interim Reviews, Ethics & Professional Responsibilities.

Paper 3: REG: Regulation: This subject includes issues like Entity Taxation, Property Taxation, Federal Taxation of Individuals, Business Law and Professional Responsibilities & Federal Tax Procedures.

Paper 4: Optional Papers: The candidate can choose any one from Information Systems and Controls or ICS, Business Analysis and Reporting or BAR, and Tax Compliance and Planning or TCP.

Most of the available US CPA online course options have their curriculums based on this exam structure. This way, candidates are prepared for the subjects and the question types.

Experts recommend courses as one of the best ways to prepare for the CPA exam. While doing so, candidates can choose from an offline course at a coaching institute near them or an online US CPA course. Choosing online courses helps candidates in many ways:

• Mentorship: A US CPA online course mainly gives candidates access to internationally known teachers and guides.
• Recruitments: US CPA online course packages generally come with a guarantee of placements for their students.
• IMA Partnership: Any US CPA online course is generally brought about by official IMA training partners. This ensures a global standard.
• App Support: CPA online coaching usually provides students with desktop and mobile applications, enabling them to stay updated throughout.
• Additional Resources: Once a candidate registers with a US CPA online course, they are generally given access to extra resources. As part of the institution's own Learning Management System or LMS, these include live and recorded CPA classes, international AICPA study materials, CPA videos, and online exam kits.

In general, a total of 300 training hours are recommended for any given US CPA online course. They are divided into 4 semesters with 60 hours each.

• The training is offered by the top 1% of qualified mentors renowned globally, like M. Irfat Sir.
• The classes provide in-depth knowledge of the courses and assure 100% course coverage.
• Students can study with the help of Becker International Materials, which contains 8000+ MCQs for practice.
• Students can attend live classes from their mobiles or laptops and record them for review later.
• With NorthStar Academy training, candidates can clear all 4 US CPA exams in 12 to 18 months.

Read More :

• US CPA course After MBA in Finance | A Complete Guide

In 2026, earning a CPA certification can significantly boost your career in finance and accounting. The US CPA exam is a globally recognized designation that opens doors to top firms like PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG. By enrolling in a US CPA online course, candidates can prepare efficiently with access to international study materials like Becker, flexible learning schedules, and expert guidance.

The CPA exam pattern consists of four sections: Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Regulation (REG), and an optional section from Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). Candidates must clear all sections within 18 months with a minimum score of 75 out of 100. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), task-based simulations (TBS), and written communication tasks (WCT). To be eligible for the CPA exam, candidates need 120 credits of US education, and Indian students can qualify through various combinations like B.Com (90 credits) + M.Com/MBA (150 credits) or B.Com + CA/CS (150 credits).

A CPA certification provides excellent career opportunities in public accounting, corporate finance, risk management, financial analysis, and financial planning. With a high return on investment, CPA-certified professionals earn competitive average salaries in top MNCs worldwide. Enrolling in a CPA training program through institutes like Miles Education,NorthStar Academy , or Gleim can help CPA aspirants excel in their journey. Take the first step towards this transformative journey and explore exciting roles in the finance and accounting industry today!