CFA Institute
Content Summary
CPA Australia recognises the value and depth of experience held by CFA Charterholders. If you have five or more years of relevant experience, you may be eligible to apply for CPA Australia membership through our Experience-Based Pathway and could obtain exam exemptions from one or more CPA Program subjects.
Pathway to CPA Australia membership
The following steps demonstrate the streamlined pathway to Associate membership for CFA Charterholders.
Step 1: Determine your eligibility
You may be eligible to apply for CPA Australia membership if you:
- have successfully completed a relevant degree recognised by CPA Australia as at least equivalent to Australian bachelor's degree level
- have a minimum of 5 years relevant finance or accounting working experiences
- have a current role in accounting, finance, or a relevant business area including not limited to corporate finance, merger and acquisition, risk management, treasurer, fund operations, investment compliance, financial analysis, equity research
- have successfully completed all three levels of CFA Program examinations and met other requirements required by CFA Institute
- are a CFA Charterholder who:
- is of good standing and not currently subject to any disciplinary sanctions or investigations
- meets any additional admission requirements and/or conditions imposed by CPA Australia for membership.
Step 2: Prepare supporting documents
As part of your membership application, you will need to provide us with documents to verify your information to including:
- Evidence of degree completion
- Degree academic transcripts for all years of study
- CFA Program verification letter
- CFA Level I, II, III exam results
- CFA membership certificate
- Letter of Good Standing issued by CFA Institute
- Experience-Based Pathway Application Form (if applicable)
- Detailed CV/resume including responsibilities, key tasks and achievements
- Workplace testimonial letter.
Step 3: Apply
Complete our online application, including the required documents with your application and membership fee.
In your application, nominate CFA Institute as the professional body with whom you studied and hold membership.
Step 4: Verification and outcome of your application
We will verify the information in your application and send you an email advising your assessment outcome. Our current application response time is available via our How To Apply page.
Step 5: Advance to CPA status
The advancement eligibility and requirements will depend on your assessment outcome. Once you become an Associate member of CPA Australia, you must successfully complete the subjects of the CPA Program according to your assessment outcome. When you complete the required subjects, you will advance to CPA status, receive a CPA certificate, and then be able to use the letters CPA after your name.
Membership pathways FAQ
Have questions about membership pathways and arrangements? Find answers here. Membership pathways FAQ