When you fail it can really hurt – especially if you feel you did the work and were not expecting the result.
Here is some guidance on what to reflect on to help you move forward.
How did you prepare for your exam? Here are a few things to reflect on:
- When you honestly assess yourself, would you say you worked very hard to pass or do you feel there is room for improvement when it comes to your study habits?
- If you know, what’s your biggest obstacle to studying or passing and can it be eliminated or at least reduced?
- Would it be worthwhile to find a study group where you can hold each other accountable and also discuss challenging topics?
- Did you allocate enough time for your studies?
- Did you use Guided Learning effectively – going through the units, watching videos, attempting all the quizzes?
- Was the mid-semester test attempted and also the two practice exams?
- Did you study actively and regularly – did you write your own notes/index?
- How many times did you go through the study guide?
- Were all questions in the study guide attempted and understood?
Sorry – but it is too late to apply for special consideration. The closing date was Friday 3 November 2023.
CPA will not accept requests for special consideration once the exam results have been released.
Please note that special consideration with CPA is very different to University. At university you may be granted a pass even if you scored quite a level below the pass mark. However, with CPA, it is only going to be relevant if you very close to the pass mark (i.e. 538 / 539) as you must still demonstrate competence. It is not as generous as university level. They also don’t provide for re-sits and require you to enrol again for another whole semester.
Special consideration is applied for after sitting your exam if you faced circumstances beyond your control which would affect your exam preparation or exam performance.
Sorry – but no. CPA do not provide supplementary exams. You will be required to enrol again for another whole semester.
Sorry – but no. There is no point, as CPA will not review any results after the exam results have been published.
This link explains it further:
We suggest no – do another subject.
Check out our blog post on this. “Should I do the same subject again”
(and if you are thinking of doing two subjects – the one you failed + one more to catch up – we really recommend NO.
Check out our explanation here “Should I do two subjects”
Please do not do this.
If you are thinking of doing two subjects – the one you failed + one more to catch up – we really recommend NO.
You have such a huge chance of failing both, having mega-stress, and not having a fun life.
Check out our explanation here “Should I do two subjects”
There are no easy subjects, or an easiest subject.
This blog post explains why – and gives you guidance on what to choose next.
The EG and FRM Study Guides are changing. You will be mailed a new study guide if you failed and re-enrol or if you deferred.
Click on this link to find out more: “Which study guides are changing?“
Check out this blog post that explains how to get an estimated scaled score:
Sometimes it is good to not give up.
But, if you are not really in a position to successfully pass the subjects then you have to consider the cost and time you are devoting to the CPA Program and whether it is better to pause your studies or discontinue completely.
If you have consistently failed subjects, if you are scoring in the 400s, if you have repeated a subject several times and are not improving your result – these are all good reasons to to pause your CPA studies.
If you are close, but not getting through, this is an expensive and stressful process to work through.
You may find that with a 2 year break you can come back to your studies with more energy and knowledge, and then perform really well. The aim is not to get a 540 and just get through. It should be about mastering the material, so you can get 600+ and pass confidently and easily.
If you are unsure what to do – please email us at help@Keq.com.au and also include your scaled score results PDF for the subjects you have attempted.
Check out all the key dates here:
Short answer = Yes
Longer answer = Yes – in nearly all situations, if you can show CPA Australia you are working towards completing the program then you can continue. This rule is designed to stop people who sign up as Associate Members and never intend to actually do the CPA Program and become full members, but still take advantage of calling themselves a member of CPA Australia.
We can give you more specific guidance and help depending on your situation. For us to be helpful, when you email us, please send through:
- A copy of your result / scaled score, so we can see your overall score and your result by module
- If you have failed more than once please send the results for each attempt you have made.
- A description of how you study
- How often each week
- How long you spend each study session
- How you study – e.g. things like how you summarise, take notes, create an index, attempt questions
- How you went in your practice exams, and when you did them compared to your final exam (e.g. 1 week before)
The earliest this will be mailed to you is on 5 January 2024. It may then take one or two weeks (or longer to arrive).
So expect it about 20 January.
CPA do not post the study guides until the closing date for cancellations / subject changes (4th January 2024)
To get early access to a CPA Study Guide PDF you may find a copy of these in the CPA Facebook groups for all CPA subjects in 2024 as follows:
CPA Strategic Management Accounting
CPA Global Strategy and Leadership
CPA Advanced Audit And Assurance
CPA Contemporary Business Issues
CPA Australia Taxation and Australia Taxation – Advanced
CPA Digital Finance
Please email us at Help@KeQ.com.au and we will be able to help you with your query.
Most members need to complete three requirements to become a CPA:
- Your experience
- Your CPA Program subjects
- Your degree
If you’ve already completed your experience and degree, and you’ve just passed your final subject, CPA Australia will review your profile and you’ll be notified of your new CPA status via email. This can take a couple of weeks from when you receive your result, so please be patient. CPA Australia will let you know as soon as possible.
If you became an Associate member via a Mutual Recognition Agreement, you may also need to complete the professional development course Better practice in governance and accountability in order to advance.
If you believe you’re eligible to advance to CPA status but haven’t received notification from CPA Australia within a month of finishing your requirements, please contact CPA Member Services.
We recommend doing Ethics & Governance first, then SMA, then FR. After that, choose 2 electives and finish with GSL.
You can explore Module 1 of each subject by scrolling down to the bottom of this page and going into our Free CPA Assist Courses.
If you are figuring out which electives to choose or what subject to do next check out this blog:
https://knowledgequity.com.au/cpa-subjects-order-combination-works-best
The exam structure for each subject is in this blog:
There are no easy subjects, or an easiest subject.
This blog post explains why – and gives you guidance on what to choose next.
Please don’t try and start studying straight away.
Give yourself a break…
Then set a start time such as 2 January to get a great headstart on semester
Then dive in properly
To get started – scroll down to the bottom of this page – you can get our FREE Module 1 CPA Assist resources including quizzes, videos and webinars. Just click on the subject you plan to study
Please do not do this.
If you are thinking of doing two subjects – the one you failed + one more to catch up – we really recommend NO.
You have such a huge chance of failing both, having mega-stress, and not having a fun life.
Check out our explanation here “Should I do two subjects“
The earliest this will be mailed to you is on 5 January 2024. It may then take one or two weeks (or longer to arrive).
So expect it about 20 January.
CPA do not post the study guides until the closing date for cancellations / subject changes (4th January 2024)
Check out all the key dates here:
All candidate results are plotted on a curve.
You can work out a standard deviation on this curve, and a Credit is 1 standard deviation above a Pass.
Distinction is 2 standard deviations. HD is 3 standard deviations.
So, in some subjects there is a wider, flatter graph, and in other subjects a taller, narrower graph. So, that is why a particular scaled score in one subject may be a Distinction but in another subject it is only a credit.
Check out this blog post that explains how to get an estimated scaled score:
To get early access to a CPA Study Guide PDF you may find a copy of these in the CPA Facebook groups for all CPA subjects in 2024 as follows:
CPA Strategic Management Accounting
CPA Global Strategy and Leadership
CPA Advanced Audit And Assurance
CPA Contemporary Business Issues
CPA Australia Taxation and Australia Taxation – Advanced
CPA Digital Finance
Please email us at Help@KeQ.com.au and we will be able to help you with your query.
The EG and FRM Study Guides are changing. You will be mailed a new study guide if you deferred.
Click on this link to find out more: “Which study guides are changing?“
