You must sign into Guided Learning from the CPA Website to activate your CPA subject for the semester including access to the videos and quizzes, and to also receive the weekly emails.

Your exam is worth 100%.

It is an open book exam. You can write in your book, tag your book, bring in your own printed notes or hand-written notes.

You cannot bring in pen/pencil and paper to write on.

There is a huge amount of exam information inside your Guided Learning subject. Login, read the FAQs, and then do the practice exams from Week 8. These match the length and format of the final exam.

Here are the exam mark allocations for each CPA Subject: CPA Exam Mark Allocations

You can make a ‘pledge’ in your Dashboard of Guided Learning which outlines what grade you are aiming for in your CPA Subject.

This is not a ‘wish’ or a ‘dream’. It is a target that you need to aim for.

By setting a target you can then make a plan. That study plan will systematically work towards you achieving that target.

You will not magically achieve a great result. It will come from regular hard work and discipline.

So, the pledge is just the starting point to a successful semester.

A pledge should be SMART….Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time based.

It is definitely ‘SMRT’. It is up to you to assess your ability and do the work to make it ‘Achievable’.

You can book these in your Dashboard in Guided Learning.

They are full length practice exams that match the number of questions and style of questions as the final CPA Exam.

Please try the first Practice Exam 10 – 14 days before your final exam – to get the benefit of learning, revision, and exam technique.

Then, attempt the second Practice Exam about 7 days before your final exam.

The MCQ portion is automatically marked and you receive detailed solutions.

You can change your booking date at any time. It is just to help you plan your time, and make sure you have put it in your calendar.

You MUST book your CPA Exam with Pearson Vue, not with us. They will email you a confirmation. (This closes on Monday 5 February 2024)

The earliest this will be mailed to you was on 5 January 2024. Even if you enrolled in November or December the study guide is CPA do not post the study guides until the closing date for cancellations / subject changes (4th January 2024)

It may then take one or two weeks (or longer to arrive).

So expect it about 20 January for most people, but if you live in an area that has had postal difficulty or weather problems it can be early February.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Option 1: Do not do any study, fall behind, get stressed, get a bad result.

Option 2: Print out the first module, watch the videos in guided learning, read the study guide and do the quizzes. Later on, transfer any notes you make to your study guide when it arrives. Keep on track. Don’t get stressed. Get a great result.

Please choose Option 2.

You will be mailed a new study guide if you deferred.

Click on this link to find out more: “Which study guides are changing?“

** The Mid-Semester Test is now from the end of Week 4 to the start of Week 6 …so be prepared!

Check out all the key dates here:

CPA Key Dates for Semester 2 2024

Note: Exam results are released on the Friday 7 June (during business hours AEST) via the CPAA website for S1, 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 Financial Reporting

CPA Strategic Management Accounting

CPA Global Strategy and Leadership

CPA Ethics and Governance

CPA Advanced Audit And Assurance

CPA Financial Risk Management

CPA Contemporary Business Issues

CPA Australia Taxation and Australia Taxation – Advanced

CPA Digital Finance

We have a KnowledgEquity YouTube channel with all our videos for each subject.

There is a playlist for each subject, so you can use this to study between semesters.

The playlist links are at the bottom of this page – just scroll down.

You will need a calculator for SMA, FR, FRM and the two Tax subjects.

You will not need a calculator for EG, GSL, CBI, AAA and DF.

1. You should use either a scientific calculator or financial calculator. There is also an on-screen scientific calculator in your final exam which you can use.
2. It needs to have brackets ( ) and “to the power of” ^. This will allow for discounted cashflow based calculations.
3. You will need a calculator for SMA, FR, FRM and the Tax subjects.
4. Is your calculator acceptable: Yes, if it is a scientific or financial calculator, and its primary purpose is a calculator. (So, not a phone, or a computer).
5. It is not acceptable if it is also a ‘computer’ like a phone, or has  data storage or recording functions.

There is a simple test: Can you do all the calculations that you have found throughout the study guide? 

If the answer is yes – then, the calculator will be adequate. If not, then we’d recommend you invest in an appropriate calculator.

CPA Australia will not provide you with a list of appropriate models, because there are so many to choose from. So, there is little point in contacting them or posting a question in the Ask the Expert forum.

You can buy a reasonable scientific calculator for under $30 from OfficeWorks or other suppliers. Here is an example of different types:

http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/c/office-supplies/calculators

CPA do not provide a pass mark for each subject.

It is not 50%.

To get an estimate of how you are performing you must do the practice exams and compare your result to the estimated grade table we give you at the end of the exam.

Check out this blog post that explains how to get an estimated scaled score:

CPA Scaled Score – what is the pass mark?

The early deferral fee of $381 applies until Monday 18 March. You can defer up to the 9 April (just before exams start) for $514.

So, we recommend to keep on studying as hard as you can until Monday 18 March, and then make your final decision.

If you defer you will lose access to Guided Learning from the day you defer, but you can still watch the videos on the YouTube channel – each subject has its own playlist.

YouTube Channel Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr1xf_gymKusoYK7IVz1xew

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)

Send this to help@keq.com.au

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:

“CPA Exam Structures“

There are no easy subjects, or an easiest subject.

This blog post explains why – and gives you guidance on what to choose next.

“Which CPA subject is the easiest?“

We provide short videos that explain the concepts. We use stories, examples and images to help you understand and remember things better.

So we recommend you watch the videos first, then read the relevant part of the study guide. This will help you read faster, understand more, remember more effectively, and get a better result.

You should then do the quizzes during semester, and again at the end of semester as revision.

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.

1 – Are there supplementary exams? No. You have to sit the exam again in another semester.

2. Should I do the same subject again if I fail? No.

We suggest no – do another subject.

Check out our blog post on this. “Should I do the same subject again”

3. Should I do two subjects in a semester because I failed? No.

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“

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“

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:

CPA Scaled Score – What is the pass mark?

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.

Please email us at Help@KeQ.com.au and we will be able to help you with your query.