ACCAACCA Qualification
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Applied Knowledge (BT, MA, FA)Applied Skills (LW, PM, TX, FR, AA, FM)Strategic Professional (SBR, SBL + 2 of AFM, AAA, ATX, APM)Ethics and Professional Skills module36 months' practical experience (PER)
Who Can Start
- Start after Class 12 or as a graduate, if you meet ACCA's entry rules for India.
- Not eligible yet? Start with Foundations in Accountancy (FIA), then move to ACCA.
- Graduates, CA and CMA students may get exemptions (ACCA exemptions calculator).
To Qualify
- Pass the exams, finish the Ethics and Professional Skills module, and log 36 months' relevant work with 9 performance objectives.
- Exemptions only cover Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills, never Strategic Professional.
Exams: Four session exams a year: March, June, September, December (Applied Knowledge also on demand).
CPAUS Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
State Boards of Accountancy, with AICPA and NASBA Core: AUD, FAR, REGDiscipline (pick one): BAR, ISC or TCPEthics exam and experience (state rules)
Who Can Start
- Each US state board sets the rules to sit the exam; pick one state.
- Indian degrees must first be evaluated into US credits by an evaluator the state accepts.
- You can sit the exam at Prometric centres in India (extra fee per section).
To Qualify
- Licence routes: master's + 1 year experience; bachelor's + 30 credits (150) + 1 year; or bachelor's (120) + 2 years.
- The 120 + 2 years route only works in states that have passed the new law.
Exams: Core sections year-round; discipline sections only in the first month of each quarter. No testing 1–11 July 2027.
EAUS Enrolled Agent (EA)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), exam by PSI SEE Part 1: IndividualsSEE Part 2: BusinessesSEE Part 3: Representation, Practices and Procedures
Who Can Start
- Get a PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) from the IRS.
- No degree is required.
- Book SEE parts with PSI; $317 per part.
- Testing outside the US is paused for now (IRS); check irs.gov before you plan.
To Qualify
- Pass all three parts within three years, then apply on Form 23 ($140 fee).
- Pass the IRS suitability check (tax compliance and background); 72 CE hours every three years.
Exams: Generally 1 May to end of February; current US window 1 July 2026 to 28 February 2027.
CMAUS Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance and AnalyticsPart 2: Strategic Financial Management
Who Can Start
- Join IMA (active membership) and pay the CMA entrance fee.
- Students can sit both parts before they graduate.
- Parts can be taken in any order.
To Qualify
- Pass both parts within 3 years of entering the programme.
- Hold a bachelor's degree and 2 continuous years' relevant work, within 7 years of passing.
Exams: January/February, May/June and September/October.
CFAChartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institute Level ILevel IILevel III
Who Can Start
- Have a bachelor's degree, or
- Be a student whose Level I exam is 23 months or less before graduation, or
- Have 4,000 hours of work and/or higher education over 3+ years (1,000 hours per study year).
- Hold a valid international passport.
To Qualify
- Pass all three levels and log 4,000 hours of relevant work over at least 36 months.
- Give 2–3 professional references and apply for CFA Institute membership.
Exams: Usually February, May, August and November (check the level's dates).
FRMFinancial Risk Manager (FRM)
Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) Part I (100 MCQs)Part II (80 MCQs)
Who Can Start
- No educational or professional prerequisites to register.
- Pass Part II within 4 years of passing Part I.
- Part I and II can be taken on the same day only in August.
To Qualify
- Pass both parts, then submit 2 years' full-time relevant risk work.
- Submit the experience within 10 years of sitting Part II.
Exams: May, August and November.
CAChartered Accountancy (CA)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) FoundationIntermediate (2 groups)Practical Training (Articleship, 2 years)Final (2 groups) + Self-Paced Modules
Who Can Start
- After Class 10: register for Foundation (provisional registration).
- Sit Foundation only after appearing in Class 12; register 4 months before the exam month.
- Commerce graduates with 55% or other graduates with 60% can join Intermediate directly.
- ICSI or ICMAI Intermediate passed students can also join Intermediate directly.
To Qualify
- Pass Foundation, Intermediate (both groups), ICITSS, 2 years' articleship, AICITSS, 4 self-paced modules and the Final exam.
- Then apply for ICAI membership.
Exams: Foundation, Intermediate and Final: January, May and September.
CSCompany Secretary (CS)
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) CSEET (entrance test)Executive Programme (2 groups)Professional Programme (2 groups)Practical Training (EDP + 21 months)
Who Can Start
- Class 12 passed or appearing students take CSEET (Indian nationals only).
- Graduates and postgraduates (and final-year degree students) skip CSEET and join Executive directly.
- CA Final or CMA Final passed students also skip CSEET.
To Qualify
- Pass Executive and Professional, finish 30-day EDP and 21 months' practical training, then CLDP.
- Then apply for ICSI membership.
Exams: CSEET: first week of June (new 4-paper offline pattern from June 2026). Executive and Professional: June and December.
CMA·ICost and Management Accountancy (CMA India)
The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) FoundationIntermediate (2 groups)Final (2 groups)Practical Training (15 months)
Who Can Start
- After Class 10: provisional Foundation admission; Class 12 needed to convert (36 months to convert).
- After Class 12: join Foundation.
- Graduates (any stream except Fine Arts) can join Intermediate directly.
- ICSI Foundation + Class 12, or engineering students after year 2, can also join Intermediate.
To Qualify
- Pass Intermediate and Final, and complete 15 months' practical training (at least 10 months by the Final exam cut-off).
- Then apply for ICMAI membership.
Exams: June and December terms (apply by 31 January for June, by 31 July for December).
Summarised from each institute's official website on 22 October 2026. Rules change: always check the official site before you register. Vyas Peeth is an independent training provider, not affiliated with any of these bodies.
