We all remember way back when applying for university was the most stressful task. As an international student, my headaches were multiplied by a variety of factors. I remember having to get my transcripts evaluated and prove my level of English. While being an international student always means more work, it by no means makes applying to US exams impossible. Studying for the CPA is a nightmare as it is. We know that being an international student does not make the process any easier, but that’s why we are here to help. Are you an International CPA Student? Here Are 3 Key Notes About Applying:
1) Make Sure Your English is Up to Par
Chances are if you are reading this you already have a level of English good enough to begin studying for the exam. In the event that the words “up to par” confused you, or you’re a second-language speaker in general, don’t hesitate to sign up for extra English courses or perhaps a personal tutor. According to the AICPA.org the exam is “not offered in any other language,” which means you will need a high level of English proficiency before you even begin to think about taking the exam.
2) Prove Your Jurisdiction
The good news is that applying as an international student is fundamentally the same as applying as any other student. The main difference is that in the event that you are trying to take the exam outside of the United States you’ll have to “establish your eligibility.” What exactly does this mean? Essentially, if you have a US passport or some sort of residency there are a ton of countries where you can take the exam. Make sure to plan ahead and get in touch with the Board of Accountancy and to ensure that a “participating U.S. jurisdiction” will allow you to take the exam in a location near you.
3) NTS is Key
What is an NTS? It stands for Notice to Schedule and is necessary for international students to apply to take the exam. You should receive this after you’ve talked with the Board of Accountancy. At this point you will also be eligible to pay all the fun fees just like every other non-international student in order to book the exam.
After you’ve got all that pre-application work settled, it will be time for you to get studying. International student or not, the best way to make sure you are prepared is to have a solid study plan. Taking some sort of preparation course off the bat will provide you with both the structure and support every student needs to succeed. The variety of CPA Classes Online is endless, but the key is to select the best one for you. We recommend a prep course that includes a variety of practice tests as well as firsthand feedback from experienced sources. A prep class will provide you with the materials you’ll need to properly focus on what it is you need to learn, while allowing you to build a community of others.
Whether you’re living in the United States or not, the CPA exam is one of the hardest career hurdles accountants have to jump. Try and think about the big picture as you go through each step of the process and do not let yourself get discouraged. If you follow these above steps and study hard you’ll be working at some great firm in no time, with the CPA far, far behind you.
