Strong growth for U.S. CPA exam at Middle East test sites

"Historically, there has been strong demand for the U.S. CPA Exam in the Middle East which is one of the key reasons we selected Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates as sites to debut the exam internationally," said Craig Mills, AICPA vice president of examinations and CPE.

"We have been very pleased with the level of interest from candidates in the Middle East in the first year of the international exam and hopefully that momentum will continue to build in the coming years."

The Uniform CPA Exam was made available to candidates in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Japan in August 2011, [1] - the first time in history it has been administered outside of the United States and its jurisdictions. Previously, international candidates were required to travel to the U.S. to sit for the exam.

"Obtaining the U.S. CPA license is key to demonstrating success for accounting professionals internationally," said Abdul Kareem Al-Zarouni, CPA, Deputy General Manager & Group Chief Audit Officer at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. "Having the U.S. CPA exam offered in the Middle East has made it much easier for qualified accountants in the region to embark on their professional journey."

In the first year, more than 2,000 candidates have sat for the Exam in the Middle East as a whole. The UAE contributed the largest number of candidates, with more than 1,100 sitting for the exam at locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

"The positive response from international exam candidates is a direct reflection of the first year's success of the administration of the U.S. CPA examination in international locations," said NASBA Executive Vice President & COO Colleen Conrad.

"Thousands of aspiring CPAs are now afforded the opportunity to become U.S. CPAs in the same manner as candidates who reside in the United States."

The international exam, offered in English, is the same as the U.S. exam administered by the AICPA, NASBA, and Prometric in the United States.

Students with international qualifications can get their credentials evaluated in order to appear for the CPA exam Designated evaluators are available on the NASBA website and many State Boards of Accountancy offer a preliminary evaluation which determines whether a prospective candidate possesses the eligibility to appear for the CPA exam.

Licensure requirements for international candidates are the same as for U.S. CPA candidates. Along with passing the Uniform CPA Examination, international candidates must meet educational and experience requirements as mandated by U.S. state boards of accountancy. International candidates who pass the exam also agree to obtain a certificate/license through a participating state board of accountancy with the signing of the informed consent form. Once candidates pass the Exam, they have three years to obtain their U.S. CPA license.

In the United States, state boards have the legal authority to award the U.S. CPA license. Applications may be made through certain U.S. state boards of accountancy offering eligibility for international candidates.