Apply for CPL with an academic qualification

How to apply

To apply for CPL, firstly check if your degree appears on the CPL directory. If your degree is listed, follow the instructions to apply for CPL online. Please see the FAQs for help with the CPL Directory or CPL application process.

Costs

From 1 July 2024, credit for prior learning (CPL) fees will be £85 per Certificate Level exam and £119 per Professional Level exam.

From 1 January 2025, CPL fees will be changing to £90 per Certificate Level exam and £125 per Professional Level exam.

Please note CPL fees are non- refundable.

Criteria

• Programme changes due to the COVID 19 pandemic may result in some university assessments not being eligible for CPL. Please check with your Institution before applying.
• You must have achieved a minimum mark of 50% in all degree modules relating to your application for credit for prior learning.
• Each module must have been assessed by at least 50% written exam.
• Your academic qualification must be less than 5 years old (see FAQs for more details)

Please note that you cannot apply for credit for any ACA modules where you have previously attempted the ACA exam.

Supporting documentation you need to supply

During the application process you will be asked to upload documentation to support your credit application. All documents must be in English and any translations must be formally certified by the University. If you experience difficulties uploading your supporting documents you can email them to cpl@icaew.com quoting your ICAEW student number.

If your degree is listed in the CPL directory

If your degree is listed in the CPL directory you will need to upload/send:

• Evidence of modules completed and marks/grades gained (usually a transcript)
• Evidence of the award (for example a certificate)

Good quality copies or scanned versions may be used. ICAEW routinely seek external verification from the educational institution. Falsified documentation will be referred to our professional conduct department. Original documents are sent at the owner’s risk.

Please note we do not accept screenshots of web notification pages or similar electronic notifications.

If your degree is from a University in Australia or New Zealand

ICAEW has a long standing Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA) with Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). We are able to place reliance upon the robust quality assurance carried out by CA ANZ in accrediting a list of Australian and New Zealand degrees.

If your degree is listed on CA ANZ list of ‘Accredited Tertiary Courses’ for the relevant year you may apply for the 8 CPL credits we offer to those with relevant academic qualifications; Accounting, Assurance, Business, Technology & Finance, Law, Management information, Principles of Taxation, Business Strategy & Technology and Financial Management.

Apply for CPL following the same process as above for those with degrees listed on the CPL Directory, please check the CA ANZ list of Accredited Tertiary Courses before applying.

Please contact cpl@icaew.com with any queries.

If your degree is not listed in the CPL directory

If your degree is not listed on the directory you will still need to apply and pay online, in addition you must complete a set of assessment grids to indicate where the individual paper learning outcomes have been met. The completed grids, along with the following supporting documents, will need to be uploaded/sent:

• Evidence of modules completed and marks/grades gained (for example a transcript)
• Evidence of the award (for example a certificate)
• Syllabuses and exam papers for each module relevant to your application.

NB: the only ACA modules eligible for CPL based on an academic qualification are; Accounting, Assurance, Business Strategy & Technology, Business, Technology & Finance, Financial Management, Law, Management Information and Principles of Taxation

Criteria

Awards being used to apply for credit must meet the following criteria:

• You must have achieved a minimum mark of 50% in all degree modules relating to your application for credit for prior learning.
• Each module must have been assessed by at least 50% written exam.
• Your degree transcript must be dated within the last 5 years in order to apply for CPL.

Allow up to 14 business days for your completed application, with all supporting documents, to be processed.