Online/distance accounting degree leading to CPA while in Japan?!

#19 is correct and I will add my 2 cents..


You don't have to take class from US school to get your CPA right now. You can finish your school from Japan and then you can evaluate your course work with State CPA board (You can choose anyone each has different req see below Post I got from someone).

Easy path is to go to Delaware state (minimum req) which req 90 Cr (Associate Degree) with one US Federal income tax course (from US). You c an take on line.

Remember passing exam will not give you license, technically you cant sign any financial document as a CPA. For license you have to work in US under Audit firm and your license is valid for that state only. For e.g. you get license from NJ and you want to work in CA you can but you will not allow to sign any fin doc, as a CPA.

If you just want bump in your resume, you can do that. And your best option is to go for Delaware and appear in exam in Hawaii ( closest place for you), you cant give CPA exam out of USA.

Read this detail post which will give you overall Idea. Very long but worth reading it.

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PS I will Post that file later on its too long.....

 

^Hello Guys. Your replies are appreciated.

In japan, anyone who is a bachelor degree holder can apply to sit in the exam. You have to complete the rest of the credits online or with the one the cram school recommends.

I work for a botique which is the fashion retail business. My professor advised me, if you have nothing to do or if you dont know what to do. Do CPA.

I like what he says.

I am not looking to work in US. So basically it really doesnt matters where i take my exams. Most of the japanese go to Guam or Hawaii for exams Besides, usually when ya have passed an exam getting an accountant/auditor job isnt difficult. is it?!:s Or atleast the people I know dint.

And Im not a japanese national. and dont want to bound myself for japan only.


@wallst.. can ya please pm the link?!

So, i guess I should concentrate on getting a degree first and then the CPA?:s

 

Forgive me for being a little bit confused by your situation, as you have described it...

While the Uniform CPA exam in the States is the same for all states, the licensure requirements vary somewhat between the states. For example, most states require 150 of college credit with 30 units of accounting to sit for the Uniform CPA exam, some states, such as California, require only 24 units in accounting. Some states require a certain number of credits in business in addition to the accounting requirement. Some states require graduate hours to be part of the 150 credits. However, nearly all states (I think Oklahoma had some loophole long ago) require two years of documented experience under the supervision of a CPA to become licensed. California has a non-attestation option (or whatever they call it that doesn't allow audits) that can be achieved after one year of experience.

That said, if you don't plan to work in the USA, then you can not attain licensure as a CPA within in any state jurisdiction. Hence, my confusion about what you hope to accomplish by passing the CPA examination...

 

Is to get a CPA certificate without a permit. A document that proves he has passed all CPA exams.

 

This is not true. I've known many people overseas who have gotten their U.S. CPA designation. A U.S. CPA designation is very sought after credential in Japan (and elsewhere), particularly for those who were seeking employment with a consulting firm or multi-national corporation.

I've never heard of the experience requirement before. Florida doesn't have it. You don't even need to be a resident or a US citizen.

Someone at one time posted a PDF that listed all the states requirements. I'm sure the search function can dig it up.

 

Work experience is required in many states.

In some states, after you passed the exams, you are a 'certified' CPA...but you are not 'licensed' (i.e. you cannot sign accounting/tax documents).

To be a become a 'licensed' CPA, you need work experience.

 

I stand corrected, sorta... The problem with sweeping generalities is that they are not always right, just most of the time... Many states do require experience. Many states require that you are licensed in the state to represent yourself as a CPA in that state. You really must select a state and investigate the requirements of the state board of accountancy, or whatever it is entitled in that state.

 

Pardon my confusion... When someone says they are seeking education that is "leading to CPA while in Japan", I interpreted that to mean that they want to be licensed to practice as a CPA. After all, that license distinguishes a certain group of people who know their debits from their credits.

If one just wants to sit for (and pass) the CPA exam, then shop the states for the one with the minimum education requirements, complete those education requirements, pay these people $800 and study like crazy:

http://www.cpaexcel.com/candidates/index.html

 

Well, here's the thing - the CPA designation is issused by states. If you pass all of the exams, you don't have the right to call yourself a CPA UNLESS you've gone through a specific state's process. Many people who want the credential want it because of the magic they assume that acronym behind their name will grant.

So if you want your resume to say Joe Blow CPA, you have to pass the process put forth by some state, which may or may not include experience. Just passing the exams would only lead to some weird blurb about having passed all exams, which would probably beg the question "Well, why aren't you a CPA?" In fact, if I saw that, I'd wonder if the person had some criminal background that prohibited them from being licensed by a state.

 

Some states, such as Alabama, are two-tier states. In Alabama an individual who meets the education requirements and passes the CPA exams will be certified as a CPA in the state, but they will not be issued a license to practice until the experience requirements have been met. Under Alabama's rules, a certificate-holder is permitted to use the CPA designation.

 

Interesting. Learn something new every day. I found a website that might clear things up for those outside the US. http://www.ais-cpa.com/outside.html

It seems that Guam (or Florida) doesn't have the experience requirement, which would explain some things.

 

MD doesn't have it either.

 

Kinda but you're not describing it correctly.

You can't just pass the exams and be certified in Alabama. You have to pass the exams and apply for a license in Alabama, meaning there may (and probably are) other requirements such as ethics exams, continuing education, background checks, educational background, yadda yadda yadda that are all specific to Alabama.

In fact, this whole conversation is putting the cart before the horse because you can't EVEN take the CPA exams before applying for the CPA process in a state. States have to certify you as even being eligible to sit for the exam.

I'm certified in VA and WI but I was a VA candidate initially. When I moved to WI, I had to submit most of the same information I submitted to VA to WI again, including transcripts, experience, criminal background, blah blah blah.

And it took them 3 months to approve it! And that's for a guy who was already certified and licensed in VA.

The only thing I didn't have to do again was take classes or the exams.

For people unfamiliar with the process, I think they believe you can take the CPA exam as you would other professional exams like the CPIM. You can't. States have to approve you. You're on their timeline, not yours. Once the state has approved your application, you receive a notice to schedule. Only then can you even sit for an exam. And once you've passed the exams, you must apply for license and (again) be approved. None of it is automatic.

The involvement and role of the states in the CPA licensure process is not trivial.

 

DBA_Curious is making some great points, so no need to reiterate here... However, one point worth tailgating would be regarding transferring one's license from state to state; reciprocity (as it is called) of CPA licensure between is not always easy or quick. I say this for the benefit of our friends outside the States; we live in individual States, with differing laws and cultural traditions, regardless of what the current messianic cult that occupies Washington D.C. (and media) tells the world...

 

Oh wow, long discussion on CPA licence.

My main approach is to study a degree where i can complete my most of the CPA required credits. And as I graduate I pass my exam. This will make me start working at an accounting firm.

And here in Japan I will be able to get a job if I pass one exam as well and keep on working on it while working. So, the concept of which state n their requirements isnt my problem. For exams, I will go for the state which fulfills my requirements as I can choose any.

Now, getting a licence initially would be after I get a job at some accounting firm I guess.

Allight, I dont have much knowledge about the uni.s in states.
I want to ask is: As for the noreastern uni. its $310/credit. So, how many credits should be taken in one semester?! 12?!

Im sorry this is always confusing to me:s.

 

So the best first step will be to select a regionally-accredited distance learning school at which you can start earning a bachelors degree with sufficient accounting credits. The second step will be to identify the state through which you will get approved to sit for the Uniform CPA exam; you need to decide on a state, so you'll know how many courses and hours to earn.

Best of luck to you.

 

In the US, a full-time student will usually take 12 or 15 credits per semester. A part-time student usually takes around 6. Northeastern will probably have a "recommended" course sequence with the number of credits you should take.

 

I got it!
Thanks a lot!

Im trying to get in touch with Northeastern*Yeah*

 

CPA is a credential in itself, so it is less important which school one goes to for accounting credits. (I am not sure about attitudes in Japan). Per-credit, no one beats Louisiana State University independent study (is.lsu.edu), at $70 or so . We actually searched long and hard for cheapest courses for my wife - really, no one beats LSU. She had to take more classes (for Florida requirements) and ended up using UCLA Extension (at $500 per class) and Athabasca University (only cheap if you take challenge exam). Then, she got Excelsior College degree, with all the credits. Perfectly serviceable for CPA purposes.

 

^Thats great to hear! So she already is a CPA now?

PSU is the cheapest with $180.
As for LSU, I dint got the $70/credit on their website.