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Related Items
Student Registration
Completing An Application For Registration As A Student
Please note that the Institute must receive the following for registration as a student:
- a correctly completed application form,
- the appropriate fee remittance, and
- all required supporting documentation.
An improperly completed application, an incorrect fee remittance or insufficient supporting documentation will delay confirmation of registration. The Institute reserves the right to cancel any application for which all required documentation has not been received.
Requirements For Registration
Educational Requirements
The basic educational requirement for registration as a student is a 4-year, 120-credit-hour university degree. Exemptions include those enrolled full-time in Institute-approved university professional school of accounting or co-operative degree programs and those pursuing part-time degree studies. Members of recognized accounting bodies outside Canada and those meeting the requirements for mature student status are also exempt from the university degree requirement.
Educational Documentation
Students register the appropriate classification from this list:
- University graduate
- Professional school of accounting program
- Co-operative program
- Part-time degree program
- Mature status
- Certified General Accountant
- Certified Management Accountant
- Transfer from a provincial institute
- Member of an accounting body outside Canada
Proof of Employment in a CA Training Office
Employment on a full-time or part-time basis in a CA training office is a prerequisite for registration. Credit towards the Institute's prescribed practical experience requirement commences only from the date of registration with the Institute. The registration date will be the date employment commenced with a CA training office provided the application for registration is received within three months of the first date of employment.
Recently, ICAO Council approved a special provision regarding exemption from the employment requirement for CA students. For information regarding eligibility and how to apply, please review the exemption details.
Computer Requirement
Regulation I – 201 (5) states that an applicant who seeks to be registered as a student must have access to a computer that meets the minimum configuration requirements as set out by the Institute from time to time.
The current computer requirement is as follows:
- Access to a computer that is capable of running Folioviews 4.5 software to allow access to the CICA Handbook and the ICAO Member’s handbook that is available online to all students.
- Personal computer with a 486 or higher processor
(Pentium recommended)
- Windows 98/2000/XP
- 16 MB of memory
- 28 MB for installation of Folio on the Hard Drive
- 28 MB for installation of the infobase on the hardrive
double if it is an update
- VGA or higher-resolution video adapter
(SVGA 256-color recommended)
- Access to the Internet
- Acrobat Reader 5.0 (minimum)
- A valid e-mail address
Registration Fee
The fee payable upon registration as a student is set out on the Fee Schedule. The fee consists of a registration fee covering the costs of processing the application and a pro-rata annual maintenance of registration fee for the calendar year ending December 31st. The registration fee is non-refundable unless written notification of withdrawal is received at the Institute prior to the registration date. The pro-rata annual registration fee, less a cancellation fee, will be refunded if the Institute is notified in writing of discontinuation in the program or if continued registration is not possible under the provisions of Regulation I.
Proof of Legal Name Documentation
All applicants are required to provide satisfactory evidence of legal name and age (i.e. a copy of their birth certificate, passport, both sides of a Canadian citizenship certificate card, landed immigrant papers, or baptismal certificate).
If the name under which a student is registering is different from that which appears on the student's educational documents or on the document submitted as proof of legal name, a copy of the document supporting the change of legal name, endorsed with "This is a certified true copy" signed and dated is required.
Timelines
An application for registration will be acknowledged within 1-2 weeks of receipt by the Institute. The average period of time a student or a mature student takes to complete the program leading to a CA designation is about 3.2 years from the date of registration.
The average period of time a student of an approved professional school of accounting or co-operative degree program registered with the Institute takes to complete the program leading to a CA designation is 4.1 to 4.2 years.
Members of recognized accounting bodies who are applying for membership with the Institute are called membership candidates once their application is accepted by the applications committee. It takes an average of 11 months to complete the process leading to the CA designation, including passing the CA reciprocity examination (CARE), which is held annually in October.
Members of a non-recognized accounting body take an average time of 2.7 years to complete the student process. These applicants may request exemptions from some of the education and/or experience requirements. Such requests are reviewed by the applications committee.
Members of a non-assessed accounting body are usually required to complete all the requirements of the Ontario program to qualify for membership in the Institute, an average time of 3.2 years. These registrants may request an individual assessment of their qualifications and those of their accounting body to determine if the Institute’s applications committee will grant any education and/or examination exemptions.
Accounting Body Review
A review of a non-assessed accounting body will be done by the Institute upon written request. A review, conducted at no cost to the applicant, will determine if exemptions from any education and/or examination requirements of the CA program can be granted. Due to the detailed information required from the accounting body and the in-depth nature of this review, this takes an average of 1 year. The applicant will be sent a written status update of the assessment’s progress at 6 months. An applicant may be registered as a student, but may not attempt any examinations until this review has been completed.
Assessment of Qualifications
Applicants who require a hearing to apply for exemptions should allow approximately 2 – 5 months for scheduling a hearing once their file is complete. The decision made by the committee will be delivered orally at the conclusion of the hearing. Written confirmation of the decision takes approximately 1 – 2 weeks following the hearing date. A detailed document which outlines the reasons for the committee’s decision is prepared within 3-4 months.
Non-Canadian Transcript Assessment
In order to determine eligibility to register as a student with the Institute, transcripts from non-Canadian universities must be assessed to determine if the 4 year or equivalent degree requirement has been met. Also courses must be assessed to determine which courses will be recognized for credit towards the 51 credit hours. This preliminary assessment costs $480 plus HST and takes an average of six months. A portion of the assessment cost $380 is credited towards the student registration fees if the student registers within three years of the preliminary assessment.
Non-Ontario Transcript Assessment
Courses taken at universities outside of Ontario must be assessed to determine if the 4 year or equivalent degree requirement has been met. Also courses must be assessed to determine which courses will be recognized for credit towards the 51 credit hours. A preliminary assessment costs $100 plus HST and takes an average of 3 – 5 months. If the student is registering with the Institute, the assessment is included as part of the registration.
Ontario Transcript Assessment with a mix of Ontario universities and/or college transfer credits
Transcripts with course mixes from different Ontario universities have to be assessed for overlapping or missing course content. A preliminary assessment costs $50 plus HST and takes an average of 8-16 weeks. If the student is registering with the Institute, the assessment is included as part of the registration.
Ontario Transcript Assessment
Transcripts from an Ontario university takes an average of 4-6 weeks to assess.
A preliminary assessment costs $50 plus HST. If the student is registered with the Institute, the assessment is included as part of the registration.
Admission to Membership
Students who are within a month of their estimated completion date and have completed all other education requirements and examination requirements will be sent a request to file a final experience certification report. After any additional leaves of absence are taken into consideration and the estimated completion date is confirmed, the student will be sent a personalized application for admission to membership form. The fee for admission to membership is $565 ($500 plus $65 HST). This is separate from the Annual Membership fees.
Upon the Institute’s receipt of the application for admission to membership students who are not ready for admission to membership will be sent notification of their revised estimated completion date. Students who are ready for membership are sent to the next membership committee meeting for consideration. This will take an average of 1 – 2 months depending upon the timing of the meetings. Following the membership committee meeting, new members are advised of their admission to membership by e-mail within 2-4 days of the meeting. The membership certificate including a congratulatory letter confirming their admission to membership will be mailed to the new member within 3 – 4 weeks following admission to membership. The Annual Membership fee will be sent out 2 weeks after admission to membership.
A membership candidate who has been approved by the applications committee and has completed all experience and examination requirements will be sent a personalized Admission to Membership form. The fee for admission to membership is $565 ($500 plus $65 HST). Note the admission to membership fee is separate from the Annual Membership fee. After the applicant is approved by the membership committee and admitted to membership in the Ontario Institute the new member will be separately billed the annual membership fee. This is usually sent out 2 weeks after admission to membership.
ICAO Member’s handbook
A copy of the bylaws, rules and regulations is available online at http://www.icao.on.ca/Resources/Membershandbook/1011page5011.aspx
All applicants, students and membership candidates are encouraged to read:
Regulation I - A regulation in respect of students and/or
Regulation II – A regulation in respect of Certified Public Accountants from the United States of America and members of other recognized accounting bodies outside Canada with which the Institute has reciprocal recognition.
For more information, contact Customer Service.