The Institute created and implemented its new accreditation process for Ontario universities' accounting programs/streams in 2004. This initiative was completed in 2010. Institute-accreditation was intended to promote the development of excellence and critical mass in Ontario universities' accounting/business programs – quantity and quality of faculty, students, research and curriculum.

In conjunction with other rigorous criteria that reflect the high CA standards, the foundation of Institute-accreditation was provided by each university’s self-assessment of its accounting program/stream to The UFE Candidates' Competency Map. Institute-accreditation indicates that there is a strong long-term partnership between each university and the Institute that includes a commitment to continuous improvement to ensure that graduates are always well prepared for careers as Chartered Accountants. Students completing their CA requirements through an Institute-accredited program/stream do not have to worry about counting courses to complete the ICAO’s 51 credit-hour requirement.

As a result of this initiative, the following Institute/university partnerships were created through accredited accounting programs/streams (in order by date of accreditation):

University of Toronto – At Mississauga, the Master of Management and Professional Accounting (MMPA), the Bachelor of Commerce, Commerce and Finance: Accounting Specialist stream, and at Rotman Commerce, St. George, the Bachelor of Commerce, Specialist in Accounting stream;
Wilfrid Laurier University – The Honours Bachelor of Business Administration, regular and co-op, and the Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Accounting, regular and co-op, both inclusive of the post-degree undergraduate courses needed to complete the 51 credit hours;
Brock University – The Bachelor of Accounting, Option A, regular and co-op;
Queen’s University – The Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting stream, in combination with the Graduate Diploma in Accounting;
York University – The Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting stream at the Schulich School of Business;
University of Western Ontario – The Honours Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting stream at the Richard Ivey School of Business, inclusive of the Diploma in Accounting; and
McMaster University – The Master of Business Administration and the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), regular and internship, both inclusive of the Courses for Professional Designation needed to complete the 51 credit hours.

The Institute continues to provide financial and/or other support to Ontario universities.

Minimum ‘B-‘ GPA Requirement:

Graduates who achieve a minimum GPA of ‘B-‘ in Institute-accredited programs/streams ('B' in the University of Toronto's MMPA program) are deemed to have met all of the requirements for entry into the Institute’s Professional Program. The courses used as the basis for calculating the minimum GPA requirement depends on whether the graduates are from an Institute-accredited program or an Institute-accredited accounting stream within a program. For an Institute-accredited program, the GPA requirement is calculated on all of the courses in the program. For an Institute-accredited accounting stream within a program , the GPA requirement is calculated on the set of courses that define the stream.

University of Waterloo's Accredited Professional Program

University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo's Master of Accounting (MAcc) Program was accredited by the Institute under its accreditation initiative about Professional Schools of Accounting in Ontario launched in 1981. Under this accreditation, graduates of the University of Waterloo's MAcc are considered to have met the the 51 credit-hours of prescribed university courses and the ICAO Professional Program. Accordingly, MAcc graduates are eligible to attempt the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) upon graduation however they still need to attend a staff training course.