On this page:
鈫� Admissions
鈫� Before applying
鈫�听Obtaining the CPA Designation
鈫捥�Professional Education Programs (PEP)
鈫捥�Admission Requirements
鈫� Submitting your application
Admissions for Summer 2025 open October 1.
COVID-19 & Admissions 2024
Due to the exceptional circumstances surrounding COVID-19, many universities have offered an S/U option for impacted courses. For admission to the 海角社区 GCPA program in 2024, we will recognize S/U grades for all prerequisite courses completed in winter 2020 (January to April 2020), as long as the overall minimum GCPA requirement is met. Please note that all other S/U grades in any prerequisite course will not be accepted as having met the minimum requirements for admission into the program.
Graduates who hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree with major in accounting from a recognized Canadian university will be considered for direct admission into the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting program. Entry to the GCPA program requires a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a B- in all the prerequisite courses. The program has limited enrolment. Admission to the program is highly competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not secure entry into the GCPA program.听
Before applying
Important! If you have not met the minimum CGPA and grade requirements of B- or are missing any of the prerequisite courses, you will be refused on the basis of not meeting all of the requirements to the GCPA program. You will be able to re-apply after you have completed all of the requirements, which would involve another online application and fee payment.
For information about applying to study in Canada, immigration questions, health insurance and more, please contact International Student Services.
Currently, for students admitted to the full-time GCPA Program at the Desautels Faculty of Management the only complementary courses that will be offered during the program will be those that allow CPA鈥檚 to practice Public Accounting (Practice of Taxation and Assurance Services). Students wishing to pursue other CPA paths such as Financial Analysis or Performance Measurement (management accounting) should apply to the National program.
Obtaining the CPA Designation
In order to obtain the CPA designation in Quebec, a student must have:
- Completed a Professional Education Program (PEP).
- Passed the Common Final Exam (CFE).
- Completed a 24 month听period of听practical experience听with an accredited training office (it is the student's responsibility to obtain such employment).
- Proof of knowledge of the听French language.
Once all these criteria have been met, the student will obtain the designation of Chartered Professional Accountant from L'Ordre des comptables professionnels agr茅茅s du Qu茅bec (OCPAQ).
Professional Education Programs (PEP)
In Quebec candidates for the CPA can complete a PEP either through a recognized university graduate program, such as 海角社区鈥檚 Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting (GCPA) or through the National online .
海角社区 currently only offers the GCPA program full time in the Desautels Faculty of Management.听
Admission Requirements
Currently for students admitted to the full-time GCPA Program at the Desautels Faculty of Management the only complementary courses offered during the program will be those that allow CPA鈥檚 to practice Public Accounting (Practice of Taxation and Assurance Services). Students wishing to pursue other CPA paths such as Financial Analysis or Performance Measurement (management accounting) should contact the 海角社区 School of Continuing Studies or apply to the National Program.
Development of Professional Skills
Strategic thinking and professional skills including report writing and making presentations are useful skills for a professional accountant. 听Students are encouraged to develop those broader skills in their undergraduate studies whether through course selection (your electives) or by participation in case competitions or similar activities.
Before Applying
If you have not met the minimum grade requirements of B- or are missing any of the prerequisite courses, you will be refused on the basis of not meeting all of the requirements to the GCPA program. You will be asked to re-apply after you have completed all of the prerequisites, which would involve another application and application fee.
NOTE: Applicants must also meet the requirements outlined by the for the university where they obtained their undergraduate degree.
Admission to the program is highly competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not secure entry into the GCPA program.听
Please select from听the following options:
If you completed a Canadian BCom
Applicants who complete a BCom program must complete the following courses, or their equivalents, with minimum grades of B-.听
NOTE: Applicants must also meet the requirements outlined by the听for the university where they obtained their undergraduate degree.
Applicants who obtained their undergraduate degree in a different province must also verify the requirements outlined by the CPA Order of that听province.
If you completed a BCom degree at Concordia University
Requirements for Concordia University applicants:
ACCO 310 Financial Reporting I
ACCO 320 Financial Reporting II
ACCO 330 Cost and Management Accounting
ACCO 340 Income Taxation in Canada
ACCO 420 Financial Accounting III
ACCO 435 Strategic Case Analyses
ACCO 440 Advanced Taxation
ACCO 450 Assurance Services (or ACCO 360 Principles of Auditing as of Fall 2017)
COMM 315 Business Law (core course)
COMM 305 Managerial Accounting (core course)
COMM 308 Introduction to Finance (core course)
Note:听Applicants must also meet the requirements outlined by the听for the university where they obtained their undergraduate degree.
If you did not complete a Canadian BCom degree, you must complete the Graduate Certificate in Accounting
Students holding a different Canadian听degree听must complete the Graduate Certificate in Accounting (30 credits) at the School of听Continuing Studies and additional courses as necessary to satisfy the following required 14 prerequisite courses, with minimum grades of B-.
The prerequisite courses required听within the Graduate Certificate in Accounting are:
Complementary and additional courses required:
If you have any questions about the听Graduate Certificate in Accounting听program, please call the School of Continuing Studies directly.
688 Sherbrooke Street West, 11 floor
Montreal,听QC H3A 3R1
Tel: (514) 398-6200
Email: info.conted [at] mcgill.ca
听
Students who have not completed a Canadian B Com degree with a major in accounting may want to consider the national PEP program route instead of the 海角社区 GCPA. For the national PEP program students will be able to complete missing prerequisites through the CPA PREP (PreRequisite听Education听Program) program, a series of on-line modules that cover topics required to enter the National PEP program. More information can be obtained from听.
NOTE:听the CPA PREP courses are听not听acceptable as prerequisites for the 海角社区 GCPA programs.
听
You completed your degree outside Canada
If an applicant has an accounting degree from a foreign university, this does not imply that the student has fulfilled all the requirements for direct entry to the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting. Most courses may have to be taken in order to ensure that the student obtains the Canadian perspective on financial accounting, auditing and taxation rules and regulations (Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Generally Accepted Auditing Standards and the Canadian Income Tax Act).
In almost all cases, L'Ordre des comptables professionnels agr茅茅s du Qu茅bec will require students with foreign degrees to take the Graduate Certificate in Accounting offered through the听School of Continuing Studies.
Applicants can save time by going directly to the听School of Continuing Studies听to inquire about their听Graduate Certificate in Accounting听program听before contacting L'Ordre.
If you have any questions about the听Graduate Certificate in Accounting听program, please call the School of Continuing Studies directly.
688 Sherbrooke Street West, 11 floor
Montreal,听QC H3A 3R1
Tel: (514) 398-6200
Email:听info.conted [at] mcgill.ca
L'Ordre des comptables professionnels agr茅茅s du Qu茅bec can be contacted at:
5 Place Ville Marie
Office 800
Montreal, Quebec听H3B 2G2
Tel: (514) 288-3256
Toll free: 1- 800-363-4688听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Fax: (514) 843-8375
Email:听info [at] cpaquebec.com听
Submitting your application
All supporting documents must be uploaded directly to the 海角社区 online Application Management system for graduate admissions (summer admission).
听
Online Application听Form
Online Application for Admission form:听complete the graduate studies online form听through the 海角社区 online Application Management system for graduate admissions (summer admission. 海角社区 students can log in using their 海角社区 username and password. Applicants from outside 海角社区 must create an account to access 海角社区 online services.
Once you鈥檝e logged in, you must听complete your profile before you submit an听application. You can stop and save your progress at any time. The application will only be processed once you have submitted it.听
When choosing the program, please make sure to select听Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting.
At the application stage you will be asked to fill out mandatory additional questions about CPA-related employment, past or upcoming. Should you answer "Yes" to question(s), the system will ask you for the employment details.
Application Fee
For a non-refundable fee of听$132.90*, you can submit up to two applications in the same term to two different programs**. This fee is payable by credit card when you submit the form.听
Make sure that you print/save the confirmation page that pops up after you submit the payment.听There鈥檚 no confirmation email generated by the system.
*听For updated information please refer to the听student accounts website.
听
Transcripts
When completing your application, you must list听all听the university-level institutions听you have attended to date and be sure to enter if听you have graduated or expect to graduate.听
In case of credit transfers or听exchange terms, you are required to upload the听transcript from the University you attended ('No Degree' option).听Uploaded copies are听considered unofficial transcripts. If you receive an offer of admission, you will be required to make arrangements for an official copy of each transcript to be sent to us.听
海角社区 applicants:听 海角社区 unofficial and final official听transcripts will be uploaded automatically in the system.听
Important (!)
If accepted to the GCPA program, you will be asked to submit听the following听official documents:
- Final Official Transcripts
- Proof of Graduation (often indicated on your transcript)
Ensure that you send all of the required documents or bring them in person to the following location:
GCPA Program
Desautels Faculty of Management
海角社区
3420 McTavish Street听[], room 155M
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0E2
Reference Letters
海角社区 BCom applicants听are not required to provide recommendation letters. However, you will not be able to proceed with your application without completing this section. Please indicate as your referees:
Referee #1: GCPA Program Office,听gcpa.mgmt [at] mcgill.ca
Referee #2: Student Affairs Administrator,听gcpaexam.mgmt [at] mcgill.ca听
All other applicants听must provide the name听and a valid institutional email address听of two referees on the application form. An automatic email will be sent directly to them听inviting them to upload references on your behalf. If at any time you need to make changes to the referee information, you can apply these changes directly on your听 application management page. You will be advised by email if a referee declines to write a recommendation for you.
Detailed information on letters of reference is available here.
The following should be respected when writing a reference letter:
- It must be written (preferably typed) on听official letterhead, unless the text of the letter is input directly on the application management system reference letter web form. A saved PDF version can be uploaded to application management system web form following the reference letter instructions sent automatically to the referee.
- The position of the referee and full contact information at the institution must be specified.
- The complete name of the applicant and program he/she is applying for.
- An appraisal of the applicant in terms of academic performance, background preparation, work habits, personality, and general suitability for the program of choice should be given in the letter. An incomplete evaluation will place the applicant at a disadvantage.
- The letter must be signed and dated by the referee, unless input directly on the application management system reference letter web form.鈥�
听
Personal Statement and CV
All applicants must submit a personal statement, not to exceed two pages, to support their application.听 The personal statement could include why you are interested in pursuing the CPA designation; if you have relevant work experience; describe involvement in any extracurricular activities such as clubs, sports, case competitions, or volunteer work; explain any breaks in your undergraduate studies or reasons you did not follow a full course load; as well as any other personal information that will help us make an admission decision on your application.听
For detailed information regarding additional documents that may be required by certain departments, please consult听Admission Requirements and Application Procedures for each department听here.
Can鈥檛 login?听Contact ICS Service Desk via email at ITsupport [at] mcgill.ca or by phone at 514-398-3398.
