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Important change: As of September 15, 2008, Minnesota students completing a bachelor's degree in
accounting may submit an application for the CPA exam 180 days prior to
graduation.
When to apply?
Deciding when to apply and sit for the CPA exam is your first step on your
path to becoming a CPA. You have two options in deciding when to apply for the CPA exam: before or
after graduation. Below we have outlined the timeline for each scenario.
Application pre-graduation:
- 180 days before graduation, you can apply to sit for the exam up to 180 days prior
to your expected graduation date.
- Up to 90 days before graduation, you can sit for all or part of the exam, provided you have met all requirements
except having an official transcript.
- 150 days after sitting for the exam, you need to submit to NASBA a final transcript showing proof that you have
completed the education requirements within 150 days of sitting for your first
exam section.
If a transcript is not submitted within 150 days, no credit will be
given for any sections of the exam passed.
Example 1: Graduating May 31, sitting in March/April window
|
December |
March |
April |
May |
June |
August |
Apply Dec. 1
180 days prior
to graduation is the earliest to apply with a May graduation date |
Testing window closed |
Sit April 1
90 days prior to
graduation is the earliest date you can sit |
Graduate |
Testing window closed |
Send transcript to BOA
Send transcript as soon as possible but
no later than 150 days after completing exam section |
Example 2: Graduating May 31, sitting in July/August window
|
April |
May |
June |
July |
September |
November |
Apply April 1
An April application is within 180 days prior to a May graduation |
Graduate |
Testing window closed |
Sit July 1 |
Testing window closed |
Send transcript to BOA
Send transcript as soon as possible but no later than 150 days after completing exam section |
Applying too early could have negative results if you don't plan to sit
before summer. Remember that your Notice to Schedule (NTS) is valid for 6 months. Apply 6 - 8 weeks
before the first window when you'd like to sit.
Application post-graduation:
Applying to sit for the CPA exam following graduation may allow you more
flexibility in scheduling. Below is a timeline to keep in mind when applying to
sit post-graduation.
- Apply through NASBA to sit for exam.
- Receive Notice to Schedule (NTS) from NASBA via mail.
- Register to sit for any section of the exam within 6 months of receiving NTS.
- Sit for exam.
- When section is passed, you have 18 months from the day of sitting to pass the additional 3 sections of the CPA exam.
Obtaining an application
If you have never applied for the exam before,
download an application form (PDF).
If you need to retake a section of the exam, you must
complete your re-exam registration online.
Information needed to complete the application
- Contact information
- Social Security number
- Employer information (if applicable)
- Education history
- School code (see the
school code list) (PDF)
- 2 x 2 passport-style photo taken within past 3 months
Note: All candidates are required to pay both an application fee and the fee
for each exam section you're applying to take at the time of
registration. Please see our exam fact sheet for
information on exam
fees.
Mail your application materials to the address listed in the application.
Your application generally takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks to process for
first-time candidates.
Notice to Schedule (NTS)
Once CPA Exam Services determines you're eligible to take the exam, they will
contact NASBA. NASBA will issue a Notice to Schedule (NTS) via mail. The NTS is
valid for 6 months from the date noted on the NTS and will list the sections you
are approved to take. Your NTS will include the date that your NTS expires.
Once you've received your NTS, you can register to take a section(s) of the exam
directly with Prometric, Inc. View the
list of Prometric test centers.
CPA re-exam candidates
Reexamination candidates are those who have previously taken the CPA exam as
a candidate of the State of Minnesota.
Reexam candidates only have the option for
online registration. There is not a paper form. You can also apply
by phone with CPA Examination Services at 800-CPA-EXAM or 615-880-4250, Monday
through Friday, 8:00 – 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.
There is a modified fee schedule for reexamination candidates. To see the
current fees, go to
NASBA's exam fees page and click on the "Re-Examination Fee" button.
Most common reasons for application delays
- Candidate fails to submit transcripts from ALL schools attended
- Candidate lacks specific, required course work
- Course descriptions must be obtained to ensure that particular subject
matter was covered
- Candidate lacks required credit hours in one or more academic areas
- Candidate fails to meet special jurisdiction requirements (ie. board
fees, addition forms, etc.)
- Candidate fails to submit appropriate fees
- Candidate fails to sign application
- Candidate fails to submit photo (approximately 50% of jurisdictions
require a photo)
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Preferred CPA review course of the MNCPA
 MNCPA
members receive a 30% discount, a savings of up to $420.00, on the purchase of
all four Kaplan Schweser online review courses.
»
Learn more
Resources for students
ExamTracker
Use this tool to track your progress in passing the CPA exam. Avoid the pain of having a
passing score expire or missing critical exam updates. You do not need to be a member to
setup an ExamTracker account.
Accounting Employer & Internship Directory
Ace your interview! Research potential employers with our searchable guide.
MNCPA Scholarships
Help pay for your accounting education with $1,000 from the MNCPA.
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