FAQ on Transitional Examinations

The HKICPA will offer Transitional Examinations (TE) as an alternative route to enable Joint Examination Scheme students to meet the admission requirements of the CPA Qualification Programme (CPA QP). The following are some of common questions raised by students.

Q1. Three of the TE share the same name as CPA QP Modules. Are they the same thing?
Q2. If I have passed 9 JES papers that qualify me for getting exemptions from the four papers in the TE, can I enter the CPA QP directly?
Q3. If I have completed the TE, will I automatically become a CPA QP student?
Q4. I have passed 8 JES papers, will I be exempted from 3 TE papers?
Q5. Papers 9 and 12 are no longer offered in ACCA's new syllabuses introduced in the December 2001 Examination. What papers shall I pass in the December 2001 diet to be eligible to get exemption from TE's paper on Management Accounting?
Q6. Is the TE syllabus available for purchase? How can I obtain it?
Q7. Will there be any Revision Course offered to students taking the TE?
Q8. How long will the TE last? Is it offered to JES students only?
Q9. I am now close to my expiry date of the JES. Will I get a new expiry date if I choose to take the TE?
Q10. Can I take the TE and continue to sit for ACCA's papers?
Q11. Both the TE and ACCA Examinations are held in June and December of the year, will the examination dates of the two examinations clash?
Q12. I have passed/exempted less than 10 papers under JES, but has obtained a postgraduate diploma in professional accounting, which is one of the accredited Conversion Programmes of the Institute. In this case, do I need to take the TE to meet the CPA QP admission requirements?
Q13. How do Conversion Programmes compare with the TE?
Q14. When can I apply for exemption under the TE?
Q15. I am a JES student but have not been taking any JES examination. I am taking the HKAAT examinations. I understand that with the completion of HKAAT, I can claim exemptions for 6 papers. I may be able to complete HKAAT examinations by 2002. Can I join the TE?

 

Q1. Three of the TE share the same name as CPA QP Modules. Are they the same thing?
Ans. The syllabuses of the four TE Papers (viz. Auditing & Information Management; Financial Management; Management Accounting and Taxation) are on similar topics as those of the CPA QP Modules. However, the papers are set at a standard equivalent to the Certificate Stage/Level Two of the Joint Examination Scheme.
 
Q2. If I have passed 9 JES papers that qualify me for getting exemptions from the four papers in the TE, can I enter the CPA QP directly?
Ans. No, according to the rules of the TE, exemptions will be granted for up to three TE papers upon application for those who have completed 7 to 9 papers under the JES. If all the 9 JES papers render you to be eligible for exemption from the four TE papers, you can choose to sit any one of these four TE papers. Please note that under any circumstances you have to sit for at least one TE paper to meet the CPA QP admission requirements.
 
Q3. If I have completed the TE, will I automatically become a CPA QP student?
Ans. Yes, you will be accepted to the CPA QP upon completion of the TE.

 
Q4.
I have passed 8 JES papers, will I be exempted from 3 TE papers?
Ans. It depends on which 8 JES papers that you have passed. Please refer to the following Exemption Table for the exemption policy. Paper in Transitional Examinations Paper Passed/Exempted under JES Auditing & Information Management Paper 5 (Information Analysis) + Paper 6H (Audit Framework) or Paper 10H (Accounting & Audit Framework) Financial Management Paper 3 (Management Information)+ Paper 8 (Managerial Finance) or Paper 14 (Financial Strategy) Management Accounting Paper 9 (Information for Control & Decision Making)+ Paper 12 (Management & Strategy) Taxation Paper 7(H) (Tax Framework - HK) orPaper 11(H) (Tax Planning - HK)
 
Q5. Papers 9 and 12 are no longer offered in ACCA's new syllabuses introduced in the December 2001 Examination. What papers shall I pass in the December 2001 diet to be eligible to get exemption from TE's paper on Management Accounting?
Ans. Pass in Papers 3.3 (Performance Management) and 3.5 (Strategic Business Planning & Development) will enable you to be eligible for exemption from the Management Accounting paper of the TE.
 
Q6. Is the TE syllabus available for purchase? How can I obtain it?
Ans. The syllabus of the four TE papers will be put on the Institute's homepage (http://www.hkicpa.org.hk).
 
Q7. Will there be any Revision Course offered to students taking the TE?
Ans. Revision Courses on the four TE papers will be offered by the Institute in collaboration with tertiary institutions.
 
Q8. How long will the TE last? Is it offered to JES students only?
Ans. The TE will be offered for three years in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Two diets will be held each year, in June and December. Those who fail in any of the four papers can re-sit the paper(s) before the termination of the TE in December 2004. Only existing JES students who remain on the Institute's student register after the termination of the JES are eligible to sit the TE.
 
Q9. I am now close to my expiry date of the JES. Will I get a new expiry date if I choose to take the TE?
Ans. Your 10-year time limit will continue to run under the TE. You can of course apply to the Council for extension of this time limit. However, do note that if you choose the TE, you must complete it by December 2004, which is the last diet of the TE.
 
Q10. Can I take the TE and continue to sit for ACCA's papers?
Ans. Yes. The HKICPA TE and ACCA's Examinations are two different examinations offered by two different bodies. You can sit both examinations provided that you pay the fees/annual subscription of the bodies concerned.
 
Q11. Both the TE and ACCA Examinations are held in June and December of the year, will the examination dates of the two examinations clash?
Ans. The first TE will be held in the 3rd week of June 2002 (tentative), which should not clash with the ACCA Examinations which are normally held in the 1st and 2nd week of June. However, as the two examinations are independent examinations offered by two different professional bodies, there is no guarantee that they will not clash.
 
Q12. I have passed/exempted less than 10 papers under JES, but has obtained a postgraduate diploma in professional accounting, which is one of the accredited Conversion Programmes of the Institute. In this case, do I need to take the TE to meet the CPA QP admission requirements?
Ans. It depends on whether you have a degree (in any discipline) granted by a tertiary institutions (Hong Kong or non-Hong Kong) recognised by the Institute. If you do, there is no need to sit the TE. If you do not have a recognised degree, then it is likely that have to qualify for CPA QP admission by taking the TE.
 
Q13. How do Conversion Programmes compare with the TE?
Ans. Conversion programmes are only applicable to those who have a recognised but non-relevant (i.e. non-Accountancy major) degree and they are offered by tertiary institutions. Whilst the TE is an examination of the HKICPA open only to all JES students not eligible for direct transfer to the CPA QP, irrespective of their academic qualifications. In addition, most of the Conversion Programmes are award-bearing courses of local tertiary institutions, for which the graduates would be granted formal academic qualifications (e.g. Master in Professional Accounting, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, etc.) by these institutions.
 
Q14. When can I apply for exemption under the TE? And when will the application form be available?
Ans. The closing date for exemption applications for the June 2002 diet is 31 March 2002. Application forms will be available in January 2002.
 
Q15. I am a JES student but have not been taking any JES examination. I am taking the HKAAT examinations. I understand that with the completion of HKAAT, I can claim exemptions for 6 papers. I may be able to complete HKAAT examinations by 2002. Can I join the TE?
Ans. Yes. Application for exemptions under the TE can be made after the cessation of the JES as long as they are within the duration of the TE, basing on similar JES exemption policy, procedures and deadlines.