Chartered Accountant Requirements In South Africa

In order to become a chartered accountant, you will need to complete your university studies and then pass a qualifying examination. In addition, you must complete at least two years of relevant experience before applying for registration as an accountant with SAICA.

Chartered Accountant Requirements In South Africa

The requirements for registering as a Chartered Accountant in South Africa are similar to those of the other countries that form the International Federation of Chartered Accountants (IFAC).

The qualifications required by IFAC include a degree with at least 150 credits or equivalent, including 30 credits in commerce or business management. These may vary from country to country, but if you wish to register as a chartered accountant in South Africa, you must have the CA designation after your name.

The requirements include:

In order to become a Chartered Accountant, you’ll need to obtain the following:

• A qualifying degree in accounting or finance.
• Successfully pass the CA exams. You can take these exams at any one of the following testing centres: Johannesburg (Cape Town), Cape Town (Durban), Durban (Johannesburg), and Pretoria.

A qualifying degree.

The degree must be from a university that is accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

The degree must be from a university in South Africa.

The degree must be from a university in one of the countries that are members of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

A qualifying degree is not required if you’re already registered as an accountant with another institute.

As you would expect, the qualification requirements vary from country to country. The Chartered Accountancy qualification is generally considered to be equivalent across all countries in which it is awarded. However, there will still be some variance in requirements such as cost and duration of study.

In most cases, students must complete a bachelor’s degree before they can apply for entry into their chosen course at university level.

If you wish to register as a chartered accountant in South Africa, you must have the CA designation after your name. To hold this title, you must be registered with SAICA. This registration process requires that you meet certain educational requirements, including that you possess a degree from a recognized university and that you complete at least two years of practical experience.

To register as a chartered accountant in South Africa, you must also pass the SAICA Professional Accountant Examination. This exam is administered twice a year and is computer-based. It’s offered in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. The test consists of 250 multiple choice questions that need to be answered within two hours.

Education and Training Requirements for a Career as a Chartered Accountant in South Africa

To become a chartered accountant in South Africa, you need to have a degree. You must have completed your degree from an accredited university. The degree needs to be Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Accounting Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).

You will also need to complete one of the following:

• Graduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy (GDPAA)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy (PDPAA)

In order to qualify for registration as a CA in South Africa, you will need to first obtain a relevant degree from one of the following academic institutions:

• Universities of Cape Town (UCT), Western Cape
• Stellenbosch University, Western Cape
• North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, North West Province
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban and Pietermaritzburg campuses

You will then need to complete the required professional training with one of these bodies:

• Any university accredited by SAICA
• The universities listed above.
• Any other university accredited by SAICA

The requirement to have a bachelor’s degree is not entirely set in stone. You can also be accepted at SAICA if you have:

• A professional qualification that meets the standards of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This includes degrees granted by universities outside South Africa, but only if they are accredited by SAICA or another recognized authority.

• You must be a member of the Chartered Accountants of South Africa (CASA)
• You must have completed and passed all 6 SAICA modules, which are:
• Basic General Knowledge
• Accounting & Financial Reporting
• Business Management and Taxation
• Auditing and Assurance Services
• Control and Risk Management in Accounting Practice

There are several ways to qualify as a chartered accountant in South Africa. A student can take any of these routes:

• Complete a BCom degree, then complete the National Committee on Professional Accounting (NCOPA)’s professional training program.
• Follow the SCA route by completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree, then complete their practical training program and exams.
• Follow the SAICA route by completing an Honours Degree or Master’s Degree accredited by SAICA or ICAS, then complete their practical training program and exams.

Closing

The path to becoming a chartered accountant in South Africa is not an easy one. It takes many years of education and training, but the end result is well worth it. Once you become a CA, there are many career options available for you.

You could work as an accountant in any industry or start your own business; whatever path you choose, your new credentials will give you an advantage over other job applicants because they show that you’re qualified for the position!