Questions about eligibility should be referred to the Regional Chartered Accountants Program Coordinator.

Practical Experience requirements
Current module practical experience requirements
Glossary

Practical experience requirements

Before enrolling in your first module you must meet one of the following practical experience entry requirements:

• 26 weeks (6 months) of full time relevant experience mentored by a Chartered Accountant, prior to the module commencement date of your first module
• three years of relevant non-mentored experience approved by the Institute prior to the module commencement date of your first module
• 16 continuous weeks of relevant experience mentored by a Chartered Accountant immediately prior to the module commencement date of your first module, provided you have graduated with an accredited degree together with a research Honours or research Masters course approved by the Institute. It is preferred that research honours/Masters courses are in accounting or accounting-related subjects (for example, Finance) but other research areas will be considered.

All candidates commencing their first technical module from Term 3 2007 onwards will be required to participate in the Practical Experience Program and submit a Letter of Agreement regardless of their previous service.

Current candidates who commenced approved employment after 1 October 2006, registered with the Institute after 1 April 2007 or have an external mentor will be required to complete the Practical Experience Program. Candidates are unable to change programs regardless of changes of employment or mentors.

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Current module practical experience requirements

While undertaking a module of the GradDipCA, you must be in approved practical experience; that is, you must:

• be obtaining relevant experience employed full time (or a minimum of 17.5hrs per week part-time) by an organisation that is approved by the Institute
• be mentored by a Chartered Accountant from the module commencement date for the relevant module, up to and including the date of the module examination. Periods of leave (e.g. long service, sick, maternity, paternity) of less than eight weeks duration in which the employment is not terminated and annual holidays do not break your service. Other types of leave constitute a break in service as outlined below.

It is recognised that candidates sometimes have breaks in approved service for a variety of reasons. Provided your prerequisite service has been obtained you may be able to gain special approval if an Institute member agrees to act as mentor.

• Was in approved service at the module commencement date for the first module but changes employment and is 'out of service' (i.e. either not employed within an approved organisation or unemployed). In this situation, Chartered Accountants Program candidates may accumulate a maximum of 16 weeks 'out of service'
• Is employed in an organisation where there is no Institute member or is self-employed.
• Has obtained three or more years of relevant mentored experience approved by the Institute.
• Has exceptional circumstances that are approved by the National Education Board.
• For 2, 3 and 4 the candidate and mentor agree to strict guidelines regarding mentorship and complete the Practical Experience Activity Logbook.

Formal approval to enrol in or continue a module under any of the above service arrangements must be sought from the Practical Experience Coordinator. Candidates are required to submit the Practical Experience Letter of Agreement to the Practical Experience Coordinator and agree to complete the Practical Experience Program

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Glossary

Definitions of the terms used above in relation to service before (prerequisite service) and during modules of the GradDipCA are as follows:

Relevant experience means a depth of experience in at least one major area such as financial accounting, auditing, general practice, management accounting, taxation, financial management, insolvencies, treasury, information systems consultancy and comparable sub-divisions of accounting.

Approved experience means relevant experience mentored by a Chartered Accountant and undertaken within an approved firm or organisation (unless special approval is granted).

One week shall be at least 35 hours. Overtime is not included. Where service is not full-time, it will be calculated as the full-time equivalent.

Mentor refers to the Chartered Accountant nominated by the candidate and employer to provide guidance and advice and to monitor a candidate's performance and training within the employment environment. A mentor must hold a position deemed to be at least equal to or more senior than the candidate.

Mentored by a Chartered Accountant means mentored by a member of the Institute or from one of the other Global Accounting Alliance bodies as outlined below:

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
• Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA)
• The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)
• College of Chartered Accountants of The New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA)
• Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) (admitted through the HKICPA Qualification Program)
• A legally constituted State Authority in the United States of America (the person having CPA status).

An approved organisation is an entity that has been approved by the Institute for the purpose of providing mentored practical experience and training to students.

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