ICAS

Quicklinks

  1. About Us

    Find out about who we are and what we do here at ICAS.

  2. Find a CA

    Search our directory of individual CAs and Member organisations by name, location and professional criteria.

  3. CA Magazine

    View the latest issues of the dedicated magazine for ICAS Chartered Accountants.

  4. Contact Us

    Get in touch with ICAS by phone, email or post, with dedicated contacts for Members, Students and firms.

Login
  • Annual renewal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Find a CA
  • Advantage
  1. About us
    1. Governance
    2. ICAS strategy 2030
  2. Members
    1. Become a member
    2. Newly qualified
    3. Manage my membership
    4. Benefits of membership
    5. Career support
    6. Mentoring
    7. CA Wellbeing
    8. More for Members
    9. Area networks
    10. International communities
    11. Get involved
    12. Top Young CAs
    13. Career breaks
    14. ICAS podcast
    15. Newly admitted members 2023
  3. CA Students
    1. Student information
    2. Student resources
    3. Learning requirements
    4. Learning updates
    5. Learning blog
    6. Totum Pro | Student discount card
    7. CA Student wellbeing
  4. Become a CA
    1. How to become a CA
    2. Routes to becoming a CA
    3. Find a training agreement
    4. Why become a CA
    5. The CA qualification
    6. Accredited qualifications and exemptions
  5. Employers
    1. Train a Chartered Accountant
    2. Resources for Authorised Training Offices
    3. Professional entry
    4. Government-funded apprenticeships
    5. Learning redefined
  6. Find a CA
  7. ICAS events
    1. CA Summit
    2. Digital Practice Conference 2023
  8. CA magazine
  9. Professional resources
    1. Anti-money laundering
    2. Audit and assurance
    3. Brexit
    4. Business and governance
    5. Charities
    6. Coronavirus
    7. Corporate and financial reporting
    8. Cyber security
    9. Ethics
    10. Insolvency
    11. ICAS Research
    12. Pensions
    13. Practice
    14. Public sector
    15. Sustainability
    16. Tax
    17. Vulnerable persons toolkit
    18. EDI Toolkit
    19. Wellbeing Toolkit
    20. Trust in Chartered Accountants
    21. Research highlights trust
  10. CPD - professional development
    1. CPD - Everything you need to know
    2. CPD courses and qualifications
    3. CPD news and updates
    4. CPD support and advice
    5. Career support
  11. Regulation
    1. Complaints and sanctions
    2. Regulatory authorisations
    3. Guidance and help sheets
    4. Regulatory monitoring
    5. ICAS regulatory functions report 2022
    6. Regulation Strategy
    7. ICAS Regulation News
  12. CA jobs
    1. Rutherford Cross | Specialists in Finance Recruitment
    2. Resources for your job search
    3. Advertise with CA jobs
    4. Hays | A Trusted ICAS CA Jobs Partner
    5. Azets | What's your ambition?
    6. Hutcheon Mearns | Transforming finance
  13. Work at ICAS
    1. Business centres
    2. Meet our team
    3. Benefits
    4. Vacancies
    5. Imagine your career at ICAS
  14. Contact us
    1. Technical and regulation queries
    2. ICAS logo request

International applicants’ route to becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA)

Students with non-UK degrees must confirm the comparability of their degree and the employer’s requirements before applying for an ICAS CA training position.

The ICAS CA qualification is instantly recognised and respected around the world and becoming a CA will provide extraordinary career opportunities wherever you go.

Check your degree’s UK comparability

For an international student looking to train as an ICAS Chartered Accountant, the first step is to confirm that your degree is equivalent to a UK degree.


To check the UK-comparability of your degree please visit naric.org.uk

Check now


Check employer’s requirements

After you have obtained confirmation of degree comparability, you can then apply directly to the ICAS-authorised employers listed on our dedicated Become a CA website.

Each employer will specify their own minimum entry requirements, in addition to those required by ICAS, so please check before applying – you're unlikely to be successful if you don't meet these requirements.

Remember that ICAS itself doesn’t offer any training agreements – you must apply directly to the employers listed on the website.

Employers should help you obtain a Training & Work Experience Scheme permit (TWES).


Find a CA training vacancy that's right for you

Search now


FAQs

Why should I become a Chartered Accountant?

By training to become an ICAS Chartered Accountant (or CA for short), you’ll be on the fast track to unlock some of the most powerful and rewarding positions in business, accounting and industry, in the UK and internationally.

  • Qualify for more than accountancy
  • Use the prestigious CA letters after your name
  • Unlock international opportunities
  • Enjoy competitive salaries and job security
  • Join a global business community
  • Access ICAS’ unrivalled professional support

Learn more

Can international students/graduates become a CA?

Yes, but it varies by employer.  Students who need a visa to work in the UK, must check with the Authorised Training Office (ATO) to see whether this is possible with their individual employer.

Learn more

How is the ICAS CA qualification structured?

The ICAS CA is widely viewed as one of the most prestigious accounting qualifications in the world.

The CA syllabus begins with an Ethics module, which will be part of our Fundamentals onboarding course.

The remainder of the syllabus is structured over three levels, starting with Knowledge, leading to Skills, and finishing with Integration.

As illustrated below, the core subjects at the Skills level are supported by four new in-depth electives: Advanced Tax: Data Analytics; Innovation for Growth and Transformation; and Sustainability for Accountants.

The new syllabus and its three levels and their courses.

Assessment is by examination (UK only) and, in addition, candidates must complete, and have validated, 450-750 days of relevant practical experience.

The qualification is credit rated at Level 11 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and is recognised nationally and internationally as sitting at the level of a Masters degree.

Do I qualify for any exemptions to the CA qualification?

Exemptions may be available from all six papers of the Test of Competence (TC) level, depending on your qualifications and memberships.

Who may be eligible for an exemption?

  • graduates with an ICAS-accredited degree
  • graduates with some non-ICAS-accredited degrees
  • members of ICAEW
  • AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting

Learn more

Where do I apply for a CA training agreement?

Our dedicated job site Becomeaca.org.uk offers an interesting range of firms to work and train with, from small local companies to large corporations.

Search for a vacancy

What are the other routes to becoming a Chartered Accountant?

There are various ways to become an ICAS Chartered Accountant (CA), with options for school leavers, graduates, professionals and apprentices:

  • School-leaver route
  • Graduate entry for university graduates
  • Professional entry for experienced finance professionals
  • Accountancy Professional apprenticeships

Learn more

Become a CA home

2023-08-charles

Footer links

  • Contact us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Privacy notice
  • CA magazine

Connect with ICAS

  • TikTok (opens new window) TikTok Icon
  • Twitter (opens new window) Twitter Icon
  • LinkedIn (opens new window) LinkedIn Icon
  • Instagram (opens new window) Instagram Icon
  • Youtube (opens new window)

ICAS is a member of the following bodies

  • Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (opens new window) Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies logo
  • Chartered Accountants Worldwide (opens new window) Chartered Accountants Worldwide logo
  • Global Accounting Alliance (opens new window) Global Accounting Alliance
  • International Federation of Accountants (opens new window) IFAC
  • Access Accountancy (opens new window) Access Acountancy
  • Women in Finance Charter (opens new window) Women in Finance Charter

Charities

  • ICAS Foundation (opens new window) ICAS Foundation
  • SCABA (opens new window) scaba

Accreditations

  • ISO 9001 - RGB (opens new window)
© ICAS 2022

The mark and designation “CA” is a registered trade mark of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and is available for use in the UK and EU only to members of ICAS. If you are not a member of ICAS, you should not use the “CA” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to accountancy, tax or insolvency services. The mark and designation “Chartered Accountant” is a registered trade mark of ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and Chartered Accountants Ireland. If you are not a member of one of these organisations, you should not use the “Chartered Accountant” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to these services. Further restrictions on the use of these marks also apply where you are a member.

Our cookie policy

ICAS.com uses cookies which are essential for our website to work. We would also like to use analytical cookies to help us improve our website and your user experience. Any data collected is anonymised. Please have a look at the further information in our cookie policy and confirm if you are happy for us to use analytical cookies: