[precee71]

Hi, I live here in Hawaii, I just joined this site today hoping I can get some answers for a lot of questions, I’m just so busy right now and really don’t have time to research but I will eventually I just need some more time, I was an accounting graduate from the Philippines, I graduated in 1995 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, it’s been 19 years do you guys think I can still pass the CPA exam if I start reviewing now? I know it’s totally up to me and the time I will put on reviewing, have you guys heard CPA’s who were in my same situation right now who successfully passed, also should I purchase a package now and go for a review (home study is what I think applicable for me since I’m am working) what good home study review company is good? Also I know I have to have my credentials evaluated, do you guys know how can I do it, can you guys give me a link, also when is the upcoming unform exam? if I purchase and start reviewing now,can I still make it to the coming uniform exam? thanks guys, I’m just really busy and don’t have time to research on how to do all of these specially how to start

[TNCPA16]

If you want to be licensed in Hawaii, you will need 150 credit hours (which most people with a Bachelor's degree do not have). Before you start down the path of getting review materials, you should find out if you meet all of the requirements.

The NASBA site should be able to answer most of your questions: https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/hawaii/

Also, not to be a downer, but if you are too busy to do a little research you might struggle with finding time to study for the exam. It's a big committment.

[precee71]

thanks so much for replying Jilly Beans,yeah I know this is a big commitment, I will start about researching this now, I really want to start reviewing soon, regarding 150 credit hours? is that only a requirement for Hawaii people, do you mean I can be licensed too in other states that are not requiring 150 credit hours, I barely have an idea about all the process of becoming a CPA here in the US, I really need to start researching now how to start,thanks for the links too

[TNCPA16]

The majority of states require 150 hours. There are a handful, I believe, that only require 120..but they have requirements as far as how many accounting & business hours you have. I can't really speak much about those states, since I'm sitting for the exam in a 150 state.

Good luck!

[fjabay]

Precee71, I graduated from the Philippines as well and recently passed one of the sections of the CPA exam. You need to decide if you are going to apply for a license in Hawaii. Every state has different requirements for international students. For example, in Florida, they require additional 15 units of Masters before you can sit for the exam on top of the 120 units that they require.

Also, getting your transcript evaluated depends on the state you are applying to take the exam. Some states only allow a short list of specific foreign evaluation agencies that they will accept your evaluation from.

Jilly Beans provided the link to learn more about Hawaii CPA exam requirements.

I would suggest getting a head start in studying. What I did personally was while I was in the process of requesting my transcript from my school in the Philippines and getting it evaluated, I bought a Wiley Audit Review Book (now called Wiley CPAexcel). It helped me to get the cobwebs off my brain and prepared me for the actual review.

The whole process for me took almost 3 months before I was able to be approved to take sit for the CPA exam.

AUD - 07/14/14 - 88

[precee71]

thanks so much Jilly Bean, I already started researching yesterday about it had some info but really need to read some more, by the way goodluck on your upcoming exam.

[precee71]

fjbay, thank you so much! Also congratulations on passing one of the sections of the exam I can see that you have a high score you must be so smart, I'm so happy right now knowing there's somebody here like me that graduated from the Philippines you really inspired me now and feel a little confident now ,you see I'm not really that confident to take the exam because it's been 19 years, but all these years I've been wanting to take the exam and be a CPA, accounting was my first love I even took accounting course when I was still in high school in the Philippines, I think now is really the time even if I still don't have enough time to review, being currently working right now and raising a 3 year old, but I'm serious and willing to spend time to start,I just didn't know how to start, I did some research yesterday though, I don't know if I will send my credentials evaluated first or buy the review materials first and start reviewing,but now that you told me how you started, I think I can start reviewing now while I'm sending the evaluation, thanks so much for all the info you told me, I just want to ask you more about the int'l credential evaluation my husband and I are arguing about this since I don't know where at what evaluation agency I will be using, this is not clear to me, I really want an answer to this so I can finally send for this evaluation and get the ball rolling, so credential evaluation depends on the state that I'm applying to take the exam, meaning even if I'm here in HI (NASBA is the only int'l credential agency assigned here), but wanted to be licensed for example in California (which is not under NASBA but has diff eval agencies),I can send my credentials to diff agencies for California not to NASBA Int'l agency bec they're only for HI, is my understanding correct? Or is it NASBA int'l agency for HI since this is the state where I will sit for the exam eventhough I will want to be license in California, I'm really confused, maybe you can explain this to me, one more thing kind of a dumb question, If I decide that I want to be licensed in California, I can still take the CPA exam here in HI for CA, I don't need to fly to CA just to take the Exam there right? Also, I want to buy a review book now, so you use Wiley Audit review book,may I know what date or edition you bought I want to buy that too and can you recommend more reviewer books which you personally think are good, do you know of good basic accounting book that I can buy, I just want to refresh my memory because it's been 19 yrs I know we used Intermediate Accounting books before in College, thanks so much for all the information again and thanks in advance for your reply, sorry for having too many questions, also good luck on your next exam, I know you can pass it again.

[fjabay]

Ask away! You know if there is one thing I've encountered on my journey is that there are not a lot of information out there to guide me step by step when I was going through the application process. I would love to help.

We can use this thread and I can walk you through the process step by step. Hopefully, it can help other international students as well.

So if you are sitting for California, you can pick from the foreign credential evaluation agencies approved by Cali. Here is the link of the agencies you can choose from :

https://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/publications/foreign.pdf

I would say that before you buy a costly reviewer, to make sure that you at least have the minimum requirements to sit for the exam. I know it's hard to tell right now since your transcripts are not evaluated yet. I suggest you buy just one part of the reviewer for now if you want to get ahead of the studying. I use CPAexcel self-study and it costs about $530 per part.

And yes, you can take the exam in Hawaii even if you want to be licensed in California. I currently live in Florida and I plan to be licensed in Virginia. The location of the testing center does not matter since the exam is uniform.

As for textbooks, I didn't really use any textbooks per se. If there is a topic I'm struggling with, I would just go online and you tube for some lectures. Saved me a little money.

AUD - 07/14/14 - 88

[fjabay]

Ask away! You know if there is one thing I've encountered on my journey is that there are not a lot of information out there to guide me step by step when I was going through the application process. I would love to help.

We can use this thread and I can walk you through the process step by step. Hopefully, it can help other international students as well.

So if you are sitting for California, you can pick from the foreign credential evaluation agencies approved by Cali. Here is the link of the agencies you can choose from :

https://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/publications/foreign.pdf

I would say that before you buy a costly reviewer, to make sure that you at least have the minimum requirements to sit for the exam. I know it's hard to tell right now since your transcripts are not evaluated yet. I suggest you buy just one part of the reviewer for now if you want to get ahead of the studying. I use CPAexcel self-study and it costs about $530 per part.

And yes, you can take the exam in Hawaii even if you want to be licensed in California. I currently live in Florida and I plan to be licensed in Virginia. The location of the testing center does not matter since the exam is uniform.

As for textbooks, I didn't really use any textbooks per se. If there is a topic I'm struggling with, I would just go online and you tube for some lectures. Saved me a little money.

AUD - 07/14/14 - 88

[Kesto]

Hi Percee71! I graduated with a BA degree in Management in 1993!!!! I was able to finish the 4 exams in around 7 month all in my first attempt (FAR 85, AUD 92, REG 88 and BEC 84)! BTW, I am from Africa but did my MBA in Philippines! Good luck!

[wongl0786]

@precee71, i got my accounting degree from Malaysia in 1993. I live in Texas and the regulatory board is Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA). I sent my original foreign transcript to TSBPA and they sent my transcript to University of Texas for evaluation which i was responsible to pay. According to the TSBPA, they said that they trust the University of Texas evaluation as the university has international students knowing how to deal with foreign transcript. I got my credit hours evaluated. The process took about two months.

So far, i have passed three sections over a year leaving with Auditing schedule on November 20. It is a tough journey for me and i keep doing it without giving up.

I used Becker for review and supplement with Wiley test bank and ninja notes. Feel free to ask any question if you have. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

@fjabay. Hi! I also graduated in the Philippines with a bachelor's degree in Accountancy. If it is not too forward, I would like to ask the following:

1. What is the US equivalent of your degree in the PH?

2. Were most of your accounting subjects and business-related subjects recognized?

3. Did some of your subjects qualify for the 20 semester unit accounting study and 10 semester unit ethics study?

I would just like to know since I think that we are in the same boat. I wouldn't want to spend money on an undertaking that I think wouldn't push through. With my bachelor's degree, I already have 200+ semester units and more than enough units for accounting and business-related subjects, so I would really be surprised if I wouldn't qualify to sit for the exam.

I would appreciate your response and your thoughts on this. Thank you! 🙂

[fjabay]

Hi Digicamz,

My degree is equivalent to a regionally-accredited institution in the US. Also, my curriculum was 5 years with concentration on accounting and business classes in the last 3 years. Yes, my classes were recognized except for taxation classes since PH taxation is different from federal taxation.

I'm currently sitting for Virginia and they did not ask me for additional classes to be able to take the exam. They did, however, asked for additional 30 units of college credits to be licensed. I'm working on those college credits simultaneously while studying and reviewing for the CPA exam.

Make sure to check with the board in your state. I originally applied to sit for Florida but they asked me for 30 units of Masters before I can take the exam. Virginia only asked me for 30 additional college credits regardless whether the credits are lower lever or upper level to be licensed and allowed me to take the exam with credits from a Philippine University.

AUD - 07/14/14 - 88

[Anonymous]

Hi fjabay,

Thank you for the information. I will be sending out my credentials to be evaluated this week. I am planning to sit for California exam. I hope all goes well with the credentials evaluation and application since I am already starting my review so I can already take one section after being approved (hopefully).

By the way, I am also using Wiley for review. Can you give me some tips for review for graduates like us with a background in the Philippines? By any chance, did you also take the Philippine CPA exam? How would you compare the PH and US exam? I passed the Philippine CPA exam and I feel like I would have a fair chance at passing the US CPA exam by self-study and improving my previous review habit.

Thank you and good luck to your remaining exam sections! 🙂

[fjabay]

I moved to the U.S. two days after my graduation and was not able to take the CPA exam in the Philippines but I have a strong feeling that you will do just fine in the U.S. CPA exam. Good luck!

AUD - 07/14/14 - 88

[Anonymous]

How did your transcript evaluation go?

Did it require you to take additional units?

I am on the same boat. I have a CPA license from Philippines and wondering if I am eligible to sit for an exam without taking additional units. Obviously I need to learn the tax but I am somewhat familiar since I am working for a CPA firm here in California.

[Author]

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