Study Abroad
Planning to study accounting in Australia from Nepal? Learn how to check CPA, CA ANZ and IPA accreditation, entry rules, skills assessment English scores and the PY closure.
"I have a BBS from Nepal. Should I do a Master of Professional Accounting in Australia, and will it help me get a skills assessment later?" We hear it often at our Kathmandu, Pokhara, Beni, Dhangadhi and Janakpur offices.
The course name alone tells you very little. What matters is whether the course is accredited by the professional accounting bodies, whether it covers the subjects an assessing authority looks for, and whether you can reach the much higher English scores those bodies ask for. This guide explains how accounting in Australia for Nepali students works in 2026, based on official pages from CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) and the Department of Home Affairs. Rules change often, so always confirm on the official pages before you apply.
Professional membership: each body runs its own professional program and membership. CPA Australia runs the CPA Program, CA ANZ runs the CA Program, and IPA has its own membership pathway.
Migration skills assessment: all three are also approved by the Department of Home Affairs to assess accounting occupations for skilled migration, including Accountant (General) 221111, Management Accountant 221112, Taxation Accountant 221113, External Auditor 221213, Finance Manager 132211 and Corporate Treasurer 221212. You choose one body for your assessment.
Why this matters: accreditation makes it easier to show the right subjects in a skills assessment, but it is not the same as a positive assessment. You still need to meet the body's degree, subject and English rules.
CPA Australia: it offers an accredited course search. CPA Australia states that if you completed an accredited course, you do not need to provide syllabus details with your skills assessment application.
CA ANZ: it publishes Accredited Tertiary Course lists by the year you started your degree. You find your university, choose your qualification and match your subject codes to the required competency areas.
What to do before you accept an offer: check the course on the CPA Australia and CA ANZ lists for the year you will start, and ask the university which subjects map to each competency area. Curtin University's Master of Professional Accounting in Perth, for example, says it is accredited by CPA Australia and CA ANZ, and Macquarie University's Master of Professional Accounting in Sydney says the same.
Straight after +2, a Bachelor's in accounting or commerce with an accounting major is the usual route. Entry rules differ by university and depend on your NEB results and English scores.
If you do not meet direct entry: many universities offer a foundation year or a diploma pathway first. Our guide to a Bachelor's in Australia after +2 (NEB) explains GPA rules and pathway options in detail.
If you already hold a Bachelor's degree, a Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) is the most common choice. Many MPAs are designed for graduates from any field, so a BBS, BBA, BSc or engineering graduate can usually apply.
Example, Curtin University (Perth): its Master of Professional Accounting accepts an undergraduate degree in any discipline or a Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting. The course is four semesters full-time and lists IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0.
Example, Macquarie University (Sydney): its Master of Professional Accounting asks for an AQF Level 7 Bachelor's degree or recognised equivalent. The full course is listed as two years, with a shorter 1.5-year option for related-field graduates or those with approved relevant experience. It lists IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each band.
The CA embedded Masters Pathway: CA ANZ has partnered with selected universities to build CA Program subjects into the final year of certain Master's programs. Its list includes Macquarie University's Master of Professional Accounting (CA Studies specialisation) and the University of Western Australia's Master of Professional Accounting (Chartered Accounting). CA ANZ describes this as a pathway for international student visa holders who are not eligible for direct CA Program enrolment.
A detail many students miss: IPA states that only a full 12 to 16-unit Master of Professional Accounting program, without exemptions, from an accredited Australian university is accepted as equivalent to a relevant Bachelor's degree for its assessment. If you take credit for your BBS subjects to finish faster, check how that affects your assessment options first. Comparing broader Master's options? See our guide to a Masters in Australia after a Bachelor's from Nepal.
BBS or BBA graduate from Nepal: you may be assessed on your Nepali degree, or you can study an MPA in Australia. Ask whether your degree is considered comparable to an Australian Bachelor's, and think carefully before accepting credit that shortens an MPA.
Graduate from a non-business field: an any-discipline MPA, like Curtin's, is designed for you, but expect the full course length.
Working accountant in Nepal: CPA Australia considers only paid work gained after your degree was awarded and closely related to your nominated occupation.
Degree comparability: CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA all require a qualification assessed as comparable to at least an Australian Bachelor's degree. CPA Australia says it follows Australian Government guidelines when assessing overseas qualifications.
Subject (competency) coverage: for Accountant (General) 221111, CPA Australia lists seven mandatory areas: Accounting Systems and Processes, Business Law, Economics, Financial Accounting and Reporting, Finance and Financial Management, Management Accounting, and Quantitative Methods. CA ANZ lists a similar set and marks Audit and Assurance and Taxation Law as optional for this occupation. Taxation Accountant applicants must cover Australian taxation law.
English, the hardest part for many students: for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA list IELTS Academic 7.0 in every band, or PTE Academic Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76. That is well above the English level for a student visa. Online and at-home tests are not accepted, and results are generally valid for three years. Planning your test? Read our IELTS vs PTE guide.
Skilled employment assessment: this is optional, comes only after a suitable qualification outcome, and does not count unpaid internships.
Many older articles still describe the Accounting Professional Year (PY) Program as a standard step after graduation. That is no longer correct.
What happened: CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA announced that new enrolments in the Accounting PY Program would cease from 5 March 2025 and that all program activity would end no later than 1 May 2026. CA ANZ's page now says the program is discontinued.
What it was: a program of at least 44 weeks, with 32 weeks of classroom study and a 12-week internship in an Australian workplace.
Points for people who completed it: CA ANZ states that people who completed the program remain eligible to apply for the five points, but notes that the government is reviewing the points system. The Home Affairs points table still lists 5 points for a Professional Year in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering completed in Australia over at least 12 months within the four years before invitation.
What this means if you are planning now: do not choose an accounting course because someone promises a PY afterwards. Focus on an accredited course, strong English and real paid work experience.
Student visa basics: you will apply for a Student visa (subclass 500). Home Affairs allows work of up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session and currently lists 12-month living costs of AUD 29,710 for a single student. Your course choice must make sense for your background under the Genuine Student requirement, so a BBS graduate choosing an MPA should explain the career logic clearly. Our GS tips for Nepali applicants explains how to show this. Looking for work while you study? Read our guide to part-time jobs for international students.
Post-study work: under the Post-Higher Education Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Bachelor and Master's (coursework) graduates can currently stay for up to two years, with an age limit of 35 for most applicants. See our 485 visa guide. A skills assessment and a skilled visa are separate steps, and no course guarantees permanent residency.
12 to 18 months before: decide between a Bachelor's or an MPA and shortlist courses on the CPA Australia and CA ANZ accreditation lists.
9 to 12 months before: gather transcripts, sit IELTS or PTE, and ask each university about credit and its effect on later assessment.
6 to 9 months before: apply and compare offers for course length, accreditation and CA or CPA integration.
After your offer: accept, receive your CoE, and prepare funds, OSHC, NOC and Genuine Student evidence for your visa.
It depends on whether the assessing body finds your degree comparable to an Australian Bachelor's and whether your subjects cover every mandatory area. Missing areas can sometimes be filled with extra accredited study.
No. New enrolments ceased on 5 March 2025 and the program ended by 1 May 2026, according to CPA Australia and CA ANZ.
For tests on or after 7 August 2025, CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA list IELTS Academic 7.0 in each band or PTE Academic 58, 59, 69 and 76.
Everest Global Education helps Nepali students shortlist accredited accounting courses in Perth, Sydney and beyond, check how a BBS or BBA fits each entry rule, plan IELTS or PTE, and organise financial, NOC and Genuine Student documents. For visa matters we work in a MARA-aware way with MARA-registered agent support. With offices in both Nepal and Australia, we can support you from your first enquiry at home to your first semester on campus.
Kathmandu: Putalisadak, Opposite of MIT College
Pokhara: Pushpa Ratna Bhawan Siddharthachowk-4, Pokhara 33700
Beni: New Road Beni bazar Myagdi
Dhangadhi: Boradadi Road, Dhangadhi 10900
Janakpur: Girija Path Muralichowk Janakpur
Perth (Australia): 102 James St, Northbridge WA 6003
Sydney (Australia): Level 1 / 483 Princes Highway, Rockdale, NSW 2216
Share your +2 or Bachelor's results, your English score and your career plans, and we will help you compare accredited accounting courses and entry options.
Submit an enquiry at https://everestglobaledu.com/enquiry and our team will contact you by phone or email.
Everest Global Education
Phone: +61 8 6157 0080
Email: info@everestglobal.com
Website: https://everestglobaledu.com/
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