IQEX Exam Preparation
What is IQEX?
The International Qualification Examination (IQEX) is set by the AICPA and administered by NASBA, and allows qualifying internationally trained accountants to bypass the U.S. CPA Exam and attain the U.S. CPA license through reciprocity. The exam is designed to award the U.S. CPA license to internationally trained accountants from countries whose professional bodies have entered into a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) with US Boards of Accountancy.
Mutual recognition agreements
The following are professional bodies which have established MRAs:
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
- Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
- Chartered Accountants Ireland (formerly the Irish Institute of Chartered Accountants
- Instituto Mexican de Contadores Publicos
- New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants
- Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants
In order to sit for the IQEX, an international candidate must meet education and experience requirements and have taken an exam substantially equivalent to that of the U.S. The International Qualification Appraisal Board (IQAB), a joint body of the AICPA and NASBA, determines candidate eligibility. For more information about education and experience requirements please visit the NASBA website.
Note: Upon passing the IQEX, candidates must meet the requirements of one of the 55 State Boards of Accountancy in order to be licensed or certified as a CPA.
The IQEX Exam overview
The exam is offered during the first two months of each calendar quarter. These months of testing are known as the “testing windows”. The exam is not given during the third month of each calendar quarter to allow for systems and databank maintenance. Testing windows include:
- January – February
- April – May
- July – August
- October – November
The exam covers ethics, professional and legal responsibilities, business law and taxation related specifically to U.S. accounting practices.
The exam transitioned to a new format in 2012 and now uses an administration of the Uniform CPA Examination’s Regulation section. As a result, the dedicated IQEX CSO became obsolete, and the exam assumed the content outlined in the Regulation section of the Uniform CPA Examination CSO.
The format of the exam reflects the Regulation portion of the U.S. CPA Exam. The IQEX is a 3-hour exam and consists of 3 multiple-choice question (MCQ) testlets containing 72 questions and one testlet with 6 task-based simulations.
How can Becker help prepare you for success on the IQEX?
Utilize Becker’s CPA Exam Review course (Regulation) to help prepare you to pass the IQEX Exam.
For more information on the IQEX, please visit NASBA.org.