Examinations

CPA PEP includes multiple examinations to test technical and enabling competencies, as defined by the CPA Canada Competency Map . CPA Canada sets all examination dates and marks all exams nationally. 

Core and elective modules: Each core and elective module culminates in an examination that must be passed to complete the module. You must complete Core 1 before starting Core 2 (unless completing them concurrently) and two elective modules before starting Capstone 1. Core and elective module examinations comprise objective format questions and short cases. 
Capstone 1 (integrative module): Capstone 1 includes presentations and team-based assignments, and culminates in an integrated business case that candidates present to a professional panel as part of a team. You will be tested on the Capstone 1 case on Day 1 of the CFE.
Capstone 2 (Examination Preparation Module): There is no examination to pass for Capstone 2 since it is immediately before the national CFE.
Common Final Examination (CFE): This three-day examination requires demonstrating the depth and breadth of your competency development in accordance with the  CPA Canada Competency Map .

Exam registration is included when registering for a module. For more information, please read the Examinations FAQ.

When registering for a CPA PEP module or exam rewrite, select a location within Western Canada to write the exam: 

 Primary examination locations (with on-site IT support): 

BC: Abbotsford, Burnaby, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria,
Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer,
Saskatchewan: Regina, Saskatoon
Manitoba: Brandon, Winnipeg

Secondary examination locations (with remote IT support): 

BC: Castlegar, Cranbrook, Fort St. John, Revelstoke, Terrace
Alberta: Fort McMurray, Lloydminster, Peace River
Manitoba: The Pas, Thompson
Nunavut: Iqaluit 
Saskatchewan: Swift Current
Yukon: Whitehorse
Northwest Territories: Yellowknife

Anyone living more than 150 km away from one of the primary or secondary exam locations can submit an Alternate Exam Location request through My CPA Portal at least 10 weeks before the exam. A fee may apply. Secondary and alternate locations are not available for the CFE.

Exams locations may include convention centres, hotel conference centres, banquet halls, or post-secondary institutions. Specific locations and details are posted on the CPAWSB website and in Desire2Learn two weeks before the exam date. Subject to availability, candidates can request changes to exam locations after registration by emailing cpamodule@cpawsb.ca at least three weeks before the workshop or exam.

Per the CPA Canada PEP Candidate Guide ,

“Eligibility to write the end-of-module exam:

To be eligible to attempt the module exam, candidates must have achieved a minimum grade on the module activities and the workshop(s) (or completed a workshop make-up assignment, if required).

A candidate who does not meet this requirement may not be eligible to write the end-of-module exam. Only candidates who are not eligible to write the final exam will be notified by their region/province. Candidates who have not been contacted should assume they are qualified to write unless they hear otherwise.”

You can verify your module status, as well as eligibility to proceed to the end-of-module examination, by logging into My CPA Portal approximately one week before the related examination date. Exam eligibility information is located under ‘Registrations’ in My CPA portal and if you are eligible, your status appears as “Qualified to Write”.

Exam writers receive CPA issued laptops at the examination writing centre to write their exams. These laptops are preloaded with the lockdown software Surpass (SecureClient). For more information on Surpass (SecureClient), and to help familiarize you with the exam writing environment, please refer to the CPA Canada website .

Please arrive early to sign into the exam centre. 

If you are writing in Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, or Winnipeg, arrive by 7:30 a.m.
If you are writing in other locations, arrive by 8:00 a.m.
Surpass (SecureClient) instructions begin in all exam centres at 8:30 a.m.

You are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement at the exam; this is the first page of the exam booklet. 

You are required to read and accept the obligations and conditions of the Training Contract during the module registration process via My CPA portal. The training contract outlines expectations about not sharing exam details.

You can defer CPA module exams for any reason and are not required to request permission. Fees are applied to all deferrals. Please note, the CFE is not a module exam and cannot be deferred. If you wish to postpone writing the CFE you must withdraw and register again during the next CFE registration period.

Module exam deferral is available only via My CPA Portal and only during the week immediately before an exam and within three days after the exam. The deferral process is as follows:

One week before the exam, the module status for candidates eligible to write the exam changes from New-to-QTR (Qualified to Write) in My CPA Portal. 
Log into the portal and select Exam Deferral.
Follow the prompts and pay the deferral fee. 
Register for the next exam offering if the module registration period is open, or during the next module registration period.

If you defer an exam you must write it at the next available offering. If you do not register for the next exam offering, do not write the exam at the next offering, or withdraw from a deferred exam, you will automatically fail the module.

Exam Regulations

CPA Canada has strict policies regarding acceptable items to bring into the exam centre. You are responsible for reviewing and following the CPA PEP exam regulations before each exam as the regulations are updated regularly. Each candidate will be provided with a laptop, calculator, exam booklet, and ear plugs and will have access to power to plug in laptops. If you need to bring additional items, for example, medications, you must request an exam accommodation.

Read CPA PEP Exam Regulations