Eligibility Requirements

Entrance Requirements

Before your enrollment in the FPAC program is accepted and you can register for your first exam, you must meet the FPAC certification requirements:

• Have a bachelor's or equivalent degree OR be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program with a finance related major (finance, accounting, economics or business) and be on track to graduate within two years.
• Understand the professional conduct requirement (you will be asked to agree to comply with the AFP Standards of Ethical Conduct).

Education and Experience Requirement

Candidates may enroll in the FPAC program and begin taking the exams before the Education and Experience Requirements have been fully satisfied but will not be awarded the credential until requirements have been met.

Please click here to use the FP&A Eligibility Assessment and determine if you meet the certification requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

*Two years of FTE college/university teaching experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, corporate financial planning, strategic planning, data management and business intelligence, FP&A software development and implementation or financial analysis and analytics can be substituted for each year of work experience.

**A small number of credentials have been approved to satisfy the Education Requirement as a substitute for a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance.  Those credentials include ACMA, FCMA, ACCA and FCCA.  Please note: if you are using a credential to satisfy the Education Requirement you may not use that same credential to waive the Part I exam.

Approved Accounting or Finance Credentials (Eligibility Category D)

• Certified General Accountant (CGA)
• Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM)
• Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
• Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
• Certified Pratising Accountant (CPA) (Australia)
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (US)
• Certified Treasury Professional (CTP)
• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) (Canada)
• Chinese Certified Public Accountant (CICPA) (China)
• CIMA Professional Qualification (ACMA or FCMA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) Chartered Accountant (ACA)
• Professional Business Accountant (PBA) Canada

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Experience

FTE experience is defined as those positions involving at least 35 hours of work per week. At least 50% of the individuals time must be spent performing/managing or supervising those who perform/manage one or more of the following finance tasks:

• Financial analysis and analytics
• Budgeting
  
• Forecasting
• Financial modeling
• Corporate financial planning/strategic planning
• Data management and business intelligence
• FP&A software development and implementation

Positions such as internships, vacation/holiday employment or volunteer positions do not provide the appropriate experience to qualify in meeting the full-time experience requirement.

Earning the FPAC Credential

To be eligible to achieve the FPAC credential, you must meet all of the following program requirements:

• Pay the Enrollment fees.
• Satisfy the Education Requirement
• Satisfy the Eligibility Requirement.
• Satisfy both Exam Part Requirements
  • Take and pass the Exam Part I OR be approved for an Exam Part I waiver
  • Take and pass the Exam Part II
• Agree to comply with the AFP Standards of Ethical Conduct

Candidates must complete the FP&A certification requirements within five years from enrollment into the program. If candidates are unable complete the FPAC requirements and earn their certification within five years of enrollment, they must pay new Enrollment fees and retake both exam parts. If the candidate passes one or both parts of the exam but does not complete the FP&A requirements within five years of enrollment, the passed part(s) will expire.

The FPAC credential is not awarded until all requirements have been met. Once awarded, a certificate is issued. The FPAC credential is valid for three years, during which credential holders must earn and report 45 continuing education credits in order to recertify for another three years.

The AFP Certification Committee is the final judge of an individual’s qualifications to earn the FPAC credential. The committee will consider applicant appeals with respect to exceptional circumstances. The committee also reserves the right to verify an applicant’s eligibility through random audit.

Applicants who are deemed eligible to sit for the examination will receive a confirmation email from AFP. Applicants deemed ineligible to enroll for the FPAC examination will receive an ineligibility notification and a refund of the examination fee (only).

Candidates who successfully enroll in the program may distinguish themselves as a "Certified Corporate FP&A Professional Candidate" on a resume or job application. Please contact the certification department directly at [email protected] in order to have additional information provided to a current or prospective employer.