Admission Requirements
DeGroote’s Graduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy program prepares students to pursue the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and is accredited by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario). The diploma program can be completed in 14 weeks, and there are varying admission requirements based on your level of education completed to date.
A four-year honours Bachelor degree with a minimum of B+ average (equivalent to a McMaster 8.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) out of 12) in the final year in all courses in the accounting discipline, or relating to the accounting discipline
Minimum B- average in all of these courses or equivalent with no grade less than 60%. All the courses must be completed at McMaster University as part of the Bachelor of Commerce program
A four-year honours Bachelor degree with a minimum of B+ average (equivalent to a McMaster 8.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) out of 12) in the final year in all courses in the accounting discipline, or relating to the accounting discipline.
And a minimum of B average in the CPA Ontario prerequisite courses which can be found here. Be sure to select the academic year in which you completed or plan to complete these courses.
A four-year degree that is recognized by CPA Ontario with a minimum of B+ average (equivalent to a McMaster 8.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) out of 12) in the final year in all courses in the accounting discipline, or relating to the accounting discipline.
The required CPA Ontario prerequisite courses at the minimum grade listed on their website. Please click here to be directed to the CPA Ontario website to review the exact courses for your institution. Be sure to select the academic year in which you completed or plan to complete these courses.
You may be required to submit course outlines.
Applicants who completed their education outside of Canada are not eligible for this program.
Application
The GDPA application for the May 2025 start date will launch on October 1st, 2024 and close on December 31st, 2024.
Please review the admissions requirements above and ensure you meet all criteria before applying to the GDPA program.
To begin your application please use the link below to be directed to the application portal. We have also created a step-by-step instruction guide to assist in navigating the portal and completing your application. Additional instructions can be found on the SGS website.
Start my applicationDocuments to Submit
Before getting started with your application we suggest reviewing the below information on what documents are required during the application process.
You will be asked to upload your most up-to-date unofficial transcript. In addition, you will be asked to grant us authorization to access your transcript internally. By allowing us to do so, we will be able to process your application faster.
If we don’t have your authorization and you are currently completing your program, then you will need to send us the updated transcript, and this will cause delays in reviewing your application.
You will be asked to upload your most up-to-date unofficial transcript showing the completed courses and their final grades.
If you are currently completing your program and your unofficial transcript does not show the courses you’re taking this academic year, then please request a letter from your institution confirming the courses you are registered in and their expected date of completion.
Offer Accepted – Next Steps
Applicants who are currently completing their program will be required to submit another copy of their unofficial transcript. The transcript must show the final grades for all courses including the ones that were in progress at the time of the application.
All applicants must submit their official documents, including official transcripts and degree completion. Please review the Graduate Studies’ condition clearing page for more details.
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