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There’s no single best set of accounting courses in Canada, and we won’t pretend to rank schools. What we can say is that the route to the CPA designation is fixed: a degree, the right subject coverage, a two-year part-time program, one final exam and practical experience. Pick courses that count toward that path.
What do accounting courses need to do?
That depends on your goal. Some people want a designation. Others want to keep the books for a small business, or to move into payroll. For the second group, a college certificate or a night class in bookkeeping may be all it takes. For the first, the courses have to be recognized by the accounting body in your province.
We couldn’t compare tuition or job outcomes across schools, because nothing official lets us do it fairly. So this page sticks to how the CPA path works and what to ask.
How the CPA path is laid out
CPA Canada describes admission to its Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) as an undergraduate degree plus specific subject coverage. If your degree is in something else, its preparatory courses fill the gaps, and you take only the modules you’re missing. Details differ by province, so check yours. This is the outline as we could read it.
| Stage | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Degree and subject coverage | An undergraduate degree, with the required accounting and business subjects |
| Preparatory courses | Only the subject areas you lack |
| CPA PEP | Six modules, about two years part-time while you work |
| Common Final Examination | The last exam in the program |
| Practical experience | Minimum of 30 months in Ontario, per CPA Ontario |
CPA Ontario also lists 14 prerequisite courses and minimum grades: 60% in each core course, a 65% average across the core and 50% in others. Those are Ontario’s numbers. We couldn’t confirm the same rules for the other provinces.
Here’s how the grade rules bite. Someone with a 78% average across their core courses still fails the requirement if one core course sits at 58%, because each core course needs its own 60%. On the other side, an average of 64% fails the 65% core average even when every single mark is above 60. Both rules have to pass together, as CPA Ontario lists them.
Can you become a CPA without a degree?
Sometimes. CPA Canada has a workforce route for people with no undergraduate degree. It asks for at least eight years of relevant experience, transcripts, three references, a résumé and a personal statement. It’s a long road, and the details may have changed since we read them, so start on the CPA Canada page.
How to choose between programs
Ask each school the same short list of questions.
- Is the program accredited by the CPA body in my province, and does it say so in writing?
- Which of the required subjects does it cover, and which would I still need?
- Can I study part-time or online while I work?
- What is the full cost, including books, exam fees and membership?
Write down the answers side by side. That dull comparison usually settles it, and it beats any glossy brochure. If a school can’t answer the accreditation question clearly, treat that as an answer too. Ring your provincial CPA body and ask them directly, since they’re the ones who decide what counts.
What if you don’t want the CPA?
Plenty of people don’t. If you want to keep a small shop’s books, run payroll or work in accounts payable, a college certificate, a diploma or a well-run online course in bookkeeping and accounting software may be plenty. Look at what the actual job postings in your city ask for, and count the hours. A course that fits around a day job at Canadian Tire or a clinic reception desk will get finished. One that doesn’t, won’t.
Paying for it and planning the money
Courses cost money before they earn any. The budget calculator shows if you can cover tuition from monthly income. If you’d borrow, try the personal loan calculator to see the monthly payment. Parents saving for a child’s studies can look at the RESP and grant calculator. Once you’re working, the take-home pay calculator turns any job offer into a monthly amount.
Where the numbers come from
The program outline comes from CPA Canada and CPA Ontario pages, read in September 2026. Those pages blocked our reader when we tried to reopen them, so the figures for grades, experience and the no-degree route come from earlier summaries and are not re-checked. Treat every requirement here as a starting point and confirm it with the accounting body in your province. This site has no link with any of these bodies or with any government.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best accounting courses in Canada?
We can't rank them fairly. Choose a program that your provincial CPA body accepts and that covers the subjects you're missing.
Do you need a degree to enter CPA PEP?
Usually yes, with specific subject coverage. CPA Canada also has a workforce route for people without a degree who have at least eight years of relevant experience.
How long does CPA PEP take?
About two years part-time, as CPA Canada describes it, while you work.
How much practical experience does CPA Ontario ask for?
At least 30 months. We couldn't confirm the number for other provinces.
What are the grade rules for Ontario prerequisites?
CPA Ontario lists 60% in each core course, a 65% core average and 50% in non-core courses.
Where should I confirm the rules for my province?
With your provincial CPA body. CPA Canada describes the national program, but admission details can differ by province.
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