Who is eligible to apply for the diploma program?
The program is intended for undergraduate students who are completing an accounting specialization from the University of Toronto at the St. George (UTSG), Mississauga (UTM), or the Scarborough campus (UTSC) and who are interested in obtaining the Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation upon completion of their undergraduate degrees.
Students completing degrees in other Canadian universities may also be eligible for admission. Commerce or business degrees acquired outside the University of Toronto will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis on whether they are substantially equivalent to the University of Toronto bachelor's degree with a Specialist in Accounting and include the necessary prerequisite material.
What are the admission requirements?
Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
i. Appropriate undergraduate degree: Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting is available to students in their fourth year of study or to recent graduates of the following University of Toronto undergraduate programs:
- Rotman – B. Com. (Accounting Specialist – Public Accounting Stream)
- University of Toronto Mississauga – B. Com. (Accounting Specialist)
- University of Toronto Scarborough – B.B.A. (Specialist in Management and Accounting)
University of Toronto students who are not currently candidates for one of the accounting specialist programs but have taken all the pre-requisite courses listed in (iii) may be considered as applicants to the G.Dip.P.A. program. The admissions team will evaluate on a case-by‐case basis whether a commerce or business program would be considered substantially equivalent to one of the three programs listed above.
Students may apply in the year following graduation, possibly with some relevant work experience.
ii. Applicants must have completed the courses required to qualify for entry into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP) as determined with CPA Ontario:
- required core courses: a minimum overall average of 70%;
- each individual core course: a minimum grade of 60%;
- each individual non-core course: a passing grade or 50%, whichever is higher.
Our expectation is that the averages of those admitted into the program will be significantly higher than these minimums.
If students are applying to the program in the fourth year of their undergraduate degree, conditional acceptance to the program is given based on the grades attained for the years leading up to and including the Fall semester of their final year of undergraduate studies.
iii. Required courses: A list of the specific courses necessary for entry into the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting at the University of Toronto can be found on our site.
Will a GMAT test score be required?
Completion of the GMAT is NOT required.
What are the computer requirements for the program?
All students are required to have a laptop that they can use at home and in class.
What is the tuition for the diploma program?
What is the program duration and class structure?
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting program is offered over a 12-week summer session from the beginning of May to the end of July. Within this summer session, students will complete a structured sequence of 5 half courses (2.5 FCE) on a full-time basis. Students will be in classroom lectures and cases between 15 to 20 hours a week.
The program will have the following 5 courses running concurrently:
- Advanced Financial Reporting
- Advanced Taxation
- Advanced Topics in Assurance and Control
- Finance and Professional Practice
- Integration and Analysis
What are the benefits of attaining this diploma?
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting builds on a very strong and unique undergraduate program at the University of Toronto and focuses on the integration and development of professional skills in addition to providing technical content where needed. The curriculum is designed to provide students with an academically rigorous program that will give advanced standing to students who pursue a CPA designation. Find out more about the benefits of a CPA on the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada website.
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting will allow students to advance directly to the Capstone 1 module in the CPA Professional Education Program. This advanced standing means that students can complete a significant amount of their preparation prior to working full-time, thereby alleviating some of the stress associated with studying and working concurrently. Students who successfully complete the program will complete the requirements of four CPA PEP modules (Core 1, Core 2, Assurance Elective and Tax Elective) over the summer prior to the start of employment.
When can students begin to apply for the program?
Applications open in the Fall prior to your intended start date. If you have any questions, please contact our admissions team at gdpa@rotman.utoronto.ca.
The program has only one intake per year in Spring.
To be notified when applications reopen, and to receive program updates, create an online profile.
Is the diploma program awarded by the University of Toronto?
Yes. Students will be awarded a GDipPA. from the University of Toronto. The diploma will be conferred in the Fall.
Can I apply for OSAP for further funding of the GDipPA program? Can I apply for Continuation of Interest Free Status (CIFS)?
Although the GDipPA is an accredited program, it is a privately funded program, just like all the other similar accounting diploma programs in Ontario. Because of this, the program is not eligible for government loans and grants (both provincial and federal). In other words, students in the program are not eligible to receive funding from OSAP. The university also does not have any specific scholarship or entrance awards for the GDipPA. Students entering the program may qualify for a student loan at a financial institution to help with the tuition, but the expectation is that tuition for the most part will be self-funded.
GDipPA students are also not eligible for Continuation of Interest Free Status (CIFS) as the program is not considered a full-time graduate program.
What is an official graduating transcript? How and when do I send in my official graduating transcript?
Official Graduating Transcript (which is the final official transcript showing your degree conferral received directly from the university) is usually available around your graduation date. The transcript must indicate the degree received, and the conferred date. For many students that just completed their final semester of their undergraduate degree, this transcript won’t be available until June. Before ordering your transcript, check with your registrar office to see if your transcript indicates the information required. Majority of the GDipPA students will be ordering their official graduating transcripts while they are in the program. Take a look at our Transcript Guide on how to send us your official graduating transcript. The mailing address is contained within.