SAA-GE. Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Examination. Preparatory Course for.

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1 SAA-GE Preparatory Course for Certified Technician (CAT) Examination

2 Programme Overview The ICPAS/ACCA programme in Singapore is a joint effort between the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) United Kingdom and the Certified Technicians (Singapore) Limited. In 2011, the original Certified Technician (CAT) programme has been revised by ACCA and is redesignated as Foundations in Accountancy (FIA) which includes CAT. While the programme has been revised the overall structure remains the same, with 9 units required to complete the full CAT award. The revised FIA programme is designed to equip you with the necessary technical skills and knowledge required to fulfil an accounting role to technician level. It also provides a firm foundation of knowledge and the opportunity to fast track towards becoming a professional accountant. One major change is that successful completion of units 5 to 7 (Diploma in & Business) will now gain you direct entry into the Skills Modules of the Preparatory Course for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Examination. About ACCA (UK) ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. It aims to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. ACCA supports 140,000 members and 404,000 students throughout their careers, providing services through a network of 83 offices and active centres. A global infrastructure means that examinations and support are delivered - and reputation and influence developed at a local level, directly benefiting stakeholders wherever they are based, or plan to move to, in pursuit of new career opportunities. Its focus is on professional values, ethics, and governance, and it delivers value-added services through 57 global accountancy partnerships, working closely with multinational and small entities to promote global standards and support. Its reputation is grounded in over 100 years of providing world-class accounting and finance qualifications. ACCA champions opportunity, innovation, diversity, integrity and accountability. By promoting global standards, and supporting its members wherever they work, ACCA aims to meet the current and future needs of international business. Recognition With this qualification you will be able to support financial managers in any type of business all over the world. Successful completion of this qualification will enable you to become a Certified Technician and use the designatory letters CAT. CAT will allow you to gain direct entry into Skills Module of the Preparatory Course for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Examination. The CAT Programme is accredited by ACCA (UK) and CAT(S) Ltd. Pathway to be CPA Singapore CPA Singapore Relevant Work Experience + Pre-Admission Course + Proficiency in Local Laws NTU MBA (Accountancy) Bachelor of Accountancy ICPAS Examination Other Recognised Qualifications SMU Master of / Bachelor of Accountancy NUS Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy) *Other Recognised Accountancy Degrees University of London BSc (Hons) & Finance Oxford Brookes University BSc (Hons) Applied + Advanced Completed to Fundamental Level Bridging Subjects CAT / Diploma in & Business A Levels or Polytechnic Diplomas Without academic qualification ASSOCIATE ICPAS ICPAS / ACCA Joint Examination Scheme Level Skills Knowledge Fundamentals Level 18 years old with 2 GCE A & 3 0 Level Passes or Relevant Diploma ICPAS Membership Entry Requirements

3 Entry Requirements With the introduction of Foundations in Accountancy (FIA), ACCA (UK) has adopted an Open Entry approach hence the programme is open to students with no formal academic or accounting knowledge, nor does ACCA (UK) place any age requirement on students. FIA offers various entry points to provide maximum flexibility. Students should select the most appropriate entry route based on their previous qualifications, experience and future career aspirations. Students with no prior formal accounting qualification or experience are encouraged to start with Introductory Certificate. For International students requiring a student pass SAA-GE places the following requirements: Minimum age at entry 16 years of age Students must meet the minimum English language requirements at upper -intermediate or equivalent Mature Student Entry With the introduction of FIA in January 2011, ACCA (UK) will no longer provide a direct Mature Student Entry Route to ACCA. Students who do not meet the minimum ACCA entry requirement will register under FIA. Programme Structure With the introduction of FIA in January 2011, the programme structure will be as follows: Certified Technician Programme Foundations in Accountancy Introductory level T1 Recording Financial Transactions T2 Information for Management Control Introductory Certificate in Financial and Management FA1 Recording Financial Transactions MA1 Management Information *Foundations in ism Intermediate level T3 Maintaining Financial Records T4 for Costs Intermediate Certificate in Financial and Management FA2 Maintaining Financial Records MA2 Managing Costs and Finance *Foundations in ism Advanced level (3 compulsory papers + 2 option papers) *Foundations in ism module needs to be completed only once. It is free-of-charge and can be accessed from the ACCA website from December 2011 The new FIA course structure differs from the original CAT. The key differences are as follows: Stand alone qualifications. Two certificates, the Diploma and units 8, 9 and 10 can be taken as individual qualifications. Multiple entry points. Local students have the option of entering at the Introductory, Intermediate or Diploma level. Units 8, 9 and 10 can be taken individually and lead to a Foundation Certificate Online Foundations in ism unit Successful completion of Diploma in & Business provides students with the opportunity to enter the Skills Level of ACCA (exemption from F1, F2 and F3) Entry to the CAT stage requires completion of units 1 to 7 and Foundations in ism SAA-GE would advise students who wish to use Diploma in & Business to enter ACCA to consider their level of accounting experience before deciding which level to enter. Students with no accounting experience should consider taking FA1/MA1 (Introductory Certificate) and/or FA2/MA2 (Intermediate Certificate) prior to taking FAB, FMA and FFA. Programme Duration / Intake Full-time Pathway for CAT (Example) Semester 1 (3 months) Semester 2 (3 months) Semester 3 (6 months) Semester 4 (6 months) FA1 & MA1 FA2 & MA2 FAB, FFA, FMA FTX, FFM, FAU (choose 2) Part-time Pathway for CAT (Example) T5 Managing People and Systems T6 Drafting Financial Statements T7 Planning, Control and Performance Management Option papers (choose 2 of 3) T8 Implementing Audit Procedures T9 Preparing Taxation Computations T10 Managing Finances Diploma in and Business Certified Technician (CAT) (Choose 2 of 3) FAB in Business FFA Financial FMA Management *Foundations in ism FAU Foundations in Audit FTX Foundations in Taxation FFM Foundations in Financial Management Semester 1 (6 months) Semester 2 (6 months) Semester 3 (6 months) Semester 4 (6 months) FA1 & MA1 FA2 & MA2 FAB, FFA, FMA FTX, FFM, FAU (choose 2) Intakes in January, March, July and September (units 1 to 7) Intakes in January and July (units 8, 9 and 10)

4 Study Mode Full Time Part Time Student Registration All students intending to sit for examinations MUST register with ACCA (UK) and CAT(S) Ltd. For more information, or visit Examinations In 2011, transitional arrangements for the FIA examinations have beenw made as the papers for the new FIA units will first be offered in December In order not to disadvantage students who wish to progress their studies and do not want to wait until December 2011 to sit the assessment, ACCA has made the following arrangements based on using the current CAT/ACCA qualifications. For units 1 to 4 (FA1, MA1, FA2 & MA2) students will be able to take the equivalent CAT units (T1, T2, T3, T4). For units 5, 6 and 7 (FAB, FFA & FMA) students will be able to take the equivalent ACCA units (F1, F2 and F3). These units will be called Transition Technician (TT) i.e. TT5, TT6 and TT7 All the FIA assessments will be available in December 2011, as will the free online Foundations in ism module. For International students SAA-GE will require that these students sit the Computer Based Examinations (CBE) for units 1 to 7. Local students have the option of taking the paper based examinations, however all students should be aware that the results of the CBE is instantly available at the end of the examination, while the results for the paper based examinations take approximately 2 months to be released. This is an issue where students are looking to gain advanced entry to the ACCA programme, and as such SAA-GE would advise students to take the CBE. Deadline for submission of registration form for paper based examinations: 31 December of the previous year for the June examination session 15 August of the same year for the December examination session Students may sit for CBE any time after ACCA registration. Examination and Exemption Regulations Papers 1 to 7 are available as Computer Based Examinations, which are held monthly. Check SAA-GE website for schedule. Written examination papers are normally held over an 8-day period in June and December each year. The Option papers are only available as written examination papers. All passes in any examination sitting will be retained. Candidates only need to re-sit for papers failed. Local students have the option of choosing which level to enter. SAA-GE require that International students must take papers 1 to 7, for more details visit saa.org.sg/cat.html Students with relevant qualifications from a recognised institution may be eligible to claim exemption from papers within Foundations in Accountancy. All exemptions are subject to final approval by ACCA (UK). For more information on exemptions, please visit Programme Completion Criteria and Award To complete the CAT qualification FIA students need to pass 9 papers and complete the online Foundations in ism unit. The new Foundations in Accountancy Awards are as follows and will only be available from December For more details on Foundations in Accountancy please visit cat.html or Transitional Arrangements Introductory Certificate in Financial and Management Intermediate Certificate in Financial and Management Diploma in & Business Foundation Certificate in Financial Management Foundation Certificate in Taxation Foundation Certificate in Auditing Certified Technician For 2011 the existing CAT students will have a transition and will also be able to take advantage of the changes in structure and the entry point to ACCA. Full details of the transitional arrangements are on the SAA-GE website html Fee Details Refer to SAA-GE Fee Schedule

5 Funding Schemes & Financial Assistance/Discount Schemes SAA-GE Scholarship Schemes SAA-GE provides the following scholarships for its students: SAA-GE International Student Scholarship SAA-GE (NTUC) Scholarship SAA-GE (SAFRA) Scholarship ICPAS - Dr. Ernest Kan Accountancy Scholarship SAA-GE (Polytechnic) Scholarship (ACCA & UOL) For more information, please visit: Discount Schemes Terms & Conditions: Students can only choose one discount scheme Schemes cannot be used with Open House or other promotions Application Requirements & Procedures Students need to produce relevant documentation to enjoy discounts Local Institutions Discount Scheme SAA-GE/NTUC Discount Scheme SAA-GE/SAFRA Discount Scheme SAA-GE/Employer Accreditation Scheme For more information, please refer to SAA-GE Fee Schedule. Government Funding CAT is an approved course for funding under the SDF, SRP and SEP funding schemes. Under this initiative, students are eligible to apply for SDF grant for course fees as well as absentee payroll incentives. Skills Development Fund (SDF) Up to 90% WDA support for company sponsored mature workers* Skills Redevelopment Programme (SRP) Trainees or companies can claim Absentee Payroll after completion of the course, depending on hours attended in the course. Companies can apply for their employees who are Singaporeans or Singapore Permanent Residents. Up to 90%* WDA support for mature workers* NTUC- Surrogate Employer Programme (NTUC-SEP) NTUC Union members who are not company sponsored are eligible for this scheme. Up to 90% WDA support for mature workers* Applicants who are interested to apply for the NTUC-SEP funding can apply via and also inform the school via sdf@saa.org.sg. *Terms & Conditions apply Financial Assistance Study Loans Interested applicants may contact: RHB Bank Bernard Tel: Maybank Tel: All loan inquires and applications are to be dealt with the banks directly. For Local Students Singaporean/SPR students and non-student pass international holders are to follow the steps below: 1. Fulfill the entry requirements of ACCA (UK). For more information about specific pre-requisites and the recognition of qualifications not listed, please contact: Examination & Student Registry (ESR): studentadmin@icpas.org.sg or call Alternatively, you may visit their website at 2. All prospective students are required to come down personally to complete the admission, selection and enrolment formalities. 3. Please bring along: Identification card Original and photocopies of your highest academic certificates. Proof of medical insurance policy (applicable to local full-time students only^) ^attending lessons 5 times a week 4. For full details of the above criteria, please visit our website at 5. The local enrolment form can be downloaded at For International Students 1. All foreign candidates wishing to pursue full-time studies at SAA-GE must apply for a student pass with the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). 2. Find out the entry requirements of CAT course. For more information about specific pre-requisites and the recognition of qualifications not listed, please contact enquiry@saa.org.sg 3. If you fulfill the entry requirements of CAT course, please prepare the required documentations for student pass application. *All documents that are not in English are required to be translated and notarized. For more details, please refer to the website Attendance Requirement For International Students Students are required to carry their student pass at all times and must attend all registered classes/library research accumulating up to 90% attendance at each intake. In order to achieve at least a 90% attendance at each intake, a student must fulfil six hours of study time daily at SAA-GE. For Government Funded Students Students under the SDF or NTUC-SEP funding schemes must sign the attendance list at every session and attain a minimum of 75% attendance per class for the approved course. Refund Policy % of the aggregate amount of the fees paid If Student s written notice of withdrawal is received 100% ( Maximum Refund ) More than 60 days before the course commencement date 75% Between 30 to 60 days before the course commencement date 50% Less than 30 days to 1 day before the course commencement date 25% After, but no more than 7 days after the course commencement date 0% More than 7 days after the course commencement date Terms & Conditions Application Fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable. ICA Processing Fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Refund administration fee applies for every refund application. Refund application must be made in writing and must be accompanied with valid reasons. Any decision relating to a refund will be made at the sole discretion of SAA-GE and that shall be final. Processing time of refund application is seven (7) working days from the complete receipt of the supporting documents. Refund application received after 12pm is considered as submission on the next working day. Original receipt must be presented for Refund Application. Student is provided with a 7 working-day cooling-off period upon signing of PEI Student Contract. During cooling-off period, students will be entitled to the Maximum Refund amount stipulated under the Refund Policy. For further details, please go to

6 The SAA-GE Advantage Established Track Record Since 1995, SAA-GE has consistently produced a list of prize winners for the ACCA/ICPAS Joint Examination programmes and CAT programmes in the Singapore and International categories. Recognised Provider SAA-GE is granted Platinum status under ACCA Approved Learning Partner - Student Tuition Programme. This is the highest and most prestigious level awarded to institutions who meet the highest performance and passrate targets set by ACCA. Quality and Experienced Lecturers All our lecturers are highly qualified professionals with many years of commercial and academic experiences. Many have post graduate qualifications and have attained awards such as Most ACCA Prize Winners and Best Passing Rate awards. Unrivalled Quality Support to Students We provide unrivalled quality support to students, ensuring that every aspect of the students needs is taken care of. We provide a suite of services such as orientation, subsidised workshops and seminars, free mock examinations and career matching and placement, etc. Modern Campuses Main Campus SAA-GE, together with the secretariat division of ICPAS, is housed in CPA House, at Aljunied Road, occupying 29,900 square feet. SAA-GE has a total of 8 classrooms and 2 auditoriums suitably sized for students. We also have 2 computer laboratories, a comprehensive library, a student recreational centre and lecturer s consultation rooms. City Campus The SAA-GE City Campus is prestigiously located at 6 Raffles Quay, at the heart of Singapore s Central Business District. SAA-GE s strategic location is easily accessible from Raffles Place MRT station through a sheltered underground walkway. Sited on the 23rd floor with over 10,000 square feet of floor space, it encompasses 3 well-equipped training rooms which can accommodate between 50 to 80 students. Singapore Quality Class (SQC) SAA-GE was one of the few educational institutions awarded the Singapore Quality Class (SQC) for Private Education Organisations (PEOs). This award recognises PEOs who have attained a commendable level of performance and would further enhance our journey to reach world-class standards of business excellence. EduTrust Certification SAA-GE is one of the organisations being awarded the EduTrust certification by the Council for Private Education. The recognition affirms our achievement of higher standards in key areas of management and provision of educational services. Student Testimonials I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Ms Yeo Ailing for her coaching and guidance. The systematical and understandable teaching method of Ms Yeo smoothed my initial study in CAT. I would also like to thank Mr John Seow for the clarity and patience in his T4 teaching. Thanks to SAA-GE for providing a conducive environment for my course of study. Wu Jun China December 2009 Prize Winner, CAT I am thankful to be one of Ms Yeo s students in the CAT programme. She is really professional, patient, approachable and responsible. Every class is well prepared by her and we have benefited much from it. Thanks for all the efforts that she has put in! Chen Qiao Ling China December 2009 Prize Winner, CAT SAA GLOBAL EDUCATION CENTRE Main Campus 20 Aljunied Road #01-04 CPA House Singapore City Campus 6 Raffles Quay #23-00 Singapore For enquiries, contact: Tel: (65) Fax: (65) enquiry@saa.org.sg Information is accurate at time of print (November 2010) Registration Number: N Period of Registration: 20/05/2010 to 19/05/2014 EduTrust Certificate Number: EDU