QAS Self Study

A QAS Self Study program is a self-paced educational program completed individually without the assistance or interaction of a real time instructor.

Initial Application Fee

The initial application fee for QAS Self Study is based on the number of CPE credits being offered for the QAS Self Study program(s) included on the program list submitted with the initial application (with one CPE credit equal to a 50-minute period).

0 – 4.0 CPE credits - $1,650
4.2 – 16.0 CPE credits - $1,975
16.2 – 40 CPE credits - $2,350
40.2 – 75.0 CPE credits - $2,890
75.2 – 100.0 CPE credits - $3,450
100.2 – 150.0 CPE credits - $3,950
150.2 – 200.0 CPE credits - $4,455
200.2 + CPE credits - $4,995

Initial application fees are non-refundable.

To begin, the QAS Self Study delivery method application will enter a preliminary instructional design review. This review focuses on five primary elements. If the application does not meet the minimum requirements, you will be notified of the failure. You may re-apply when the program is compliant with the Standards. You will be required to submit a new application and fee.

More information on the application process can be found in the Preliminary Instructional Design Review and the Full Instructional Design Review sections.

Instructional Design Review Process

1. Submit the Interest Form

Any individual, company or organization that wants to offer continuing professional education (CPE) credits for U.S. licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) should apply to join the Registry. You must have previous experience in developing, presenting, measuring and reporting some type of educational or training program. The program does not need to be offered for the CPA profession or awarded for CPE credit. After the complete interest form is submitted, a link to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors application will be sent to the main contact.

2. Familiarize Yourself with the Standards and Best Practices

Before proceeding with the online initial application, you must read, in its entirety, the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs (revised January 2024). These are the Standards by which your application will be measured for compliance.

The Best Practices site has been developed to assist in the development, presentation, measurement, and reporting of CPE programs. Please visit the Best Practices site here.

3: Complete Initial Application

The Registry application is a detailed process, and potential sponsors should take the necessary steps in providing a complete application. The online application is an intuitive and interactive interface by which you can upload all materials that are relevant for the delivery method you are seeking for approval. The application contains help text to assist in completion of required elements. Examples may be found in the sample template section. The application and review fees can also be paid through this secure system. The online application form will allow you to save and return to complete it at a later date. You will be prompted to supply a login and password to access the incomplete form.

You may apply for multiple instructional delivery methods (group live; group internet based; QAS self study; nano learning; and blended learning) with one application. You will be requested to submit certain documentation and program materials for one program of each instructional delivery method for which you are applying. All of the requested documentation for the application should relate to the submitted program. For example, if the submitted course is titled, “Accounting ABCs,” then all submitted materials—program materials, promotional materials, certificate of completion, evaluation form, etc.—should be for the “Accounting ABCs” program.

Application Review Process

The required documents for the application include:

Program List

If all program offerings have not yet been determined, submit the known course offerings and remit fees based on that program offering level. If, during the year, your organization will exceed the number of program offerings included in the initial application, please contact your National Registry account administrator.

Administrative Documents

QAS Self Study Additional Materials:

Course materials
Method of CPE credit determination
Qualified assessment and review question keys
Supporting documentation that 75% or more of learning objectives are measured in the qualified assessment

4. Main Contact Notified of Status

Once you have submitted your initial application, you will receive a confirmation email.

5. Application Review Process Begins

The National Registry team reviews your application to determine if the policies, procedures, and courses are compliant with the Standards. The initial application process consists of a hands-on evaluation by the National Registry of CPE Sponsors administrative review team. Your application will be assigned to an Instructional Design Reviewer. Initially, your assigned reviewer will complete the Preliminary Instructional Design Review. If the course passes these requirements, the reviewer will then proceed with the Full Instructional Design Review, including the administrative documents (listed above in item 3).

6. Request for Modifications

If there are areas of non-compliance, your Instructional Design Reviewer will send you an email with an Instructional Design Report attached. Each element on the modification report must be addressed. If you have any questions, please contact your Instructional Design Reviewer. You will have two weeks from the date of the email to submit a written response in relation to the Instructional Design Report. This is not the date by which course corrections are expected to be complete; rather, the written response should address each finding and describe how corrective action will be implemented. The response should also include a date by which course corrections are expected to be implemented. Non-responsiveness to requests for modifications and/or the inability to complete the modifications in a reasonable time frame may lead to closing the application.

7. Instructional Design Review Complete

Once the course has passed the Preliminary and Full Instructional Design reviews, your application will be accepted.

Renewal Application Fee

Once approved for the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, organizations must renew their membership annually by the first of the month of their initial approval date. The renewal fees are determined by the total number of different programs offered by the organization for the following approved instructional delivery methods: Group Live, Group Internet Based, QAS Self Study and Blended Learning.

Renewal Fees

1 – 15 different programs - $875
16 – 25 different programs - $1,085
26 – 50 different programs - $1,750
51 – 100 different programs - $2,795
101 – 250 different programs - $3,450
251 – 500 different programs - $4,175
501 – 1000 different programs - $4,750
1000 + different programs - $5,750

Nano Learning Renewal Fee

A $550 flat fee will be added to the Renewal Fee listed above for Registry sponsors approved for Nano Learning, regardless of the number of Nano Learning programs offered.

In the first step of the process, the QAS Self-Study delivery method application will enter a Preliminary Instructional Design Review. This portion of the review will focus on five primary elements:

Inclusion of learning objectives within the program materials
The completeness of program materials with the minimal required components (such as the course glossary, index, and clear instructions to the participants)
The appropriate number of review questions (See Standard 9 for a conversion chart) with appropriate evaluative and reinforcement feedback
A qualified assessment containing the appropriate number of questions (See Standard 9 for a conversion chart)
The CPE measurement methodology

If the course does not contain the five primary elements referenced above, it will not pass the Preliminary Review. You will be notified of the preliminary review deficiencies and referred to the resources to review and consider before re-applying. If the application is denied as a result of the preliminary review, you may re-apply when the program is compliant with the Standards. Once you are prepared to re-apply, a new application and fee will be required.

If the program complies with all of the requirements of the Preliminary Instructional Design Review, your application will move forward to the Full Instructional Design Review.

After successfully completing the Preliminary Instructional Design Review, the QAS Self Study delivery method application will enter the Full Instructional Design Review. The course will undergo a review of administrative documents. Additionally, the program will be reviewed for compliance with the Standards to determine that:

the course has been developed with strong, measurable learning objectives (link here to the best practices portion)
the course content is current, accurate, effectively designed, and aligned with an appropriate Field of Study (See Standard 4 for more information)
the review questions have the appropriate feedback (See Standard 9-03 for more information)
no less than 75% of the learning objectives are achieved through learning activities and are measured through the qualified assessment (See Standard 9-04 for more information)
the course is technically accurate (See Standard 4 for more information)
recommended CPE measurement has been appropriately calculated (See Standard 17 for more information)

Courses identified as Taxes, Accounting, or Auditing Fields of Study will be reviewed for content and technical accuracy by an outside, independent CPA. If the program complies with the Standards, the applicant will receive notification that they were approved for the QAS Self Study delivery method.