Impact of Revisions to the Standards

Prior to the revisions to the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs (2012) (Standards), the National Registry and QAS self study sponsors were held to the same requirements with the exception of the following:

QAS Sponsors were required to:

• Include the participation of at least one CPA in the development of every program in accounting and auditing
• Include the participation of a CPA, tax attorney, or IRS enrolled agent in the development of each program in taxation
• Include no more than 25 percent true/false questions on the final examination
• Not qualify personal development courses as part of its membership

There were also administrative differences between the National Registry and QAS programs primarily in frequency of renewals, number and selection of programs reviewed and the basis of the application and reviewer fees.

The final revised Standards raise the standards for all self study providers and eliminate the differences between the QAS and National Registry self study requirements. Accordingly, NASBA has initiated changes to simplify the programs upon the effective date of the revised Standards.

 View "Overview of Revised Standards" Tutorial

The revised Standards, which were approved in January, 2012, are effective as follows:

• For group programs and independent study – July 1, 2012
• For self study programs in development as of December 31, 2011 and/or being published for the first time – July 1, 2012
• For self study programs already in existence as of December 31, 2011 – March 1, 2014

The revised Standards raise the requirements for all self study providers and eliminate the differences between the QAS and Registry self study requirements.  NASBA has initiated changes to the administration of these programs to offer one designation for self study programs – “QAS Self Study.”

There will be a transition process for current QAS sponsors to the “QAS Self Study” designation to ensure that the revised Standards have been implemented to all self study program offerings.  The process will begin by completing a QAS Transition Initiation Form available on this website beginning May 1, 2012.

Upon submission of the QAS Transition Initiation Form, the sponsor will be requested to submit a program list of self study programs for which it plans to award “QAS Self Study” CPE credits.  NASBA will select programs from the submitted program listing and request additional information from the sponsor.  These programs will be reviewed for compliance with the revised Standards.

For those QAS sponsors who are not also members of the Registry, you will be issued a six-digit Registry sponsor ID number at the time you successfully complete the transition to the "QAS Self Study" designation process.

Approvals for those sponsors who successfully complete the “QAS Self Study” designation transition process will be issued on and subsequent to July 1, 2012.

 Submit a QAS Transition Initiation Form

There will be a similar transition and upgrade process for those “Registry-only” self study sponsors to receive the “QAS Self Study” designation. The process will begin by completing a QAS Transition Initiation Form available on this website beginning May 1, 2012.

Upon submission of the QAS Transition Initiation Form, the sponsor will be requested to submit a program list of self study programs for which it plans to award “QAS Self Study” CPE credits.  NASBA will select programs from the submitted program listing and request additional information from the sponsor.  These programs will be reviewed for compliance with the revised Standards.

Approvals for those sponsors who successfully complete the “QAS Self Study” designation transition and upgrade process will be issued on and subsequent to July 1, 2012.

 Submit a QAS Transition Initiation Form

If you are a QAS sponsor and approved for the self study delivery method on the Registry, you only need to complete the transition process to the QAS Self Study designation once.  You will be requested to submit a program list of all of the self study programs for which you plan to award “QAS Self Study” CPE credits.  NASBA will select programs from the submitted program listing to review for compliance with the revised Standards.

There will be a fee assessed for the transition and upgrade process to the QAS Self Study designation.  The fee is based on the number of self study programs for which you plan to award “QAS Self Study” CPE credits.  The fee schedule is graduated similarly to the initial, ADM and renewal applications.  The fee is being assessed only to cover the cost of content reviewer fees, as selected programs will be reviewed for technical accuracy.  The fee will start at $250 for a sponsor with 0-15 self study programs.

For those providers who will be applying for the self study delivery method in the future, the Initial application for membership on the National Registry, as well as the Additional Delivery Method application have been updated to reflect the revised Standards and include the “QAS Self Study” designation.  The updated Initial application and Additional Delivery Method application available May 1, 2012, will be reviewed for compliance with the revised Standards. Approvals for applications submitted on the new form will be issued on and subsequent to July 1, 2012. To begin that process, please submit an Interest Form.