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Membership > Criteria for admission as an IPFA member
How does one qualify to become a tiered member of IPFA?
Until December 2005, the Institute admitted members via the interim process of grandfathering. The Institute Council held on 24 November 2005 agreed that grandfathering would be phased out and hence new arrangements for admission to membership would need to be implemented.
In June 2006 the new arrangements for admission were adopted by the Institute Council.
There are 2 routes to tiered membership of IPFA. Individuals can qualify for IPFA membership by obtaining an IPFA qualification in public sector accounting, or via the new RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) Route to Membership.
Via an IPFA Qualification
Individuals who hold an IPFA Certificate in Public Sector Accounting qualify for Tier 4 membership (Registered Public Sector Accounts Administrator). Those who hold an IPFA Diploma in Public Sector Accounting qualify for Tier 3 membership (Registered Public Sector Accounting Technician). Persons who have obtained these qualifications via a learnership will have already met the workplace requirements, so no additional workplace evidence is required. Those persons who did not obtain their IPFA qualification via the learnership route will be required to complete a Workplace Portfolio as evidence of their relevant work experience.
Persons holding one of these qualifications need to complete the online application form and send copies of their qualification and CV to IPFA. IPFA will then contact them to inform them of the next step.
RPL Route to Membership
In assessing whether membership applicants meet the requirements to be admitted as a tiered member to IPFA via the RPL Route to Membership, the Institute assesses them on 3 levels:
Qualification
Work Experience
Knowledge of South African Public Sector
Whilst the Institute has developed qualifications linked to their Tiered Membership Framework which are designed to meet the educational requirements of finance practitioners operating in the South African public sector, it does recognise that there are many of these individuals who already hold relevant accounting qualifications. The Institute has therefore developed an alternative route to membership, called the RPL Route to Membership.
This route recognises the prior learning that potential members have acquired as evidenced by the qualification they hold. It recognises that some of the educational requirements of finance practitioners operating in the South African public sector can be met by alternative qualifications and does not reassess these competencies.
Tier 4
Persons who have Accounting 1 and Cost Accounting 1 towards their BComm degree, or who have a National Diploma in Accounting, Cost and Management Accounting, Internal Audit, State Finance or Government Accounting, or who hold the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, qualify for Tier 4 membership of IPFA, provided they can meet the other requirements.
Tier 3
Persons who have Accounting 2 and Cost Accounting 2 towards their BComm degree, or who hold a BTech in any finance discipline, or who hold the AAT's Accounting Technician qualification, qualify for Tier 3 membership of IPFA, provided they can meet the other requirements.
Tier 2
Persons who have a BTech in public finance qualify for Tier 2 membership of IPFA, provided they can meet the other requirements.
Membership Assessment
The Institute does however hold that there are a number of competencies that are unique to the South African public sector which are not addressed by non-public sector specific qualifications. The Institute therefore requires individuals who qualify for membership on IPFA's tiered framework via the RPL Route to Membership to demonstrate their competence in these areas in a Membership Assessment.
Work Experience
In assessing your workplace experience, weight is given to the competence demonstrated in the workplace and NOT the length of service.
You demonstrate your workplace competence by providing copies of some of your work product in a Workplace Portfolio. The work product requested from you is derived by the competencies required of an individual operating at the tier level at which your application is being considered.
Persons holding one of these qualifications (or another similar qualification) need to complete the online application form and send copies of their qualification and CV to IPFA. IPFA will then contact them to ask them to register in the RPL Route to Membership. Once applicants have registered and paid the RPL Route to Membership Registration Fee of R456 (incl. VAT) they will be sent detailed guidelines to assist them in completing their Workplace Portfolio and in preparing for their Membership Assessment.
Criteria for admission as an IPFA member
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