CPA study schedule: how long per section?
Plan about 6 to 10 weeks per section at 15 to 20 hours a week, which puts all four sections at roughly 9 to 15 months. You take three core sections (AUD, FAR, REG) and one discipline you choose (BAR, ISC or TCP). Each section is 4 hours and you need 75 on a 0 to 99 scale to pass. Your state board sets how long credit lasts, often 30 months.
Since 2024 the CPA Exam follows the CPA Evolution model. Everyone takes Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) and Taxation and Regulation (REG), plus one discipline: Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC) or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). Each section mixes multiple-choice testlets and task-based simulations. A 75 is a scaled score, not a percentage, and it is not curved.
Timing matters more than it used to. Core sections can be taken year-round, but the discipline sections only run in testing windows. In 2026 those windows are January, April, July and October, and scores come about six weeks later. Plan your discipline around its window, then fit the core sections around it.
Most candidates study while working, so a realistic week is 1 to 2 hours on workdays and a longer block on the weekend. FAR usually needs the most time because it covers the most material. Pairing a discipline with the core section it builds on, such as REG then TCP, saves review time.
| Section | Typical study time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FAR (core) | 8 to 10 weeks | Largest section, good first pick if your accounting is fresh |
| AUD (core) | 6 to 8 weeks | Lots of reading and judgment questions |
| REG (core) | 6 to 8 weeks | Federal tax plus business law |
| BAR (discipline) | 6 to 8 weeks | Builds on FAR, testing windows only |
| ISC (discipline) | 5 to 7 weeks | Builds on AUD, testing windows only |
| TCP (discipline) | 5 to 7 weeks | Builds on REG, testing windows only |
- 1Check your state board's rules: eligibility, fees and how long section credit lasts.
- 2Pick your discipline and write down its next testing window.
- 3Choose your first section and book a date 6 to 10 weeks out, so the deadline is real.
- 4Split the section into weekly topics. Do multiple-choice questions every day and task-based simulations at least twice a week.
- 5Spend the last 1 to 2 weeks on timed mock exams and on reviewing every miss.
- 6Start the next section right after you sit for one, instead of waiting weeks for the score.