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Master of Science in Accountancy – Application Process

Wake Forest’s Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) degree has unmatched CPA exam pass rates and opportunities for specialization in financial transaction services, assurance, or tax. Combined, these aspects of the MSA program prepare graduates for highly sought after positions as accounting professionals in a wide range of industries.

Rolling Admissions

Applications to the MSA program are reviewed on a rolling basis, approximately three to four weeks after completion through the online application system. Only complete application files will be considered.

To get started, we recommend verifying your program eligibility before beginning the online application. Applicants to the Master’s in Accounting program should follow the instructions and requirements shown below.

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MSA Application Deadlines for Summer/Fall 2025 Enrollment

Domestic Applicants (1)
Application Available
August 17, 2024
Early App Deadline (nonbinding)
November 1, 2024
Final Application Deadline
August 1, 2025 (for those not requiring foundational coursework)
Enrollment Begins (2)
May-August 2025
  1. Domestic applicants include U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.
  2. If applicable, foundational courses begin in May and June on the Wake Forest campus. Courses begin in August for all other students.
International Applicants (1)
Application Available
August 17, 2024
Early App Deadline (nonbinding)
November 1, 2024
Final Application Deadline (outside US)
April 1, 2025
Final Application Deadline (in US)
May 1, 2025
Enrollment Begins (2)
May-August 2025
  1. International students currently living outside the U.S. must meet the April 1 application deadline. International students currently in the U.S. on an F-1 visa can meet the application deadline of May 1 if they require only a SEVIS transfer to extend their visa, and do not require foundational coursework.
  2. If applicable, foundational courses begin in May and June on the Wake Forest campus. Courses begin in August for all other students.

MSA Program Eligibility

The Wake Forest University School of Business seeks Accountancy applicants with demonstrated achievement in their previous coursework, professional experience, and community involvement. As part of the holistic application review, our team seeks leadership ability, motivation, focus, enthusiasm, strong values, and teamwork skills in prospective students.

Before you start the application process, we encourage you to check the program eligibility standards listed below to verify that you meet the minimum qualifications. Wake Forest does not refund the application fee for a submitted application, regardless of whether a candidate meets the program eligibility. If you are unsure of your eligibility, schedule a one-on-one admissions consultation with the Center for Enrollment Management through email at busapply@wfu.edu.

For Fall 2025 enrollment, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  1. Earned or pursuing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. All undergraduate majors will be considered.
  2. Required foundational courses for all applicants (including WFU seniors who are not pursuing the 5-year MSA program). Individuals who will complete an undergraduate degree by spring 2025 can enroll in the MSA program. Students who enter the program do not need to have an accounting background. However, students without an accounting background are required to successfully complete select foundational courses prior to enrollment. For more information on all required foundational course offerings, as well as details on dates and locations offered, review the complete MSA curriculum.
  3. WFU School of Business juniors only: Wake Forest students can apply to the integrated MSA program and earn both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees with five years of coursework at Wake Forest. These students apply to the School of Business in their sophomore year and then apply to the MSA program in their junior year of study. To apply as a junior to the MSA program, Wake Forest students must have been admitted into the Wake Forest undergraduate business program and be in the process of taking junior-level accounting coursework within the School of Business. For additional information regarding eligibility and application requirements for WFU juniors, please contact Susie Hoff at 336-758-7255 or langesm@wfu.edu. You can also refer to the instructions tab of the WFU Junior Fall 2026 application.

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Master’s in Accountancy Application Requirements

For the Admissions Committee to review an application to the MSA program, applicants must submit all of the following items as part of their file.

An online application is required for all applicants. To submit the application, a $100 non-refundable application fee payable by credit card is required. The resume and unofficial transcript are part of the online application.

As part of your application, you are required to respond to questions in the Legal Disclosure section of the application. All applicants are encouraged to be forthcoming when disclosing this information. If required, candidates may be asked to provide additional information to complete a background check.

A one-page resume or CV is required. A sample format is available for download by clicking the Wake Forest Resume Template. Applicants who are pursuing the three-semester option are encouraged to reformat their resume using this template.

Required: A requirement of the online application includes a written assessment comprised of three short-answer questions designed to share experiences and collect additional information. All applicants are required to complete the assessment. As a guide, responses to the questions should be limited to one paragraph (approx. 250 words max.).

Optional: Applicants may use the optional short-answer question on the online application to discuss anomalies that exist in their application/transcript or address aspects that may be concerning to the Admissions Committee. This question is optional and not required.

Unless otherwise directed, all applicants must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants can determine which test is better suited for them individually. Scores are valid for five years post exam date. If your score is expiring, you must submit your application prior to expiration.

Students with a GPA of 3.2 or better and at least two grades of B or better in quantitative or other rigorous coursework, from a U.S.-based college/university are eligible for a GRE/GMAT test waiver.

GMAT test registration information is available at www.mba.com. Use the WFU MS in Accountancy code R5F-NS-06.

GRE test registration information is available at www.ets.org/gre. Use the Wake Forest MS Accountancy institution code 1155.

If you are interested in GMAT or GRE test prep sessions, please visit our Events Calendar to view our upcoming no-charge virtual prep trainings.

Applicants whose native language is not English and/or whose principal language of university instruction was not English must submit scores from either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The TOEFL Essentials exam is also accepted. Exception: applicants who have or will complete their undergraduate work in the U.S. or at an English-speaking college or university are not required to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

The Admissions Committee recommends a minimum TOEFL score of 105 (IBT) or an official IELTS score of 7.5. However, score minimums are guidelines for admission. All official test scores will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and considered in the decision-making process. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years post exam date. If your score is expiring, you must submit your application prior to expiration. The Admissions Committee reserves the right to waive the TOEFL/IELTS for international applicants who have resided and worked in the United States for an extended period of time.

Information and test registration for the TOEFL is available at www.toefl.org. Use the Wake Forest School of Business institution code B818. Information and test registration for the IELTS is available at www.ielts.org. An institutional code is NOT required for IELTS.

The names and contact information for two references are required as part of the online application. However, online letters of recommendation are NOT required and, if submitted, will NOT be used during the application review process. At their discretion, the Admissions Committee may contact your references directly. Please do not submit additional references, as they will not strengthen your application.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted for the application review process and may be uploaded as a part of your online application. We require transcripts of all academic work completed (or currently in progress) at the baccalaureate/undergraduate and graduate level. Associate degree transcripts are not required.

Official final transcripts will be required following enrollment (or can be sent prior to), which include the name of the degree awarded and the date the degree was conferred. If you have not graduated, please wait to order an official copy of your transcript until after graduation. To request your transcript, you may use the Transcript Request Form we have provided or use the form provided by your specific college.

  • Electronic transcripts (e-Transcript/certified document) should be sent directly to busapply@wfu.edu.
  • Paper transcripts should be mailed directly from your university in an official, sealed envelope to one of the following addresses:
Regular MailExpress Delivery
Wake Forest University School of Business
P.O. Box 7897
Suite 115
Winston-Salem, NC 27109		Wake Forest University School of Business
1834 Wake Forest Road
Farrell Hall – Suite 115
Winston-Salem, NC 27106

International Applicants: Your final transcript(s) must be written in English and include the degree awarded and the date the degree was conferred. If not listed on your transcript, you must submit your diploma or degree certificate indicating the degree and date of confirmation. If the transcript is not in English, an official transcript evaluation must be submitted using World Education Services (www.wes.org) or International Education Evaluations (www.foreigntranscripts.com). Applicants using IEE should use their portal for Wake Forest University. Applicants from Chinese institutions can request and submit official transcripts directly through CHESICC, which will be sent directly to our admissions office. Click here to get started.

All interviews for the MSA program are by invitation only, after a candidate has submitted the application. Candidates will receive notification the week following application submission regarding their interview status.  We offer two options for interviewing: 1) an on-campus interview, or 2) a Zoom video interview.  On-campus interviews include the opportunity to attend class and have lunch with a current student, tour Farrell Hall, and have optional consultations with an MSA career coach and student services representative.

For prospective MSA students who have not completed an application, the School of Business is pleased to offer campus visits. You can attend a class with a current student, tour Farrell Hall, and if your schedule permits, have lunch with a current student. An optional 15-minute consultation to review the admissions process is also available. Please use the campus visit request form to request your campus visit.

Receipt of Transcripts & Scores

To review the received status of official transcript(s), GMAT/GRE score(s), and TOEFL/IELTS score(s), please login to your Applicant Portal, and choose your application to view a summary of your application status and requirements. You can login using the same username and password that you used to create your online application.

Our office processes a large volume of application components daily, so check back often for new updates as this is the best method to check the receipt of your supplemental materials. Once materials are received by our office, it can take up to ten business days to update your Applicant Portal. If it has been more than ten days and your Applicant Portal is not properly updated, please contact the Center for Enrollment Management.

When mailing official transcripts, it is suggested that you use FedEx or another delivery service that provides you with package tracking capability.

International Applicants

If you are applying to the MS in Accountancy program as an international candidate, please review the following tips and guidelines for an efficient application process:

  • Use the same email address and first name throughout the entire application process.
  • Ensure that your name is spelled out completely in English on your application and transcript.
  • Include your full application name (that matches your passport) in any correspondence with the university.
  • Do not send any materials which are not requested by the Enrollment Management Center.
  • Please note that the required foundational courses (Principles of Finance, Intermediate Accounting I & II, Introductory Tax, and Intermediate Financial Management) must be taken at a four-year United States AACSB-accredited school. Otherwise, students are expected to take them on the Wake Forest campus during the summer.

Reapplication Policy

If you completed the online application for Fall 2024, you may reapply for the subsequent year. Please verify your program eligibility above before beginning the application process. As a reapplicant, you complete an abbreviated application process but are required to submit a new application. Any transcripts or official scores that were previously submitted to the Enrollment Management Center will be automatically transferred to your new application file.

When you complete the online application, please answer yes to the question “Are you reapplying for enrollment?” on the Additional Information tab, indicating your intent to reapply. If you previously applied to the School of Business, we maintain official transcripts and official scores for up to three years. You are welcome to contact our office to inquire about previously submitted materials.

Deposit Deadlines

All candidates receive an admission decision within three to four weeks of submission, provided the application is complete. Enrollment deposit due dates vary by admit date, noted in the chart below.

Admit DateDeposit Due DateMSA Deposit*
Before Jan. 314 weeks after admission$1,500
Feb. 1 – March 313 weeks after admission$1,500
April 1 – May 312 weeks after admission$1,500
June 1 or later1 week after admission$1,500

Enrollment Deposit Amount and Payment Due Date

The $1,500 Enrollment Deposit can be paid in total upon acceptance of the admission offer or in two payments according to the chart below.

Payment

Amount

Due Date*

1st payment

$1,000

upon offer acceptance

2nd payment

$500

March 15 (international)

May 1 (domestic)

*Note about payment deadlines: The entire deposit of $1,500 is due immediately if an offer is accepted after the 2nd payment deadline. Students can pay the entire fee at any time prior to the deadline. The entire enrollment deposit is applied to first semester tuition upon matriculation. An additional processing fee is assessed if paying via credit card. Enrollment deposit payments are non-refundable.

Deposit Extension

The Admissions Committee is able to grant an extension to the deposit deadline for select cases. All extension requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Committee.

For International Students

All International students who have paid their enrollment deposit should anticipate an email to be delivered to your new Wake Forest email address (once activated) sent from the Wake Forest International Students and Scholars team (ISS). This email will contain detailed instructions on the requirements and forms (including Certification of Finances) that you must complete to receive your I-20 documentation that you will need to obtain your F-1 student visa. Students already in the US that need to transfer their I-20 from their current university will also receive instructions from ISS to complete that process.

Apply Now to Wake Forest’s Master’s in Accountancy Program

Wake Forest’s top-ranked Master of Science in Accountancy degree provides unparalleled preparation for the CPA exam, setting graduates up for in-demand careers as accountants across all industries.

Take the next step toward a career in accounting by applying to the MSA program today.

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