Only 55% Pass New Advanced Financial Accounting Certification Exam in Israel
Only 55% of candidates passed Israel's new advanced financial accounting certification exam, with first-time examinees achieving a 73% success rate. Ono Academic College led institutional rankings.
Only 55% of the 1,149 candidates who took the advanced financial accounting certification exam held by Israel's Board of Accountants under the new spring format passed the test. However, the pass rate among first-time examinees was significantly higher at 73%.
Data reveals that success rates drop dramatically with subsequent attempts. While first-time examinees achieved a 73% pass rate among 645 participants, the figure plunged to just 40% for second-time examinees numbering 194 candidates, and plummeted to 31% for those taking the exam for the third time or more, comprising 61 candidates.
The examination took place on July 29, 2026, at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. Graduates of academic colleges notably outperformed those from traditional universities. At the top of the rankings, Ono Academic College led with a 93% pass rate, as 26 out of 28 candidates passed. The highest individual score of 99 was also achieved by an Ono Academic College graduate, 26-year-old May Hashafia, who interns at EY Israel, the country's largest accounting firm.
College Standings and Academic Rankings
Sapir Academic College ranked second with a 90% pass rate, with 9 passing out of 10 candidates. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem placed third with 86%, followed by Bar-Ilan University and the University of Haifa at 85% each, and Ruppin Academic Center at 82%.
Further down the table, Tel Aviv University recorded 76%, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev registered 75%, and the Open University stood at 71%. At the bottom of the list were graduates of the College of Management Academic Studies, with a notably low pass rate of just 22%, representing 5 successful candidates out of 23 examinees.
Certification Reform Impacts
The Board of Accountants certification exams are held twice a year during the spring and autumn sessions, with the spring session serving as the primary date for most students. The exam followed the new format established under the accounting studies reform introduced several years ago, which emphasizes taxation, technology, and ethics while significantly reducing the weight of the advanced financial accounting exam. These dramatic structural changes shortened the study program to 3.5 years under standard academic tuition while eliminating the supplementary fourth year that previously cost 23,000 shekels.
