Enrolled Agent Certification

Weihong Li is an accounting student at Portland Community college and has demonstrated how the Enrolled Agent pathway would look for a community college student.  She took BA 256: Income Tax and then used the Surgent EA exam prep (free individual tax materials) to pass Part I of the exam on the first try.  She found that BA 256 had prepared her well for the exam.  

She then purchased (NAEA scholarships also available) Surgent's Part 2 & 3 materials and again passed the final two sections of the exam on the first try. Here is a conversation about her journey:

Did you know?

• Enrolled Agents are America's Tax Experts

• Enrolled Agents can work in a wide variety of places

• You can become an Enrolled Agent without a college degree

• Two  year free student NAEA membership - $35 per year afterwards

• There is an affordable pathway to preparing for the national enrolled agent exam

• You could win a scholarship to pay for your preparation (link is broken on EA website, but this works)

• Fast Forward Academy Enrolled Agent Guide to Success and Pricing Options

Starting in June 2026, people with valid enrolled agent licenses don't need to complete any of the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners exams and only need to register with them. 

Completing PCC's BA 256: Income Tax (4 credits and offered every term) or BA 290: Income Tax Preparation (8 credits and currently offered each fall term) would be a great start for preparing for Part 1 of the Enrolled Agent's Exam.