Exams FAQs

Frequently asked questions about ACA exams.

Where can I find exam past papers, examiners comments, exam syllabus etc

These can be found in exam resources.

What are the ACA exam dates?

All exam dates and deadlines are on the exam applications page. See Exam dates and deadlines. 

What are the costs of exams?

Costs can be found on the exam applications page. See Exam entry fees.

How do I book an exam?

Log on to the student website, then apply online. There are different processes for e-assessment and paper-based exams – please read the information carefully.

Where can I sit the ACA exams?

We have exam centres throughout the world. These can be seen on the exam application form (PDF 208KB/5 pages) or online as part of the application process.

Can I sit the exams in any order?

Yes, however the Advanced Stage Case Study cannot be attempted until you are in the final year of your ACA training agreement or you have completed your training agreement.

Many students will sit a Professional Stage Knowledge module before sitting the associated Application paper; however your employer may require you to take exams in a set route. Another tip is that students often find it helpful to sit their Application Financial Accounting exam before their Financial Reporting exam.

Do I have to apply for apply for credits before taking exams?

For all questions/answers relating to CPL, see credit for prior learning FAQs.

Can I sit the ACA exams if I am not in an ACA training agreement / if I am an independent student?

For all question/answers relating to independent students, see independent student FAQs .

What identification do I have to take to the exams with me?

You will need to take two forms of identification. One must show your photograph (eg, valid passport, driving licence, company identification card). The other must show your signature (eg, credit card, driving licence, valid passport). You should always check the instructions to candidates on the exam application page (see Instructions to candidates) and the ACA assessment regulations in case there are any changes in any of these regulations.

What do I have to use to write the exams?

You must use a ball point pen(s) that writes in black – you must bring this/these to your exam.  

How many exam attempts am I allowed?

ICAEW regulations allow four attempts at each Professional Stage exam, and an unlimited number of attempts at the Advanced Stage exams. However, if you are in an ACA training agreement, ultimately it is your employer who will advise you on how many exam attempts they are prepared to support. You must check with your employer as they are unlikely to support multiple failures. You should always go into each exam fully prepared.

What happens if I fail an exam four times?

You must make sure you are fully prepared for any exam you sit. While ICAEW regulations currently allow for a maximum of four exam attempts at each Professional Stage module and (as of February 2011) an unlimited number of attempts at each of the Advanced Stage exams, your employer is unlikely to tolerate repeated failures!

At Professional Stage, if you fail the same module four times, ICAEW regulations state that you may not take any further ACA exams. Ultimately, your record will be removed from the ICAEW database. If you are with an authorised training employer, your organisation will be informed and your training agreement will be cancelled.

If you wish to re-start your training, you will normally need to take all the examinations again as any previous pass results will not be maintained. We would recommend you look at the ACA assessment regulations or contact the student support team on +44 (0)1908 248 250.

What happens if I don’t turn up for an exam?

If you do not attend an exam, you will be marked as absent. If you attend the exam hall and start the exam (ie, see any of the exam questions) then this will be counted as an attempt and you will receive a mark of zero against that attempt.

Information on how to cancel an exam, what to do if you are seeking special consideration (eg, if you could not attend the exam because of special circumstances such as you were ill in hospital) are on  the exam applications page. See Cancelling an exam application and Special consideration. 

What happens if I turn up to an exam, but do not finish the exam?

If you attend the exam hall and start the exam (ie, see any of the exam questions) but do not write anything on your script, then this will be counted as an attempt and you will receive a mark of zero against that attempt.

If you walk out of the exam before the end of the exam session (eg, with 20 minutes exam time still remaining), then this will be counted as an attempt. You then have the option to have the attempt counted as a zero or to have the examiner mark the work you have done up to that point. In either case, it is still counted as an attempt.

ICAEW does not recommend any student to leave the exam before the end of that exam session.

To see what is counted as an exam attempt, please see ACA assessment regulations.

If I finish all the exam questions early, can I get up and leave?

Yes, but it is not advisable! You should always make the most of the time that is given to you – check any calculations you have made, re-read your answers etc – it may be the difference between a pass and a fail!

Will I get a refund if I cancel an exam after I apply for it?

If you cancel an exam application before the deadline, you are entitled to a refund or credit note.  If you cancel an exam application after the deadline there are no refunds available. All exam dates and deadlines are  on the exam applications page. See Exam dates and deadlines.

If I cancel an exam application, am I automatically entered for that exam in the next exam sitting?

No. You are not automatically entered into the next exam sitting. You will need to apply for that exam at a future exam sitting.

Can I defer my exams?

You can cancel/defer/withdraw from an ACA exam at any point up to the exam entry cancellation deadline – without penalty or incurring costs. However, if the exam entry deadline date has passed and you decide that you no longer wish to sit that exam at that time, then you must contact the applications team directly at ICAEW.

All exam entry deadline dates and exam cancellation policies are on the exam applications page. See Exam dates and deadlines and Cancelling an exam application.

I feel unwell before/during the exam, what should I do?

Before the exam: if you are really feeling very unwell before the exam, we suggest you do not sit that exam. A refund may be possible if you supply medical evidence. See Cancelling an exam application.

During the exam: If you sit the exam while you are feeling unwell, you can apply for ‘special consideration’. This needs to be in writing, with medical evidence, to the Assessment Manager as soon as possible after the exam and a minimum of two weeks before the results despatch date. See Special Consideration.

How do I apply for alternative arrangements for my exams?

Please see Alternative arrangements for exam on the exam applications page for details on which circumstances are considered and/or medical information is required, relevant deadlines and application forms. Forms must be completed and all evidence sent to logistics@icaew.com within 30 days of the closing date of the exam.   

Can I change my exam venue (after I have applied for the exam)?

It depends. You cannot change your exam venue within London. Outside of London, you can request a change in exam venue up to two weeks before the exam sitting. However, it may not always be possible to change (eg, if the exam centre you want is already full). You need to email studentsupport@icaew.com and a charge of £50.00 is applied if it is possible to change your venue.

Can I use a calculator in the exams?

For the six Knowledge exams, everything you need is provided at the exam centre.
For all other ACA exams, you can use a calculator (although you are not allowed to use one that is mains-operated). If a calculator has a memory, you must delete/wipe it before entering into the exams (the invigilator will usually check this). Any calculators must be silent.

Can I use last years’ learning materials for this year?

We do not recommend it. We always advise that you use the learning materials from the correct year. We cannot be held responsible if you answer a question incorrectly because you were using old learning materials.

How can I get my exam results?

Professional Stage knowledge modules exam results are only available online. You can access these on the exams results page.

For all other exams, you can get your exam results in many ways.

• ICAEW will automatically send you an exam results letter.
• If, when you applied for your exam, you requested to receive your results by text or email, then you will be notified by that method at 5pm on the exam results release day.
• You can get your results over the telephone from the student support team on the day that exam results are released. This service is open from 17:00 to 17:30 (UK time).
• You can see your results in your ICAEW account (this is the ‘my details’ link on the right had side of the student web pages).
• Exam pass and credit lists are published on the exams results page.

If you want to get future exam results by text or email, go to Exam applications  – you’ll need to request this when you apply for each exam! Just log in,  and click ‘manage email/SMS notification’.

If I fail an exam, can I get it re-marked?

We do not do a re-mark of exams. However, on paper-based exams only, you can apply for a ‘marks review’. This is not a re-mark, but it is a complete check across all the processes involved in reaching your result. See Marks review for more details, including deadlines, costs and how to apply.

If I fail an exam, can I get feedback on why I failed?

Yes. You can apply for a marks feedback. This gives a breakdown of your total objective test/short form question score and marks per question for the written test. See Marks feedback more details including deadlines, application form and costs.

Can I have my original paper back?

No.

All questions accurate as of June 2011, unless otherwise stated.