Check your eligibility
To apply for ICAEW membership via Pathways, you must fully meet all eligibility criteria.
- Use our checker tool to check your eligibility.
Requirements of Pathways
Please note:
ICAEW, like other organisations, is assessing the potential future role of generative AI tools in its examinations. However, for the time being these tools MUST NOT be used in compiling your Pathways application. For details, please refer to our latest guidance.
In addition, please be aware that there has been a change to the Sponsor form to further clarify the issues of plagiarism and generative AI tools.
You will need to declare within your Pathways submission if you require an ICAEW Practising Certificate or the Audit Qualification (AQ) upon being successful. You will be prompted to confirm this within the pathways application process via the exams online portal.
The Pathways application consists of the following elements which need to be completed and submitted together:
Examination of Experience
The Examination of Experience (EoE) consists of a series of questions where applicants show their experience and achievements, over the last five years to evidence they are qualified by experience and are, therefore, eligible for ICAEW membership.
The EoE assesses the same professional skills as those are examined in the ACA Case Study. This includes planning and analytical skills, professional judgement, quality of thought and awareness of current and technical issues.
You are required to download, complete and upload the Examination of Experience form, as part of your submission.
Examination of Experience - guidance documents
Signed Sponsor Form
Your application will also need to be supported by a sponsor who will complete a form to be submitted along with the rest of the documents. Find out more about the Sponsor requirements and their eligibility.You are required to download, complete and submit the sponsor form, as part of your application.
Please note: A sponsor form requires a physical signature or date stamped e-signature.
Letters of Good Standing
Every Pathways applicant must include a Letter of Good Standing for both the applicant and their sponsor. If your sponsor is an ICAEW member their letter of Good Standing is not required.
Letters must be issued and dated within the three months immediately before the Pathways deadline date you wish to apply.
Please note: Each letter of good standing requires a physical signature or date stamped e-signature.
The letters from the respective professional bodies must confirm the following:
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Applicant's Letter of Good Standing
- You are a full member of that body - see all eligible bodies here.
- Date and year you were admitted into membership.
- Membership was gained by the normal education and training route (you may need to ask for transcripts to evidence this).
- Shows a good disciplinary record with no outstanding complaints against you, or advise us of the details of any disciplinary record or outstanding complaint(s).
- Full compliance with the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements of that body.
- The professional body knows of no ethical, or other reason, you should not be admitted to ICAEW.
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Sponsor's Letter of Good Standing
- They are a full member of that body - this body must be a full IFAC member.
- Date and year they were admitted into membership.
- Membership was gained by the normal education and training route (they may need to ask for transcripts to evidence this).
- Shows a good disciplinary record with no outstanding complaints against them, or advise us of the details of any disciplinary record or outstanding complaint(s).
- Full compliance with the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements of that body.
Interactive Pathways guide
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Access an editable copy of our interactive Pathways guide to print or save.
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