Deciding whether to sit your next Certificate Level or ICAEW CFAB exam remotely or in an exam centre? The ICAEW assessment team look at the pros and cons of each option.
Deciding whether to sit your next Certificate Level or ICAEW CFAB exam remotely or in an exam centre? The ICAEW Assessment Team look at the pros and cons of each option.
Whether you prefer the comfort and convenience of a familiar environment, or to have the support of fellow students around you in an exam centre, Certificate Level and ICAEW CFAB students sitting their exams can choose the delivery method that’s right for them.
“The beauty is that students can choose the method that works best them for each exam – subject to their tuition provider’s requirements,” explains Catherine Christmas, Senior Certificate Exams Manager at ICAEW.
Exam centre
Many students are more comfortable at the thought of turning up to an exam centre and everything being taken care of for them,” says Catherine. “At an exam centre, all the equipment is provided for you, and everything will have been checked beforehand to make sure it’s working properly.” All you need to bring along are your two forms of ID and a calculator. If there are any technical hitches, the invigilators may even be able to push the session start back by a few minutes.”
Some students find that the exam centre environment helps them to get into the right mindset, and they like to be surrounded by others going through the same experience. Bear in mind, though, that not all students may be sitting the same exam as you. “Because the Certificate Level and ICAEW CFAB exams are delivered on demand, rather than scheduled sessions, you might have other people in the room taking a different exam that finishes at a different time, so that can be distracting,” explains Catherine.
“You might also find that you have to wait a bit longer for availability at an exam centre, especially in busy cities like London. With remote invigilation, you can often get a slot the next – or even the same – day.”
When you have an exam booked at an exam centre, you’ll need to be ready 30 minutes before your scheduled start time to allow for the necessary security checks.
Remote invigilation
One of the main advantages of remote invigilation is that you are in a familiar, comfortable environment that you can control, and with the computer that you are used to using.
You will need a quiet, private room, a laptop with a webcam and microphone, a strong, reliable internet connection and a mobile phone. “We always recommend that you use a personal rather than work laptop if possible – company equipment may have restrictions that may not allow the video monitoring software to run,” explains Catherine. And, while it may be tempting to rely on the office wifi rather than your home connection, you’ll need to ensure the company’s firewall doesn’t restrict access, so it’s worth checking with your employer/IT department in advance.
Once you’ve checked that you have the right technical requirements in place and run a system test – ideally a few days before your exam – the remote onboarding process is as straightforward as that in a centre. “At home, you only need one form of ID, as the system uses biometric software to confirm your identity,” explains Catherine. The only other thing you will need is a whiteboard and wipeable pen if you want to use one for your workings, though the exam software features a digital whiteboard and scratch pad.
“Once the clock starts ticking, you won’t be able to leave the room, you must stay within your webcam view throughout your exam, you want be able to go to the bathroom” says Catherine. “It’s also against the rules to pick up your phone – which is often the first thing a student will do if their connection drops, to take a picture of an error message for example,” she says.
Picking the right one for you
At the end of the day, the choice comes down to deciding what works best for you and your personal circumstances. “It’s great to have the option – it makes the service a lot more accessible to everyone,” says Catherine
“As with everything, it’s about being prepared, particularly if the remote invigilation option does appeal,” adds Catherine. “There’s a lot of information to take in, so do spend some time familiarising yourself with the process, requirements and regulations – and always read your emails.”
Full guidance before sitting an exam
We recommend that you read the below exam guidance before the day of your exam. All students must adhere to the exam rules at all times:
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