icaew case study exam resources

Jag's Journey

Sharing my life experiences including the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification

ICAEW Case Study Made Easy – How to Pass ACA Case Study

What was my first impression of the ICAEW Case Study? Weird. This exam is completely different to the 14 ACA exams prior which actually have new content to learn. The ICAEW Case Study was completely unknown to me until I came to study for this exam. It was not really an exam that was spoken about at all beforehand. For this reason, I have written this blog to give others an insight into the ICAEW Case Study exam with tips to pass . If you would like to know how much preparation is needed for the ICAEW Case Study, click here .

I will also share a few of my ‘ help sheets ‘ for free to those of you who have kindly joined my journey. These sheets can be tailored to your ICAEW case study, printed out and taken into your exam as it is open book. It isn’t too late – join now! You will receive these within three/four days of joining at 6pm (UK).

Check out my YouTube video if you would prefer watching to reading!

Introduction to the icaew case study, icaew case study materials, icaew case study exam format, executive summary, requirement 1, requirement 2, requirement 3, different ways to fail the icaew case study exam, icaew case study marking key and timings, make it easy.

To reiterate, there is no new content that you need to learn to pass the ICAEW Case Study. Passing this exam is more skills based than anything. According to ICAEW , students need to demonstrate they “ can provide advice on complex business issues in the form of a written report “. In order to do so, you will have to analyse both financial and non-financial data as well as portray ethical awareness to form conclusions and recommendations.

In terms of difficulty , the calculations involved are quite basic such as percentage change and there is minimal technical knowledge required. You will even already know roughly 40% of the exam that is going to come up. The remaining 60% is somewhat predictable too based on the case study information you are given.

If you are reading about the ICAEW Case Study for the first time, you are probably thinking “ this is great! “. I know I was. However, hold your horses as you might start to smile slightly less as you continue to read on.

The way the ICAEW Case Study works is that prior to the exam (roughly a month before I think it was) you should get sent the Advanced information (AI) . This is 40-50 pages of information – it is everything we need to know about the client before the current financial year. Do not worry about researching the industry outside of the AI as there is plenty of information including prior year financial statements and a few news articles within this. My case study was during COVID-19 and there were not many extra marks available regarding this.

Using this AI, you can really get to know the fictional client. You should understand the history of the company, the products the client sells, the pricing, competitors, opportunities, etc. Furthermore, you can perform a SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis and all sorts.

The surprise aspect of the ICAEW Case Study comes in the exam where you will get 10-15 pages of new information. However, this information is unlikely to be a total surprise as the AI will point towards this. For example, my ICAEW Case Study was about a magazine company. The AI mentioned the possibilities of exploring different consumer markets, different prices for magazines, a different type of magazine, etc. In the exam, out of all of these options price changes was one of the questions which came up so I was somewhat prepared.

The way I see it is that the AI is historical and the exam information is like meeting with your client for a new financial year and they update you on how it went. You will get the latest financial statements, hear of actual potential strategies and opportunities as well as get provided some newer news articles.

Every ICAEW Case Study will have the same exam format as follows:

For more information regarding each of these key exam areas, see the tabs below. As this is a report, your ES and requirements will need to be numbered throughout. My ‘help sheet’ will assist with this.

This first thing to do before even reading the exam question is to start the executive summary. You will need to address the external report to the client from your accountancy firm as per the Case Study. Following this, you should also write a disclaimer regarding liability. Doing this will get you a tick in the overall assessment criteria and my ‘help sheet’ has this all set out.

The purpose of the ES is to provide a balanced summary of all the three requirements. If someone did not have the time to read your full report, they should be able to pull out all the key information from this executive summary. The ES is standard for any ICAEW Case Study exam and is part of the 40% where you know what will come up.

You cannot simply copy and paste the conclusions from your requirements otherwise you will not get any marks . This could also result in you failing, see below. The ES needs to be slightly more detailed than the conclusion.

The ES is on a separate tab in the ICAEW software to the requirements so there would be a fair bit of flicking back and forth between the tabs to do this properly. The way I went about doing this was copying each of my requirement answers into sticky notes/comments on the exam exhibits. I would then paste these into the ES, remove less important information and reword parts to ensure I gained marks.

Timing is key in this exam so I would recommend to avoid leaving the ES until the end. Write it up after each requirement when the points are fresh in your mind.

Requirement 1 is part of that 40% where you know what question will come up. There is a small part of this requirement that is unknown but using the case study you can form an educated guess for what might come up.

The first thing you will need to do for every requirement is to create an appendix . These will be fairly basic calculations using information from the exhibits. Requirement 1 is all around financial statement analysis , in particular financial performance.

You already have the financial statements for the year prior to the exam statements in the AI. This will be used for the YOY comparison which is essentially what this R1 appendix is. You will need to have a movement column (£) and a % change column.

The software can be a pain when it comes to this requirement. This is because once you have produced the appendix, you will need to discuss the movements in the year and explain why this has happened using information in the exhibits. Again, this is fairly predictable and you can for example prepare reasons for increase/decrease in revenue beforehand. However, given the software you would need to keep scrolling up and down to see the numbers.

This is why my ‘ help sheets ‘ are useful as one addresses this issue. See a preview below. I took this in with me printed out as part of my open book file. As I was populating the appendix in the software I was writing all the numbers out too. This prevents having to scroll constantly and if you practice, it will save you more time than it wastes.

The less obvious aspect of this requirement will relate to a proposed financial adjustment. For example, a stock write off, bad debt issue, to do with cash flow or more. Do not worry too much as the AI will hint towards the potential issues.

As stated in requirement 1, you will need to produce an appendix made of fairly straightforward calculations. This should be the calculations behind evaluating a potential strategy or opportunity. For me, this was the potential revenue for different magazine pricing strategies. This was somewhat predictable so I had practiced calculations beforehand.

The rest of requirement 2 tends to have the same structure :

Is the strategy or opportunity is worthwhile given your numbers?
The assumptions would then need to be assessed. There will be benchmarks given in the AI and in the exam which you can compare these assumptions to.
Commercial and ethical considerations based on the exam information would be made. For example, does this strategy align with the client’s values as per the AI.
Conclusions and recommendations would need to be made.

Always state “any changes in the assumptions will affect the results of the model” for any ICAEW case study – it is an easy, guaranteed mark!

The shortest appendix will be needed for this requirement. It should be a few simple calculations to assess a potential strategy or opportunity. In all honesty, sometimes the lines can get slightly blurred between what could come up in requirement 2 or requirement 3.

As with 2, requirement 3 has roughly the same structure from ICAEW Case Study to Case Study:

Financial impact using these calculations
Strategic and operational issues
Business trust and ethical issues
Conclusions and recommendations

The recommendations can be quite straightforward such as carrying out market research. If there is another company involved, carry out due diligence on them.

Within all requirements , wider business context points are required to be sprinkled in throughout. These can be gathered from the AI and prepared beforehand but then ensure to add them in where relevant.

This is probably the most horrible aspect of the ICAEW Case Study. Either this or the fact that it is 4 hours long. What surprised me is that you can still fail this exam even if you achieve the actual pass mark. Yes, you read that correctly. Even if you reach the 50% pass mark, you can be failed for any of the other reasons outlined below .

As mentioned, achieving less than the 50% pass mark.
For not having complete coverage of the requirements – for example, if you scored 100% on R1 and R2 but then 0% on R3 or have a missing ES this would be seen as an incomplete report and you will fail. This is why time management in this exam is crucial which I touch on later and the ‘help sheet’ should help with.
Achieving less than 50% in each individual requirement and being deemed insufficiently competent often. Not only do you need 50% overall but you need to pretty much be passing each requirement. You really need to show you can produce a strong report here.
Missing out parts of requirements across the ICAEW Case Study. If you score above 50% in all requirements but have missed out 4-5 skills assessment boxes, you will fail. There cannot be gaps in the report. A fail could also be for writing poor conclusions and recommendations throughout.

Essentially, the examiner wants to see that you can write a complete report properly. If you do not do as ICAEW say in this exam you will be punished and you will fail.

I could honestly spend a very long time talking through the marking key. However, I do not want to get too bogged down with this in this blog. You will go through this in a LOT of detail once studying for this exam. I will therefore cover this at a high level. If you want further details about the ACA ICAEW Case Study marking key, click here where I have delved into this much more.

The main thing to know is that there are skilled assessment boxes (total of 40): ES (6); each of the three requirement (11); and one final box for the overall assessment criteria. The mark per each box is 0-6 so the maximum mark is 240 for this exam (40 x 6). Each box will have six points/’diamonds’ that need to be made. For example, one point/’diamond’ is stating revenue increased by x amount/(y %) based on the case study numbers. This will make more sense once you start studying for ICAEW Case Study.

From the table above you can see you do not benefit for hitting six points/’diamonds’ rather than four. You waste time but then it is difficult to know whether a point you make is in the skills assessment box or not. Through these boxes you demonstrate that you can: assimilate and use information; structure problems and solutions; apply judgement and form conclusions and recommendations.

You may be slightly confused as the marking key is unlike any others. There are no predetermined correct answers . In fact, only after assessing the first 100 say papers are the skills assessment boxes points/’diamonds’ put together. You need to write what everyone else writes so state the obvious and work together when preparing beforehand!

To briefly touch on timings, the ICAEW Case Study is four hours as mentioned. Believe it or not but it is very time pressured . There are many different ways to plan your time. I will share how I did it on one of my ‘help sheets’.

This blog title is definitely not click bait. These ‘help sheets’ will definitely give you a good idea of how to approach the ICAEW Case Study.

In addition to this, people do say you cannot revise for this exam given there is no content. However, I do definitely think you can prepare and you will need to go through the AI beforehand. Like I said though, do not go overboard with this as the AI should have all the information you need. Find out exactly how much preparation is needed to pass here . You should also familiarise yourself with the ICAEW software beforehand.

Practice for this exam to master the technique and timing. You may be wondering how and you probably will not like the answer. I would recommend practicing mock exams , as in previous ICAEW Case Study exams. This is tough as sitting one four hour exam is bad enough. Additionally, you would have to read AI’s that are not relevant to your exam and it is a lot of work. It is worthwhile though to do a few!

Another way to practice is through ACA Simplified / Paradigm Shift . Once the AI is released, this company will use the AI to predict around 5 different exams for your case study. It is fairly expensive but if you do want to practice on your own case study it is worthwhile. You can take the mark schemes in with you too as it is open book so this can potentially help in the exam if a similar question comes up. I mentioned above that requirement 2 and 3 have simple calculations but these can actually sometimes be tricky depending on the case study. ACA Simplified can help with this.

And there you have it! This was a very lengthy blog so if you found this useful it would be great if you could leave a comment 🙂

I thought I would also throw in a video of my final ICAEW exam day (Case Study) in November 2020 – I am sure many of you can relate to these feelings!

20 comments

It’s all just come screaming back to me, great summary! Excited to see what your helpsheet is like!

Thank you for reading Abs and I hope you like them!

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A very informative blog for someone starting to prepare for Case Study! Now I know more about what I’m in for, lol. Thank you for the tips and helpsheets!

You are welcome Anne – I am glad to help!

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Thank you for providing the information relating to Case!

I was wondering what made you use ACA Simplified/Paradigm Shift compared to ACA Masters to help with your analysis of the AI?

Hi Guv, you are welcome – others I knew who had sat Case previously used ACA Simplified/Paradigm Shift and highly recommended them. At the time of my studies I actually wasn’t that aware of ACA Masters. They also have great reviews though!

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Loved this post. Very informative.

I was wondering what you think is the best way to use the ACA simplified mocks? Obviously sitting the other 2 advanced level exams, there isn’t a lot of time to practice all the mocks to time so I was wondering if you have any tips?

Also, is it possible for me to have your help sheets?

Thank you!!!

You are welcome and in terms of the mocks, I scanned through them and at the time was able to print them out and take in with me. I think this may have changed since I sat them so not sure if this is possible now. I would advise really running through the calculations and understanding them for requirement 2 and 3 – write these out in a way that is easy to understand and could be applicable to your real exam. Definitely is unmanageable trying to do them all but it is worth going through them and seeing if you would be on the right track if similar questions came up in the exam. I have mistakenly just emailed you the audit notes – in terms of the help sheets you will need to join my journey at http://www.jagsjourney.blog/contact and they will be with you in a few days. All the best!

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Having scored 92% in the Case Study exam, and winning the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world, Kieran now teaches students the analytical skills and exam technique required to emulate this success. Under his guidance, one of our students also went on to win the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world (score of 90%), whilst several others have won national and regional prizes.

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The next class is an exhibit by exhibit walk-through of the July 2024 AI, clearly demonstrating how each piece of information should be used in the exam. This enables you to understand the AI in an exam focused way.

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The Tax area has information and guidance on technical and practical tax matters. There are links to events, the latest tax news and the Tax Faculty’s publications, including helpsheets, webinars and Tax representations.

Keep up-to-date with tech issues and developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, and cyber security.

Trust & Ethics

Guidance and resources on key issues, including economic crime, business law, better regulation and ethics. Read through ICAEW’s Code of Ethics and supporting information.

Communities

ICAEW Communities

Information, guidance and networking opportunities on industry sectors, professional specialisms and at various stages throughout your career. Free for ICAEW members and students.

Discover a new community

ICAEW Faculties

The accountancy profession is facing change and uncertainty. The ICAEW Faculties can help by providing you with timely and relevant support.

Choose to join any of the faculties

UK groups and societies

We have teams on the ground in: East of England, the Midlands, London and South East, Northern, South West, Yorkshire and Humberside, Wales and Scotland.

Access your UK region
Worldwide support and services

Support and services we offer our members in Africa, America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Greater China, the Middle East, Oceania and South East Asia.

Discover our services

ICAEW Faculties are 'centres of technical excellence', strongly committed to enhancing your professional development and helping you to meet your CPD requirements every year. They offer exclusive content, events and webinars, customised for your sector - which you should be able to easily record, when the time comes for the completion of your CPD declaration. Our offering isn't exclusive to Institute members. As a faculty member, the same resources are available to you to ensure you stay ahead of the competition.

Communities by industry / sector

Communities by life stage and workplace, communities by professional specialism, local groups and societies.

We aim to support you wherever in the world you work. Our regional offices and network of volunteers run events and provide access to local accounting updates in major finance centres around the globe.

Ukraine crisis: central resource hub

Learn about the actions that ICAEW members are taking to ensure that their clients comply with sanctions imposed by different countries and jurisdictions, and read about the support available from ICAEW.

Insights pulls together the best opinion, analysis, interviews, videos and podcasts on the key issues affecting accountancy and business.

See the latest insights
Making COP count

This series looks at the role the accountancy profession can play in addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable economy.

Read more on COP28

Professional development and skills

With new requirements on ICAEW members for continuing professional development, we bring together resources to support you through the changes and look at the skills accountants need for the future.

Visit the hub

When Chartered Accountants Save The World

Find out how chartered accountants are helping to tackle some of the most urgent social challenges within the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and explore how the profession could do even more.

Read our major series

Insights specials

A listing of one-off Insights specials that focus on a particular subject, interviewing the key people, identifying developing trends and examining the underlying issues.

Top podcasts

Insights by topic.

ICAEW Regulation

Regulatory News

View the latest regulatory updates and guidance and subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Regulatory & Conduct News.

Regulatory Consultations

Strengthening trust in the profession

Our role as a world-leading improvement regulator is to strengthen trust and protect the public. We do this by enabling, evaluating and enforcing the highest standards in the profession.

Regulatory applications

Find out how you can become authorised by ICAEW as a regulated firm.

ICAEW codes and regulations

Professional conduct and complaints, statutory regulated services overseen by icaew, regulations for icaew practice members and firms, additional guidance and support, popular search results.

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Cost of doing business
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More specials ...
The economics of biodiversity
How chartered accountants can help to safeguard trust in society
Video: The financial controller who stole £20,000 from her company
It’s time for chartered accountants to save the world
Video: The CFO who tried to trick the market
Video: Could invoice fraud affect your business?
AI in audit: the good, the bad and the ugly
Company size thresholds and CGT on residences
Lessons in leadership from ICAEW's CEO
So you want to be a leader?
A busy new tax year, plus progress on the Economic Crime Act
Does Britain have a farming problem?
Budget 2024: does it change anything?
Will accountants save the world? With ICAEW CEO Michael Izza
Crunch time: VAT (or not) on poppadoms
Where next for audit and governance reform?
A taxing year ahead?
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Exam modules

To become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant you must study and pass 15 exam modules focused on different aspects of accountancy, finance and business. Designed to provide you with in-depth knowledge across a broad range of topics, each of the ACA qualification modules are directly relevant to the work that you will do throughout your training. While the modules are split over three levels: Certificate, Professional and Advanced, the modules can be taken in any order, except for the Case Study which must be taken last.

Certificate level

1.5 hour computer-based assessment.
Can be completed at any time at approved test centres.

These modules will introduce you to the fundamentals of accountancy, finance and business.

Most ACA students complete the Certificate Level within the first year of their training agreement.

ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB)

The Certificate level of the ACA also make up an independent qualification, ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business. This can be completed independently of the ACA.

ICAEW CFAB is a globally-recognised qualification in finance, accounting and business. It is open to everyone and can be studied independently or via a tuition provider.

The six exams can be completed in any order and are assessed via computer-based assessment at a local exam-centres.

ICAEW CFAB can be achieved in 12 months. Upon completion, you will receive your ICAEW CFAB qualification certificate and you can choose to carry on and complete the ACA.

Professional level

2.5-3 hour paper exam.
Flexible to fit around your training agreement.
Can be taken in one of four sittings each year.

The 'Business Planning: Taxation' and 'Business Strategy' modules are more advanced and link to the Advanced Level of the ACA qualification.

Credit for prior learning

Credit for prior learning (CPL), also known as exemptions, are available for some of the Certificate level and Professional level exam modules. If you have studied a related subject at university, you may be eligible to apply for exemptions for up to eight modules.

Check our CPL Directory to see if you can apply for credits.

Advanced level

The Corporate Reporting and Strategic Business Management modules have been designed to test your understanding and strategic decision making at a senior level.

You will be presented with complex real-life scenarios, which expand on the Professional Level modules.

The Case Study presents a complex business issue which encourages you to problem solve, identify the ethical implications and provide an effective solution.

It must be completed last, and is aimed to test all of the knowledge gained throughout your studies training.

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Everything you need to know about ICAEW annual membership fees, community and faculty subscriptions, eligibility for reduced rates and details of how you can pay.

Membership administration

Welcome to the ICAEW members area: your portal to members'-only content, offers, discounts, regulations and membership information.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an integral part of being a successful ICAEW Chartered Accountant.

ACA for employers

Digital learning materials via BibliU

Find out more

Take a look at ICAEW training films

CPD guidance and help

ICAEW flagship events

Leadership Development Programmes

Specialist Finance Qualifications & Programmes

Whatever future path you choose, ICAEW will support the development and acceleration of your career at each stage to enhance your career.

Why a career in chartered accountancy?

Why chartered accountancy?

Search for qualified ACA jobs

Matching highly skilled ICAEW members with attractive organisations seeking talented accountancy and finance professionals.

Volunteering roles

Helping skilled and in-demand chartered accountants give back and strengthen not-for-profit sector with currently over 2,300 organisations posting a variety of volunteering roles with ICAEW.

Search for volunteer roles
Get ahead by volunteering

Advertise with ICAEW

From as little as £495, access to a pool of highly qualified and ambitious ACA qualified members with searchable CVs.

Early careers and training

Start your ACA training with ICAEW. Find out why a career in chartered accountancy could be for you and how to become a chartered accountant.

Qualified ACA careers

Find Accountancy and Finance Jobs

Voluntary roles

Find Voluntary roles

ACA students

"how to guides" for aca students.

ACA student guide
How to book an exam
How to apply for credit for prior learning (CPL)

Exam resources

Here are some resources you will find useful while you study for the ACA qualification.

Certificate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Digital learning materials

All ACA learning materials are now digital only. Read our guide on how to access your learning materials on the ICAEW Bookshelf via the BibliU app, or through your browser.

Read the guide

My online training file

Once you are registered as an ACA student, you'll be able to access your training file to log your progress throughout ACA training.

Access your training file

Student Insights

Fresh insights, innovative ideas and an inside look at the lives and careers of our ICAEW students and members.

Read the latest articles

System status checks

Getting started.

Credit for prior learning (CPL)

Credit for prior learning or CPL is our term for exemptions. High quality learning and assessment in other relevant qualifications is appropriately recognised by the award of CPL.

Apply for exams

What you need to know in order to apply for the ACA exams.

Exam results

Training agreement

Putting your theory work into practice is essential to complete your ACA training.

Student support and benefits

Applying for membership

ACA training FAQs

Anti-money laundering

Guidance and resources to help members comply with their legal and professional responsibilities around AML.

Technical releases

ICAEW Technical Releases are a source of good practice guidance on technical and practice issues relevant to ICAEW Chartered Accountants and other finance professionals.

ICAEW Technical Releases
Thought leadership

Academic research funding

Technical Advisory Services helpsheets

Practical, technical and ethical guidance highlighting the most important issues for members, whether in practice or in business.

ICAEW Technical Advisory Services helpsheets

Bloomsbury – free for eligible firms

Bloomsbury Accounting and Tax Service

Country resources

Industries and sectors

Thought leadership, technical resources and professional guidance to support the professional development of members working in specific industries and sectors.

Audit and Assurance

The most up-to-date thought leadership, insights, technical resources and professional guidance to support ICAEW members working in and with industry with their professional development.

Corporate Finance

Companies, advisers and investors making decisions about creating, developing and acquiring businesses – and the wide range of advisory careers that require this specialist professional expertise.

Corporate governance

Corporate reporting

View a range of practical resources on UK GAAP, IFRS, UK regulation for company accounts and non-financial reporting. Plus find out more about the ICAEW Corporate Reporting Faculty.

Expert analysis on the latest national and international economic issues and trends, and interviews with prominent voices across the finance industry, alongside data on the state of the economy.

Financial Services

View articles and resources on the financial services sector.

Practice resources

For ICAEW's members in practice, this area brings together the most up-to-date thought leadership, technical resources and professional guidance to help you in your professional life.

Public Sector

Sustainability and climate change

Keep up-to-date with tech issues and developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, and cyber security.

Trust & Ethics

Guidance and resources on key issues, including economic crime, business law, better regulation and ethics. Read through ICAEW’s Code of Ethics and supporting information.

Communities

ICAEW Communities

Information, guidance and networking opportunities on industry sectors, professional specialisms and at various stages throughout your career. Free for ICAEW members and students.

Discover a new community

ICAEW Faculties

The accountancy profession is facing change and uncertainty. The ICAEW Faculties can help by providing you with timely and relevant support.

Choose to join any of the faculties

UK groups and societies

We have teams on the ground in: East of England, the Midlands, London and South East, Northern, South West, Yorkshire and Humberside, Wales and Scotland.

Access your UK region
Worldwide support and services

Support and services we offer our members in Africa, America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Greater China, the Middle East, Oceania and South East Asia.

Discover our services

Communities by industry / sector

Communities by life stage and workplace, communities by professional specialism, local groups and societies.

Ukraine crisis: central resource hub

Insights pulls together the best opinion, analysis, interviews, videos and podcasts on the key issues affecting accountancy and business.

See the latest insights
Making COP count

This series looks at the role the accountancy profession can play in addressing the climate crisis and building a sustainable economy.

Read more on COP28

Professional development and skills

With new requirements on ICAEW members for continuing professional development, we bring together resources to support you through the changes and look at the skills accountants need for the future.

Visit the hub

When Chartered Accountants Save The World

Find out how chartered accountants are helping to tackle some of the most urgent social challenges within the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and explore how the profession could do even more.

Read our major series

Insights specials

A listing of one-off Insights specials that focus on a particular subject, interviewing the key people, identifying developing trends and examining the underlying issues.

Top podcasts

Insights by topic.

ICAEW Regulation

Regulatory News

View the latest regulatory updates and guidance and subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Regulatory & Conduct News.

Regulatory Consultations

Strengthening trust in the profession

Our role as a world-leading improvement regulator is to strengthen trust and protect the public. We do this by enabling, evaluating and enforcing the highest standards in the profession.

Regulatory applications

Find out how you can become authorised by ICAEW as a regulated firm.

ICAEW codes and regulations

Professional conduct and complaints, statutory regulated services overseen by icaew, regulations for icaew practice members and firms, additional guidance and support, popular search results.

Training File
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ICAEW Annual Conference 2024
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Virtual CPD Conference
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All our flagship events
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Board Director's Programme e-learning
Corporate Finance Qualification
Diploma in Charity Accounting
ICAEW Certificate in Insolvency
ICAEW Data Analytics Certificate
Financial Modeling Institute’s Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation
ICAEW Sustainability Certificate for Finance Professionals
ICAEW Finance in a Digital World Programme
All specialist qualifications
Team training
Start your training
Improve your employability
Search employers
Find a role
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Organisations
Practice support – 11 ways ICAEW and CABA can help you
News and advice
ICAEW Volunteering Hub
Support in becoming a chartered accountant
Vacancies at ICAEW
ICAEW boards and committees
Exam system status
ICAEW systems: status update
Changes to our qualifications
How-to guides for ACA students
Apply for credits - Academic qualification
Apply for credits - Professional qualification
Credit for prior learning (CPL)/exemptions FAQs
Applications for Professional and Advanced Level exams
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Tuition providers
Latest exam results
Archived exam results
Getting your results
Marks feedback service
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Training agreement: overview
Professional development
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Access your online training file
How training works in your country
Student rewards
TOTUM PRO Card
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Xero cloud accounting certifications
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Level 4 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship
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Audit and corporate governance reform
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Regulation and working in audit
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Everything business
Latest Business news from Insights
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Business performance management
Financial management
Finance transformation
Economy and business environment
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Webinars and publications
Business restructuring
The Business Finance Guide
Capital markets and investment
Corporate finance careers
Corporate Finance Faculty
Debt advisory and growth finance
Mergers and acquisitions
Private equity
Start-ups, scale-ups and venture capital
Transaction services
Board committees and board effectiveness
Corporate governance codes and reports
Corporate Governance Community
Principles of corporate governance
Roles, duties and responsibilities of Board members
Stewardship and stakeholder relations
Corporate Governance thought leadership
Corporate reporting resources
Small and micro entity reporting
UK Regulation for Company Accounts
Non-financial reporting
Improving Corporate Reporting
Economy home
ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor
ICAEW Manifesto 2024
Energy crisis
Levelling up: rebalancing the UK’s economy
Resilience and Renewal: Building an economy fit for the future
Social mobility and inclusion
Autumn Statement 2023
Investment management
Inspiring confidence
Setting up in practice
Running your practice
Supporting your clients
Practice technology
TAS helpsheets
Support for business advisers
Join ICAEW BAS
Public Sector hub
Public Sector Audit and Assurance
Public Sector Finances
Public Sector Financial Management
Public Sector Financial Reporting
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Public Sector Community
Latest public sector articles from Insights
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Resources collection
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Making Tax Digital
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Property tax
Stamp duty land tax
Tax administration
Tax compliance and investigation
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Artificial intelligence
Blockchain and cryptoassets
Cyber security
Data Analytics Community
Digital skills
Excel community
Finance in a Digital World
IT management
Technology and the profession
Trust & Ethics home
Better regulation
Business Law
UK company law
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Economic crime
Help with ethical problems
ICAEW Code of Ethics
ICAEW Trust and Ethics team.....
Solicitors Community
Forensic & Expert Witness Community
Latest articles on business law, trust and ethics
Audit and Assurance Faculty
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London and East
South Wales
Yorkshire and Humberside
European public policy activities
ICAEW Middle East
Latest news
The World’s Fastest Accountant
Access to finance special
Attractiveness of the profession
Audit and Fraud
Audit and technology
Adopting non-financial reporting standards
Cost of doing business
Mental health and wellbeing
Pensions and Personal Finance
More specials ...
The economics of biodiversity
How chartered accountants can help to safeguard trust in society
Video: The financial controller who stole £20,000 from her company
It’s time for chartered accountants to save the world
Video: The CFO who tried to trick the market
Video: Could invoice fraud affect your business?
AI in audit: the good, the bad and the ugly
Company size thresholds and CGT on residences
Lessons in leadership from ICAEW's CEO
So you want to be a leader?
A busy new tax year, plus progress on the Economic Crime Act
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7 tips for flawless exam conduct

Author: ICAEW Insights

Published: 28 May 2024

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Whether you’re sitting in an exam centre or remotely, give yourself the best chance of success by avoiding these common pitfalls.

1 Use one screen

Many accountants use dual monitors, especially when working with multiple documents or large amounts of data, or combining a laptop with a larger desktop display. If you’re sitting an exam via remote invigilation, make sure one of your screens is switched off, or that they’re set up to mirror.

“The reason is one of exam security,” explains Richard Eckersley, Head of Assessment at ICAEW. “The system can only monitor one screen, and if we can’t see what you’re doing on the other, the exam is not secure.” While a minor breach like this might not seem like a big deal, “If it takes away our ability to verify, that’s a problem,” he adds. “If we can’t verify the integrity of the exam, then we’re not going to be able to carry it forward.”

2 Ensure the right setup

As well as monitoring your screen, the remote invigilation system for Professional and Advanced Level exams uses your webcam to record you, and your mobile phone camera to provide additional coverage of the room. “Your phone will usually be positioned a few metres behind you, so that we can see you, your screen and your room,” Richard explains. Make sure it’s plugged into a charger – running out of battery halfway through could again impact exam security.

If you’ve followed the guidelines and got your setup right (watch the video here ), you should be prepared for any unexpected eventualities – like someone coming into the room, for example. “We record video and audio, so we can see and hear what happens – and that might include a student asking someone to leave the room,” says Richard. “As long as we can verify the integrity of the exam, we can cope with that sort of thing.”

3 Be punctual

If you’re sitting via remote invigilation, you have 30 minutes from your scheduled start time for on-boarding – getting everything set up correctly and completing security checks – and to start the exam. As long as you’ve completed the technical system checks in advance, this should only take a few minutes. “If you start after 30 minutes, your exam won’t be marked – unless you’ve been in touch with us to let us know that you have a problem,” says Richard. Make sure you let Student Support know about any issues as soon as possible, either via the live chat function or, if you no longer have internet connectivity, over the phone.

If you’re sitting at an exam centre, again it’s your responsibility to be on time – and there is a strict half-hour cut-off. You can start the exam up to 30 minutes late, but you will lose those minutes from your total time.

4 Be professional

Sitting an exam can be a stressful situation – but that’s no excuse for rude or unprofessional behaviour towards invigilators, says Richard. “The invigilators are in a position of responsibility, and are able to report your behaviour back. Even if there are frustrating or difficult events happening, you need to cope with those professionally.” Exam centres will often be covered by CCTV and, if not, there will usually be plenty of other people in the room observing your behaviour.

“You’re entering into a profession in which conduct matters, and there’s a high expectation there,” adds Richard. “You wouldn’t conduct yourself that way in the workplace and expect to continue in an organisation. You need to remain professional.”

5 Use stop the clock properly

If you’ve been granted access arrangements that entitle you to ‘stop the clock’ rest breaks, it’s up to you how you use them – but they must be complete breaks. You’re not allowed to read or write notes, or look through permitted texts during this time. “There’s a button you can click within the exam environment; the screen blanks out, a coffee cup appears and the timer starts counting down,” Richard explains.

“While that’s happening, you’re permitted to take a break – not work on the exam.” It can be difficult for invigilators to tell exactly what you’re doing, he adds, “So just never be in a situation where there’s any doubt at all. Close all your books, stare up at the sky, or get up and move around.”

6 Heed warnings

If you’ve been warned about your exam conduct for any reason, make sure you don’t make the same mistake again. “It could be that an invigilator in an exam centre asked you to stop doing something, or we detected a minor breach like wearing a watch,” says Richard.

“If you receive a warning letter saying we’ve identified an issue but are not going to sanction you for it, don’t do it again. Seeing a repeat of the same behaviour after you’ve been formally advised against it is when it becomes problematic – and you might be sanctioned for a second offence.” A repeated breach becomes an issue of professionalism – personal integrity rather than exam integrity.

7 Never cheat

When it comes to exams, directly seeking to cheat is the most serious thing a student can do – and a clear breach of the ethical conduct and behaviour expected from ICAEW Chartered Accountants and the profession. “Bringing notes into an exam and being caught trying to use them is pretty serious, because you’re going out of your way to get an advantage you shouldn’t have under the rules of the exams. It’s not a mistake of omission – the intent is clear there,” Richard says.

“In portfolio-style exams, such as the Level 7 Project Report, every submission goes through plagiarism-checking software. If you haven’t written your submission from scratch, there’s a very high chance that it will be picked up. And the consequence of that is always serious – there’s no minor infringement if you’ve copied someone else’s work.” Students could be referred to the professional conduct department and may be fined or even prevented from continuing the qualification. “It depends on the extent and the seriousness of the plagiarism, but this is a really serious matter.”

You’ll find detailed instructions on exam conduct for all levels here .

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How to Pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study Exam
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How to Pass ICAEW Case Study
ICAEW ACA Case Study Course 2023: Introduction
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ACA (ICAEW) Case Study July 21 Exam Debrief
ICAEW Case Study Tips: Overcoming the stumbling block that is Requirement 3

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Case Study module study resources
The Case Study exam will assess your understanding of providing advice on complex business issues in the form of a written report. The scenario may be based on a variety of different organisational structures or operations, and you will be provided with advance information ahead of the exam. The exam is four hours long and will consist of three ...
ICAEW Case Study Made Easy
Introduction to the ICAEW Case Study . To reiterate, there is no new content that you need to learn to pass the ICAEW Case Study.Passing this exam is more skills based than anything. According to ICAEW, students need to demonstrate they "can provide advice on complex business issues in the form of a written report". In order to do so, you will have to analyse both financial and non ...
Advanced Level Case Study advance information
The Advanced Level Case Study exam includes advance information released prior to the exam sitting. This allows you time to become familiar with the information and to undertake any other appropriate research and analysis. Select the relevant product below, depending on the exam sitting, and proceed to check out to get the product in your ICAEW ...
Advanced Level Case Study
Advanced Level Case Study. The Case Study module covers the following topics: Ensure you order the correct edition of the materials. The 2023 edition is aligned with the syllabus and exams for 2023 only. The 2024 edition is aligned with the syllabus and exams for 2024 only. You risk losing exam marks if you use a different edition.
How to pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study exam
The Case Study exam allows students to bring in an open-book resource which is defined as "any written or printed material into the exam, subject to practical space restrictions." To create an effective open book resource for the ACA Case Study exam, candidates should only include materials that are both helpful and fast to use.
Advanced Level
Two Case Study walkthroughs (containing marking keys) The advance information and exams for each walkthrough are accessed on the ICAEW exam resources page. Make sure to visit the Exam Resources pages where you can access questions within the practice exam software, articles, errata sheets, study tips, examiner guidance, and study webinars that ...
How to Pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study Exam
3. Understand what information is provided in the Advance Information (AI) and what is provided in the exam. 4. Learn the Case Study exam technique which ensures that you hit all the boxes on the mark scheme. 5. Practice mock exams to master your exam technique. Step 1: Understand how Case Study is marked.
Advanced Level
Exam resources. How to use the exam resources; Case Study; Corporate Reporting; Strategic Business Management; Syllabus. Download the 2024 Advanced Level syllabus; Permitted texts. Permitted texts for the Advanced Level exams; Six-monthly reviews. It is a requirement of the ACA training agreement that you and your employer meet at least every ...
ACA Advanced
The Advanced Case Study resit course balances exam practice, case study skills development, and analysis of the Advanced Information in order to provide you with a path to success in your resit exam. ... ICAEW exam software. ... MyKaplan is an online learning portal with additional resources, including mock exams, to help you prepare for your ...
Requirement one, two and three in the Case Study exam
The ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification, the ACA, is one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available. It is valued around the world in business, practice and the public sector. ... This series of Case Study exam resources will cover everything you need to know to prepare for the Case Study exam. This ...
ACA Advanced Level
The Case Study exam will present a complex business issue which will require problem solving, the identification of ethical implications and your ability to provide effective solutions. There are 3 exams in total and they are fully open book, replicating a real-life scenario where reference resources will be available.
ICAEW Prize-Winning Tutor
Case Study. Having scored 92% in the Case Study exam, and winning the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world, Kieran now teaches students the analytical skills and exam technique required to emulate this success. Under his guidance, one of our students also went on to win the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world (score of 90% ...
ICAEW Advanced Level Case Study Question & Answer Bank July ...
ICAEW Advanced Level Case Study Question & Answer Bank July 2016 to November 2019 - Free ebook download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or view presentation slides online. ICAEW Advanced Level Case Study Question & Answer Bank July 2016 to November 2019
Tips and advice for case study? : r/ICAEW
These can be useful to practise more exams on your actual case study if you want, but pricey unless you can split it between a few people. Most important thing is learn your case study inside out. Make lists of useful contextual points from it and read the example papers on ICAEW website for past sittings and the examiners comments. 2.
I got prizewinner for Case Study ACA and i'm so happy!
Case study tests very little accounting knowledge other than the ability to calculate profit, margins and variances (very basic stuff). The entire exam is mostly based around your detailed knowledge of a 50ish page case study business, its industry , financial performance, wider context and media articles, its recent developments and customer/supplier base etc. Literally everything you can ...
How to study for ICAEW case study : r/ICAEW
I actually found case one of the easier ones to study for. Get the layout ingrained in your head. The answers are always in a similar format, do as many past papers as you can, once you have the layout and answer format memorised then you can just talk and talk about the scenario. It's pretty difficult to fail if you plan out your answer template.
How did you guys find the case study exam? : r/ICAEW
R3 was horrible and so scared that because of the way case is mocked that's the reason I fail. Mentally prepared to resit and can't enjoy the day to be honest 😭😭😭 But I was like you OP in the sense that I couldn't think of strategic/operational but came up with loads for ethics for some weird reason!
Approaching the advance information for the Case Study exam
Article. Published: 15 Sep 2021. This guide is designed to help you understand how to approach the advance information for your Case Study exam. It will cover what the advance information is, what should you do with the advance information before your exam and tips for success. This series of Case Study exam resources will cover everything you ...
Exam modules
ICAEW CFAB is a globally-recognised qualification in finance, accounting and business. It is open to everyone and can be studied independently or via a tuition provider. The six exams can be completed in any order and are assessed via computer-based assessment at a local exam-centres. ICAEW CFAB can be achieved in 12 months.
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The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is offered by the AAMC and is a required exam for admission to medical schools in the USA and Canada. /r/MCAT is a place for MCAT practice, questions, discussion, advice, social networking, news, study tips and more. Check out the sidebar for useful resources & intro guides.
How to use the advance information during the Case Study exam
Tips for success. The following steps will help you use your advance information appropriately in the exam: Produce a detailed summary of the advance information. (See the guide to Requirement one, Requirement two and Requirement three document). Use a highlighter pen and page tags to help you locate key facts and figures.
ACA exam resources
ACA exam resources. The ACA qualification has 15 modules over three levels. They are designed to complement the practical experience you will be gaining in the workplace. They will also enable you to gain in-depth knowledge across a broad range of topics in accountancy, finance and business. Here are some useful resources while you study.
7 tips for flawless exam conduct
A repeated breach becomes an issue of professionalism - personal integrity rather than exam integrity. 7 Never cheat. When it comes to exams, directly seeking to cheat is the most serious thing a student can do - and a clear breach of the ethical conduct and behaviour expected from ICAEW Chartered Accountants and the profession. "Bringing ...

ICAEW Case Study Made Easy – How to Pass ACA Case Study

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