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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. In fact, 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 another won a regional prize (score of 88%). Notably, one of our prize winners was a resit student, proving that our guidance and tutoring skills create a vast level of improvement in student exam performance.

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Having failed Case Study TWICE, I had seen this course pop up on YouTube whilst I tried to figure out where I was going wrong. Took the plunge to change resource providers and honestly, there are NO words to express how grateful I am! Kieran and the team guide you with a CLEAR and CONCISE approach which really helped me focus on what I needed to improve on and what I was previously doing wrong.

From past failures of 48 & 36 previously, to now a gratifying pass of 74, I am honestly on TOP of the world!!! Don't hesitate - book before its too late, honestly you won't regret it!!!

(Case Study resit student who passed first time with us)

Tuition Options

To get you through your Case Study exam, we offer:

Live Tuition

Video tuition, ai analysis and proforma report, mock exams and model answers.

CASE STUDY LIVE COURSE

(July 2024 )

The course begins by teaching you the methodology for tackling the exam, as well as passing on prize-winning tricks and tips. Kieran will provide a detailed walk-through of how you should tackle the Case Study exam, from initial Advance Information (AI) analysis through to typing you report on exam day. 

The focus of the second class is to provide an exhibit by exhibit walk-through of the November  2023  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.

You are then given the opportunity to put these skills to the test with a series of mock exams based on the November 2023 AI. You will be required to complete the exam in your own time using the ICAEW CBE software and submit this before class. Your tutor will perform a detailed review of your attempt  so that class time can be spent coaching you on the specific areas where your report requires improvement. In addition, Kieran will explain exactly how the exam should have been tackled and demonstrate this with his prize-winning model answer. 

PASS GUAR ANTEE

In the unlikely event that you fail your exam (we had a 100% pass rate for the July 2022 exam and 98% for November 2022), we will automatically enrol you on subsequent courses until you pass your exam. There will be no extra cost to you. This reflects our commitment to getting you qualified, as well as the confidence we have in our track record. In order for the pass guarantee to apply, you must attend all classes and complete all required work. 

TUITION FEES AND BOOK ING

The tuition fee is £1,100   plus VAT  which  includes:

Proforma reports to use in the exam with reminders of the points to include for each section

A comprehensive analysis of the AI which identifies all the key facts and figures, showing where they are likely to appear in the exam

A list of probable exam scenarios and a reminder of the key points to include

Mock exams, marking grids and model answers which demonstrate exactly how you should write your points in the exam

Access to our Case Study video classes which are used as a preparatory and revision tool (see below)

Please contact us here for availability and course dates. 

Tuition is held online. Online tuition operates in exactly the same way as face-to-face tuition. Our online classroom uses video conferencing (Zoom) and electronic study materials. Many students prefer online tuition as they feel more comfortable asking questions using the chat function and because it saves travel costs and time. Classes are recorded so that you can watch each class as many times as you need before your exam. ​  

CASE STUDY VIDEO COURSE

The expected release date for the 2024 course is 13 May 2024 . If you wish, you may decide to purchase the 2023 video course now so that you can make a start with your exam preparation. Any updated video course content will be uploaded once available so you will automatically have access. We will also include a separate video explaining any significant syllabus changes (if applicable). 

As our live course is always over-subscribed, Kieran has recorded a video course. The video course teaches the same content and exam techniques as the live course. ​ ​The course structure and a free  sample class can be found below. 

Classes 1-3: How to Ace the ACA Case Study (available now )

The introductory classes will teach you the prize-winning Case Study exam approach which has been proven to deliver unrivalled success and will cover:

The technique which will enable you to score 90%+ on each requirement

A step by step walk-through of how you should tackle each requirement in the Case Study exam. Each class uses a recent Case Study exam to provide a practical demonstration of how to read and interpret the requirement; how to use the AI; how to use the exam paper information; how to structure the report; and what points to include in each section 

How to ensure that every point you type is a mark scoring one

How to utilise the AI and exam paper information to maximum effect

The optimal proforma report and paragraph structure for time efficiency and mark maximisation 

Time minimisation techniques

Each class focusses on one of three Case Study requirements. Each class covers the respective section in the Executive Summary.

Class 4: November 2023 Advance Information Masterclass (available now )

Expert advice on how to use the AI in your exam preparation, which includes:

A comprehensive analysis of the AI and identification of key facts, figures and trends 

Consideration of how each piece of information is likely to feature in the exam

Probable exam scenarios for each requirement and recommended approach to take

Class 5: November 2023 Mock Exam 1 - Debrief* (available now )

A full debrief of our first mock exam where Kieran will teach you exactly how you should have read and interpreted the exam as well as how you should have typed your answer, with reference to his prize-winning model answer.

The class focusses on each requirement in turn and provides detailed advice as to how you should work through the requirement. This enables you to fully understand how to apply the prize-winning technique to your particular Case Study business and the type of points you should include in your report. 

Class 6: November 2023 Mock Exam 2 - Debrief* (available now )

Similar to the above, Kieran will show you exactly how you should have read and interpreted the second mock exam as well as how you should have typed your report, with reference to his prize-winning model answer. 

Class 7: November 2023 Mock Exam 3 - Debrief* (available now )

Similar to the above, Kieran will show you exactly how you should have read and interpreted the third mock exam as well as how you should have typed your report, with reference to his prize-winning model answer. 

*It is strongly advised that you complete each mock exam under exam conditions prior to watching classes 5, 6 and 7, as this will enable you to get most benefit from the class. You could even re-attempt the exam after you have watched the class so that you can incorporate any necessary improvements into your exam technique. Please note that you will need to purchase the mock exams separately (see below).

PAYMENT AND ACCES S

You can watch the course introduction and the first class for free below.

Y ou can subscribe to all the classes listed above  for £350 and enjoy a viewing period of 12 months.

Please click  here  to purchase. Once payment has been made, you can view the full course  here .  

Please note that our November   2023  PDF materials are sold separately from the Video Course (see below).

In the unlikely event that you fail your exam, we will extend your access until you pass your exam. This includes access to any additional content we upload in relation to subsequent Case Study businesses.  There will be no extra cost to you. This reflects our commitment to getting you qualified, as well as the confidence we have in Kieran's track record. 

PROFORMA REPORT AND AI ANALYSIS

(November 2023 - FDM )

The July 2024 materials will be released in June 2024.

Our prize-winning Case Study tutor Kieran Doe has developed our Proforma Report and AI Analysis.

This includes:

A proforma report to use in the exam with reminders of the points to include in each section

A  list of probable exam scenarios and a reminder of the key points to include  

A sample   is included below. 

PAYMENT AND DELIVER Y

The price of our Case Study Proforma Report and AI Analysis is £70. You can purchase using a credit or debit card below.

You will receive an email containing a link to download the PDF document within 5 minutes of placing your order.   Please ensure that you check your junk mail in case your email settings divert our emails to junk.

MOCK EXAMS, MARKING KEYS AND MODEL ANSWERS

(November  2023 - FDM )

Our prize-winning Case Study tutor Kieran Doe has created our mock exams, marking keys and model answers.

MOCK EXAM 1

Mock exam 1 and m arking key

Prize-winning model answer which demonstrates exactly how you should structure your report and the points to include

PAYMENT AND DELIVE R Y

The price of our Mock Exam 1 pack is £50. You can purchase using a credit or debit card below from 5 October.

You will receive an email containing a link to download the PDF document within 5 minutes of placing your order. Please ensure that you check your junk mail in case your email settings divert our emails to junk.

MOCK EXAM 2

Mock exam 2 and m arking key

The price of our Mock Exam 2 pack is £50. You can purchase using a credit or debit card below.

MOCK EXAM 3

Mock exam 3 and m arking key

The price of our Mock Exam 3 pack is £50. You can purchase using a credit or debit card below.

Jag's Journey

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

ICAEW ACA Case Study – How Much Preparation Is Enough?

The ACA Case Study was an exam I had not heard much about in detail before my time came to prepare for the exam. I was always one to book annual leave to ensure I had enough time to revise for the exams, especially as I would sit three at a time . When asking my work friends how much time I would need to book off for the ACA Case Study exam they would state only a day or two . As a lot of the exam is skills based and dependant on the real exam itself, it is difficult to know whether you have done enough preparation. I therefore thought I would write this blog to hopefully help.

Note : you may also want to refer to ICAEW Case Study Made Easy , ACA Case Study Marking Key as well as ICAEW Software Testing for more help on the ACA Case Study exam.

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

Table of Contents

Advanced information (ai), past aca case study mock exams, planning sheets, how much preparation is actually needed, how similar are these mocks to the real exam.

The AI is provided six weeks before the ACA Case Study exam. When the AI was released, I of course took a look to see what industry the business was in. For me, it was Beal the magazine company. As expected, I then read the whole AI when I had more time and went through, very slowly, with the highlighter.

Here is a checklist I have pulled together for what information you need to ensure to pull out of the AI:

  • Details of who the report will be from so you can form your disclaimer – join my journey for a draft disclaimer included on the overall timing sheet with a draft structure for the report too
  • Benchmarks/targets/key performance indicators (KPIs) for Requirement 1 – this will give you quick and easy marks in the real exam if you state whether these have been met or not
  • The relevant PY figures from the AI for Requirement 1 – join my journey to receive how I laid this out and set it up for my Case Study as well as a blank template for your own that you can populate and copy in your exam
  • For Requirement 2 and 3 you will need to pull out assumptions and these will come from the AI. The AI should also help you with the calculations for these. For my case study, I was able to pull out at least a page of assumptions from the AI!
  • Business issues and wider context that you can put into any of the exam requirements such as whether the industry is competitive
  • The ethics marks you should be able to easily identify these from the articles at the end of the AI

Something to consider is whether you need to practice past ACA Case Study mock exams. Now, I studied with Kaplan who really did not focus on the real potential exam much at all to begin with. Even when the AI was out, we would still be going through past paper exams. This was very frustrating at the time but in hindsight, it was definitely beneficial .

We actually ended up going through four ACA Case Study mock exams both in class and as homework and then ran through the real AI and two mocks for this too. Given each mock exam is four hours long, this was definitely not fun. However, timing is KEY with this exam and it is very important to nail timing . If you mess up your timings, leading to an incomplete report as a result, this could result in failure . If you need help with timings, join my journey to receive my timings sheet.

I would therefore strongly recommend practicing at least a couple of ACA Case Study mock exams. Not only will it help ensure you are able to stay on top of your timings but another plus is that it does really help you to understand the mark scheme . The more you practice, the more you start to figure out where the marks/”diamonds” come from and how the mark scheme actually works. For example, knowing which figures are in bold and are needed or how conclusions and the Executive Summary needs to be written.

If you have joined my journey, you should also have been sent some blank planning sheets . These were very helpful when I was studying for the ACA Case Study so I thought I would share these. I only really went into detail on this planning sheet for Requirement 1. This requirement is quite predictable based on the AI in the sense that you should be able to grasp whether the areas of interest are revenue, gross profit and operating profit for example.

What is nice is that the AI purposely gives you three years of management accounts. The AI actually gives example analysis of the year-on-year movements too where they use a range of different numbers and movements. This should help you to prepare for Requirement 1 so you can get an idea of what kind of analysis comments , such as revenue mix, may score a “diamond”. However, a lot of this information and the marks are in the real exam so make sure to pull all of this information into your answers.

I thought it would be helpful if I showed you my Requirement 1 planning sheet for Beal so you can get the gist of how I did this:

Essentially for the Requirement 1 planning sheet I would draft it out similarly to how I have done. Include PY comparison figures so you have these to hand such as PY revenue growth or revenue mix. Also ensure to include business issues and wider context points and recommendations . If your AI mentions any benchmarks/targets/KPIs I would note to comment on whether they were met. Additionally, if there are any bank loan covenants to comment on a breach based on overdraft, note this down. A draft conclusion can also be made based on past mark schemes.

In college we did go through and do a few more planning sheets to Requirement 2 and 3 but I did not really use these given the reduction in predictability. It looks like I have more sheets stapled to the Requirement 1 sheet photographed. However, there are all actually blank (sorry to disappoint) . I pulled this together myself but it may be worth going through this with a friend or study buddy . This may speed up time and it does help with this exam if you all write the same!

It does actually sound like I did a LOT of preparation for the ACA Case Study exam. Looking back, I guess I actually did. Here is a list of points that I think you must do :

  • Read the AI and pull out everything I have said above!
  • Practice a couple of past mock exams to time so you can nail timings and understand the mark scheme – depending on how well you do, you may need more practice.
  • Draft a table with the PY figures for Appendix 1 so you can copy this out into the exam and get started almost straight away
  • Practice a mock exam based on your AI . Hopefully you are with a training provider so you have access to this or see the next section for an alternative

Anything else on top of this is just an added bonus , such as the next section of this blog. The Requirement 1 planning sheet is not a must do but it really is worthwhile if you do have the time. You could also draft some standard recommendations for Requirement 2 or 3. I have included a photo of a some I had made below for Beal.

Given the above bullet points, I think you should not need to spend more than a few days on preparing for the ACA Case Study exam outside of college. It is very skills based in terms of how you structure and write your report. Many of the marks are going to be in the real exam so through practice, you should get better at knowing how to pull this out and where to include it in your report.

ACA Simplified/Paradigm Shift Mock Exams

Many of you have probably heard of the ACA Simplified or newly named Paradigm Shift ACA Case Study mock exam pack . I did actually get these for my ACA Case Study exam, where I was given five mock exams. It definitely was not needed to pass but I do think it helped. I did not practice any of these but did read through the mark schemes, understood the calculation workings and took these into the exam with me. Given there are so many mocks, I made a quick reference guide for each mock so I could easily identify the relevant mock.

The reason I wanted the mocks is because I found for my case study Beal that the Requirement 2 and 3 calculations were quite difficult. In all honesty, even though I love Maths and know I am good at it, I did always find these tricky. These mock exams give examples of potential calculations that could come up as well as model appendices to address these. The mocks were therefore helpful in this sense.

The mocks were actually quite similar to the real exam in terms of the scenarios that came up. Such as an increase in the magazine price for one of the requirements. I was able to apply how the calculation was done in the mocks to the real exam. This is likely to be the case given the AI indicates a limited number of potential scenarios and I was given five mocks.

You do need to bear in mind that many of the marks/”diamonds” for the real exam will be based on the information given in the real exam . This of course cannot be predicted and so you cannot just copy the mock answers. The same exam will never come up so application is required and given the time pressure, you do need to know what you are doing. That being said, you can probably copy the business issues and wider context points.

If you have other Advanced Level exams to revise for, try not to get too carried away with the ACA Case Study. SBM also helps with Requirement 1 as there is an overlap with the performance analysis.

I hope this helps and good luck!

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Case study FAQ

Hi folks, feel like I should know the answer to both of the below by now, but if anyone can help that would be great:

For Q1, does your financial analysis need to be presented in an appendix at the back, or can it be included in the main body of your answer?

In terms of timings, is it roughly 1.5 hours for reading and Q1, an hour each for Q2 and Q3, 30 mins for exec summary?

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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.

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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.

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ICAEW experts offer simple guides to help understand the technical, economic jargon that will be at the heart of political debates in the coming weeks.

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Partner in Learning exam resources

The only exclusive Case Study resource for Partners in Learning is the notes from past workshops from the annual tutor conferences.

Online Practice Software

To improve the student experience of accessing the practice software, we have allocated access to the online practice software to all students sitting in July. This is opposed to having them download the practice software and accessing it offline. Students who are already using the online practice software are free to continue using this for question practice.

To access the two Case Study walkthroughs, students should use the  online practice software . The student’s username is the letter Q + ICAEW student number ie Q1234567. The password is qb2022.

Please continue to refer to our production schedules  for expected releases.

Information for Tuition Providers on the Case Study exams from 2023

From July 2023, some changes are being introduced to the Case Study in order to improve the transparency of the marking process:

  • View the changes to the marking key

Presentation of appendix for Requirement 1 in the Case Study

The below note clarifies the presentation of appendices for Requirement 1 in the Case Study, in light of the introduction of computer-based exams for the July 2019 session.

  • View the clarification

Useful links

  • Tutor conference workshop slides and notes

Key resources

  • Student ACA exam resources
  • Ethics learning and assessment programme
  • Key Partners in Learning contacts

Qayam Abdul

For enquiries about becoming a Partner in Learning as a tuition provider, please contact:

Students exam resources

See what your students have access to. Access the Case Study syllabus, skills development grid, errata, past exam papers and mark plans, past illustrative scripts and advance information, and Vital articles.

Read out this code to the operator.

IMAGES

  1. How to Pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study Exam

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  2. ICAEW ACA Case Study

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  3. How to Pass ICAEW Case Study

    icaew case study example

  4. Case Study July 2013 Illustrative Script 2 ICAEW

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  5. ICAEW Case Study

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  6. Case Study

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VIDEO

  1. Single Limiting Factor (ICAN May 2024 Performance Management)- Decision Making

  2. How to Pass ICAEW Case Study

  3. CR July 2024 AI Analysis: Mineral Filtration Products MFP

  4. Investment Decision (AQA Paper 2 2020 Q1.4)

  5. Hey ACA! What is your ICAEW highlight?

  6. ICAEW ACA Case Study Course 2023: Introduction

COMMENTS

  1. 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 ...

  2. ICAEW Case Study Made Easy

    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.

  3. 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. ... Your reflections can be aided by reviewing the examiners' reports and sample scripts for all past Case Study exams. Detailed reflection and reviewing good quality answers should help you identify ...

  4. How to Pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study 2023: Requirement 1

    Our Senior #ACA Tutor Kieran Doe demonstrating how to pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study exam. The other videos from the course and our July 2023 and November 202...

  5. How to pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study exam

    Step 1 - write down how long the exam is in minutes. We know the exam is four hours long. This converts to 240 minutes in total. Step 2 - Take off 10 minutes from the total which is the time set aside to work out and write down your timings per question. This leaves 230 minutes of actual question-answering time.

  6. 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.

  7. ICAEW ACA Case Study Prize Winner Exam Tips

    Top tips on how to pass the #ICAEW #ACA Case Study exam. Our other Case Study videos and materials can be found at https://www.acamasters.com/case-study

  8. ICAEW ACA Case Study Course 2023: Introduction

    Learn how to pass the ACA Case Study exam with our multiple ICAEW prize-winning ACA tutor, Kieran Doe. The full course and our 2023 AI-based materials can be...

  9. Case Study November 2020 Advance Information

    The marks in the Case Study are awarded for professional skills, allocated broadly as follows: Assimilating and using information 22.5%. Structuring problems and solutions 22.5%. Applying judgement 22.5%. Drawing conclusions and making recommendations 15.0%. ive and multidisciplinary skills 17.5% Of the total marks available, 15% are awarded ...

  10. Overview of the Executive Summary

    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. ... As stated in the overview of the Case Study article you are advised to complete the Executive Summary for each requirement ...

  11. ICAEW Prize-Winning Tutor

    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 ...

  12. ACA Case Study

    The course structure and a free sample class can be found below. Classes 1-3: How to Ace the ACA Case Study (available now) The introductory classes will teach you the prize-winning Case Study exam approach which has been proven to deliver unrivalled success and will cover: The technique which will enable you to score 90%+ on each requirement.

  13. Tips and advice for case study? : r/ICAEW

    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. Reply reply. Appropriate_News_694. •.

  14. 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

  15. Insight from the examiners: Case Study exam

    Author: ICAEW Insights. Published: 03 Feb 2022. 2021 saw the first two sittings of the Case Study exam on the new Professional and Advanced Level exam software. The Case Study Senior Examiners tell us how it went and how future students can learn from the experience. For the first two Case Study sessions on the new exam software - House Pride ...

  16. ICAEW ACA Case Study

    The ACA Case Study was an exam I had not heard much about in detail before my time came to prepare for the exam. I was always one to book annual leave to ensure I had enough time to revise for the exams, especially as I would sit three at a time.When asking my work friends how much time I would need to book off for the ACA Case Study exam they would state only a day or two.

  17. 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.

  18. Case study FAQ : r/ICAEW

    Appendix 1 - Analysis of Financial Accounts. Revenue. CoS/GP etc. --. 2. You should aim to spend roughly the same time for each section- R1 might take slightly more but max 10 mins! So say if you do 1.25/1.15/1.15, that'll leave you with approx 25 mins for ES and a quick check. You should do each section of the ES right after the corresponding ...

  19. Understanding ICAEW Case Study Marking

    Knowing how the ICAEW Case Study exam is marked is your first step to getting the most out of your ACA Case Study Mock Exams. This exam does not work on a st...

  20. 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 ...

  21. Rising concerns with student misconduct in exams and assessments

    ICAEW is seeing a rise in reports of students engaging in activities with the intention of giving themselves an unfair advantage in an assessment or exam, and other poor behaviour by students taking exams and assessments. We look at the standards expected of ICAEW students and discuss the consequences of failing to comply with requirements.

  22. ACA

    Students who are already using the online practice software are free to continue using this for question practice. To access the two Case Study walkthroughs, students should use the online practice software. The student's username is the letter Q + ICAEW student number ie Q1234567. The password is qb2022.