CA ANZ Assurance exam-day guide
CA ANZ Assurance · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the current government-issued photo ID that matches the name on your enrolment. Acceptable ID types and name-match rules vary by provider and test centre, so confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a second form of ID is needed.
Confirmation of booking and test-centre details
Have your booking confirmation and the exact test-centre address, arrival time and check-in instructions saved offline as well as on your phone. Confirm with the provider the arrival window and what happens if you are late.
Approved calculator
Check the provider's list of permitted calculator models and confirm whether an on-screen calculator is supplied instead. Practise on the same type you will use so key sequences for present-value and annuity calculations are automatic.
Permitted reference material
Confirm with the provider whether any standards extracts, formula sheets or legislation tables are supplied on screen or in hard copy. Do not assume you may bring your own notes, annotations or tabbed standards.
Exam-day logistics plan
Plan the route, transport and a backup option, and allow a buffer for delays. If sitting remotely, test your equipment, camera, microphone and internet connection on the provider's system-check tool beforehand and have a backup connection or phone number ready.
Personal items and storage expectations
Confirm with the provider what may be taken to the desk and what must be stored. Expect phones, smart watches, notes and bags to be excluded from the testing room; lockers or storage may be limited, so travel light.
Comfort and focus items permitted by the provider
Water, snacks and medication are often restricted or require approval. Ask the provider in advance rather than at the door, particularly for medical needs or accessibility adjustments.
Timing strategy rehearsed
Know the number of questions or tasks, total duration and whether there are separately timed sections. Rehearse a per-question time budget and a checkpoint plan so you know when to move on rather than over-polishing one answer.
Scenario and response practice under time
Complete at least one full timed practice set in exam-like conditions. Practise structuring written responses quickly: identify the issue, state the relevant requirement, apply it to the facts and give a clear conclusion.
Rest and readiness routine
Protect sleep in the final nights, eat normally and avoid last-minute cramming of new topics. Prepare clothing layers, since room temperature can vary and cannot be adjusted on request.
Accessibility or special-arrangement confirmation
If you need extra time, a separate room, assistive technology or medical accommodation, confirm with the provider that it has been approved and will be in place on the day. Arrange this well ahead of the exam.
Plan the day
Stop introducing new material. Work through a short list of high-frequency, high-weight topics and your own error log from practice sets. Re-read your summary notes on the audit process, risk assessment, evidence, internal controls, professional ethics and reporting, and check that you can explain each in your own words. Do one timed practice set, then review only the questions you got wrong and write down the reason for each error.
Confirm logistics: re-check the booking, start time, test-centre address or remote-proctoring requirements, ID documents and permitted calculator. Print or save confirmations offline. Contact the provider immediately if anything is inconsistent, such as a misspelt name on the booking.
Rehearse your exam mechanics: calculator keystrokes for present value, future value and annuity factors; navigating the on-screen answer format; and how you will allocate time across question types. Decide in advance how many minutes you will allow per mark or per question and when you will review flagged items.
Do light consolidation only: skim your one-page summaries of key standards and formulas, and rehearse the structure of a written response. Prepare everything you will take, check the route and travel time, and set two alarms. Confirm with the provider any last details about arrival, storage of belongings and breaks.
Protect sleep. Avoid studying late, avoid alcohol, and avoid discussing difficult topics with other candidates, which tends to raise anxiety without improving performance. Eat a normal meal and plan a simple breakfast.
Eat, hydrate moderately and arrive early within the provider's stated window. Leave phones and smart devices stored as directed. Do a brief mental warm-up: recall the response structure and your time checkpoints rather than trying to memorise new content. Use the restroom before check-in.
Read the whole requirement before writing, and note the verb: identify, explain, evaluate or recommend. For scenario questions, extract the facts, name the relevant requirement, apply it and conclude. Answer every question, since partial credit is often available for written responses. If a question stalls you, flag it, make a brief best attempt and move on.
Track time against your checkpoints and leave a block at the end to review flagged items and check that no required field is blank. If a break is permitted, confirm with the provider how it is taken and whether the clock stops, and use it briefly to reset rather than to review notes.
Rules to check
Bring the identification the provider requires and ensure the name matches your booking exactly. If your ID name differs from your enrolment, contact the provider before exam day; do not assume staff will resolve it at check-in.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and proctors. Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, do not attempt to view others' screens or papers, and do not leave the testing area without permission.
Keep unauthorised items out of the testing room. Phones, smart watches, notes, textbooks and unapproved calculators should be switched off and stored as directed; possession at the desk can lead to invalidation regardless of whether you used them.
Do not attempt to capture, reproduce or share exam content. Recording questions, photographing screens, or discussing specific questions with others afterwards breaches confidentiality obligations and may void your result.
Confirm the break policy with the provider in advance. Rules on whether breaks are permitted, whether the timer continues, and how to request one differ between test centres and remote proctoring, so ask rather than guess.
Understand how your paper is scored before you sit. Confirm with the provider whether marks are awarded for method and reasoning as well as final figures, whether there is negative marking, and how partial credit applies to written responses.
If something goes wrong, such as a technology failure, illness or a disturbance in the room, raise it immediately with the invigilator or proctor and follow the provider's incident process. Report it promptly rather than after leaving, as late claims are harder to substantiate.
Check the provider's policy on rescheduling, withdrawals and results enquiries, and note the deadlines. These rules are set by the provider and can change, so verify them directly rather than relying on second-hand information.