CTA Finance & Accounting exam-day guide
CTA Finance & Accounting · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID document in the name used on your registration. The exact accepted forms and whether a second ID is required vary by test centre and provider - confirm with the provider before booking travel.
Appointment confirmation and candidate number
Print or download the confirmation email showing your appointment time, test centre address, and any candidate or registration number. Some centres ask to see it at reception; confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Know your exact reporting time
Arrival windows differ between centres. Check the confirmation and the provider's current rules; arriving after the cut-off can mean refused entry and loss of the fee.
Permitted calculator only
Check the provider's calculator policy - some allow only an on-screen calculator, others permit a specified basic model. Do not assume your usual financial calculator is allowed; confirm with the provider.
Stationery per provider rules
Many computer-based centres supply an erasable booklet and pen and ban personal paper. If you prefer your own pens or pencils, confirm what is permitted before relying on it.
Printed formula or syllabus reference, if permitted
Some finance exams supply a formula sheet on screen; others do not. Confirm exactly what reference material is provided so you do not waste revision time memorising the wrong list - and do not bring unauthorised notes.
Travel plan with a buffer
Plan to arrive well before your reporting time, with a backup route. Confirm the centre's location from the provider's own listing rather than a map search alone.
Personal items plan
Expect phones, watches, bags, and notes to be stored away from the desk. Confirm the centre's storage arrangements and leave valuables at home.
Break and refreshment expectations
Rules on leaving the room, water, and snacks vary. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled and whether water is allowed at the desk.
Review the current exam structure
Confirm the number of sections, time per section, question formats, and whether sections are separately timed. Formats change between sittings; use the provider's current syllabus and specimen materials.
Rest and logistics for the day before
Protect sleep, avoid new material, and keep the evening light. Confirm your alarm and transport for the morning.
Special arrangements confirmed in advance
If you need extra time, a separate room, or medical accommodations, these are normally requested well before the exam date. Confirm approval and any supporting documentation with the provider.
Plan the day
Switch from learning to consolidating. Rework your error log and the topics you repeatedly get wrong, and do one or two timed mixed-topic sets under exam conditions rather than full-length papers back to back. Re-read the provider's current exam instructions so the format holds no surprises. Prepare your documents, confirm the centre address and reporting time, and check your calculator against the permitted list. Stop introducing new topics; late-stage cramming on unfamiliar material tends to raise anxiety without adding marks.
Do a light review of formula sheets, definitions, and your own summary notes only. Pack your ID, confirmation, permitted calculator, and any allowed stationery in one place. Plan meals and travel, set two alarms, and confirm the route. Avoid intensive practice papers in the evening; a short recall pass is enough. Aim for a normal night's sleep - fatigue costs more marks than one extra hour of revision gains.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive with a buffer. Leave notes and phone in storage as instructed. At the desk, before the clock starts, read the on-screen instructions, check the timer and section structure, and note how to flag questions for review. If the interface is unfamiliar, use any tutorial or practice screen offered rather than discovering it mid-question.
Skim the section structure and note the marks or weighting so you can allocate time. Start with questions you can answer cleanly to build rhythm, flag anything that stalls you, and keep moving. Do not let a single long calculation consume a disproportionate share of the section.
Track time against the number of questions remaining and adjust pace. Show working where marks are awarded for method, keep units and currency consistent, and re-read the requirement before writing - many lost marks come from answering a slightly different question. Use the review screen to return to flagged items, and reserve the final minutes for checking that every question has an answer, since unanswered items score nothing.
Rules to check
Bring the original government-issued photo ID in the name on your registration. Acceptable documents and any second-ID requirement vary by provider, so confirm with the provider in advance; without valid ID you may be refused entry and lose your fee.
Follow the provider's rules on what may be taken to the desk. Phones, smart watches, notes, and unauthorised calculators are normally stored away or prohibited, and possession at the desk can lead to invalidation. Confirm the exact list with the provider.
Breaks are governed by the provider and test centre. Do not assume you may leave the room mid-section; confirm the break policy, and note that unscheduled absences may be recorded and reviewed.
Scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalised, how sections are weighted, and what constitutes a pass, are set by the provider. Check the current scoring and results guidance rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Results and score reports are released on the provider's timetable and in its format. Confirm how and when results are issued and how long they remain valid.
If something goes wrong - a system fault, a disturbance, or illness - raise it with the invigilator immediately and follow the provider's incident process. Reporting after you leave is usually harder to resolve.
Misconduct rules apply throughout the appointment, including the check-in and departure periods. Keep to invigilator instructions and do not communicate with other candidates about content during the exam.
Do not reproduce or share exam content afterwards. Confidentiality obligations are typically part of the candidate agreement; confirm the exact terms with the provider.