IAI CM2 exam-day guide
IAI CM2 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm exam format and sitting arrangements with the provider
CM2 is delivered through the IFoA's online assessment platform, but the exact booking window, platform, and any invigilation requirements for your sitting should be confirmed directly with the IFoA or your local association. Check your joining instructions email rather than relying on past-sitting assumptions.
Valid photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID that matches the name on your exam booking (typically a passport or national driving licence). Confirm the accepted ID types and name-matching rules with the provider before the day, since a mismatch is a common cause of refused entry.
Exam booking confirmation and candidate number
Have your confirmation email and candidate/ARN number accessible, either printed or on a device, so you can resolve any login or identity query quickly.
Working calculator(s) and spare batteries
CM2 requires numerical work, so bring an approved calculator plus a backup. Check the provider's permitted-models list; programmable or graphing models are often restricted. Practise on the exact model you will use.
Formula and tables resource allowed by the provider
Confirm whether the sitting supplies the Tables/Formulae document within the platform or whether you may bring a permitted copy. Do not assume you can annotate or bring your own annotated copy.
Rough paper, pens, and any permitted stationery
Rules on scrap paper differ between online and centre sittings. Confirm what is allowed and how rough work must be handled or submitted; for online sittings, check whether on-screen scratch space or a permitted whiteboard is used.
Stable internet, power, and a quiet room (online sittings)
For remote sittings, test your connection, webcam, microphone, and power supply beforehand, and arrange a private space free of interruptions. Confirm the provider's rules on permitted items on the desk and room scans.
Know the time zone and start time in local terms
Convert the published start time to your local time and set two alarms. Note any requirement to log in early for identity checks or system setup, and confirm the exact check-in window with the provider.
Review the provider's exam regulations on permitted materials and misconduct
Read the current assessment regulations for your sitting, including rules on communication devices, collaboration, and use of AI tools. These change between sessions, so use the version issued for your exam.
Plan your timing strategy for the paper
CM2 contains both a written-answer style section and a modelling/data-focused section. Decide in advance how many minutes per mark you will allocate, when you will move on from a stuck question, and in what order you will attempt sections.
Prepare a one-page summary of key CM2 formulas and model structures
Condense survival models, Markov chains and multi-state models, binomial/Poisson regression, run-off triangles, and stochastic investment models into a revision sheet you can review in the final hour. Check this against the current syllabus and core reading list.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do timed practice under exam conditions, ideally at the same time of day as your sitting, and mark against the published solutions. Identify your two weakest syllabus areas and do targeted question practice on them.
Re-read the provider's exam regulations and joining instructions in full, and confirm the platform, start time, and permitted materials. Resolve any uncertainty with the provider now rather than on the day.
Test your equipment: calculator functions, spare batteries, and, for online sittings, the platform's practice/demo environment, webcam, and connection. Report technical problems to the provider early.
Do a light review of your formula summary and past mistakes only. No new past papers. Prepare and lay out ID, confirmation, calculator, stationery, and any permitted materials.
Confirm the room and logistics: quiet space, desk cleared per the rules, power and internet, and a backup plan such as a phone hotspot or alternative location if permitted. Check the local start time once more.
Eat normally, avoid late-night cramming, and sleep. Fatigue costs more marks in a long modelling paper than one extra formula does.
Eat properly, hydrate, and avoid heavy caffeine if you are prone to anxiety. Do a 20-30 minute review of your formula summary, then stop.
Log in or arrive with the buffer the provider specifies, complete identity checks, and confirm your calculator and materials comply. Keep communication devices stowed as required.
Read the whole paper or section first and note the mark allocation. Allocate roughly proportional time per mark, leaving a few minutes at the end for checking.
Show method and state assumptions clearly; marks are awarded for the modelling approach and interpretation, not only for a final number. For data/modelling questions, describe what you would do and why if the platform limits computation.
If a question stalls you, write down your approach, flag it, and move on. Return later with fresh eyes. If time runs short, write brief structured points rather than leaving blanks.
Note which topics felt weak while memory is fresh, and check the provider's published timeline for results and any post-exam process. Do not discuss paper content in ways the regulations prohibit.
Rules to check
Bring original photo ID matching your booking name; confirm accepted ID types and name-change rules with the provider before the day.
Use only calculators and materials on the provider's permitted list. Confirm the position on formula tables, annotated notes, and scrap paper with the provider, as rules vary by sitting.
Work must be your own. Do not communicate with others about the paper during the sitting, and do not use unauthorised devices, notes, or AI tools. Confirm the current misconduct rules with the provider.
Confirm the provider's policy on breaks, leaving the desk, and what happens to exam time during any interruption. Do not assume breaks are permitted in a timed assessment.
For online sittings, follow identity-verification and room-scan instructions, keep your desk clear, and remain in view of the camera as required. Confirm the specifics with the provider.
If a technical failure occurs, follow the provider's incident process immediately and record what happened; do not attempt to fix it silently and lose time.
Understand the scoring and pass standard: confirm with the provider how CM2 is marked, how sections are weighted, and what overall mark is required, rather than relying on rumour.
Check the provider's rules on discussing exam content afterwards. Many bodies restrict sharing question details while the sitting window is open.