IAI CAFB - Certificate in Accounting, Finance and Business exam-day guide
IAI CAFB - Certificate in Accounting, Finance and Business · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original government-issued ID you registered with; the name must match your enrolment record exactly. Check the exact ID types and any signature requirement in your admission letter - if the letter is unclear, confirm with the provider before test day, since rejected ID usually means no entry and no refund.
Admission / confirmation document
Print or save the confirmation showing your candidate number, test centre or remote-proctoring link, date and time. Some centres ask for a printed copy, others accept a digital one; confirm with the provider which applies to your booking.
Appointment time and centre/access details
Record the reporting time, not just the start time - many centres require arrival well before the start for check-in. For remote sittings, note the platform, the link, and any system test you must complete in advance.
Two pens/pencils, eraser, sharpener
Bring spares. If the test is computer-based, a centre may supply a booklet and pen; confirm with the provider whether your own stationery is allowed into the room.
Approved calculator
CAFB-level quantitative questions need a calculator. Confirm with the provider which models are permitted (typically non-programmable, non-graphing, non-financial with removable memory) and whether the test platform supplies an on-screen calculator instead.
Water and a light snack for afterwards
Keep these outside the test room; many centres do not allow food or drink at the desk. Hydration and a snack for the break matter most for longer sittings.
Layered clothing
Test rooms vary in temperature and you may not be able to leave to adjust. Dress in layers and avoid items that set off security screening.
Travel plan with a buffer
Plan to arrive early enough to absorb delays. Reconfirm the venue entrance and any building security procedure the day before; large exam venues often have one designated entrance.
Remote-sitting environment check (if applicable)
For online proctoring: test your camera, microphone, browser and connection in advance, clear your desk, and prepare a quiet room with a closed door. Confirm with the provider the exact room rules and check-in window.
Review your own weak-topic sheet, not new material
Bring a one-page summary of formulas, ratios and definitions you keep getting wrong. Read it before check-in, then put it away - it is study support, not something to carry into the room.
Leave prohibited items at home or in storage
Phones, smart watches, notes and bags normally must be switched off and stored away from the desk. Confirm with the provider what storage is available at your centre.
Know the score report and result timeline
Find out in advance whether you get a provisional result on screen, and when and how the official result is issued. Confirm with the provider if this is not stated in your booking confirmation.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: re-read the admission document for reporting time, venue or remote link, ID rules and permitted calculator. Plan the journey or run a full system test for a remote sitting. Do not start new topics - work only from your error log and formula sheet, and do a timed mixed-topic set of questions to rehearse pacing.
Do one full-length timed practice under exam conditions, then mark it and write down the three question types that cost you the most time. Spend the rest of the day on those three only. Prepare the physical items on the checklist so nothing is left to the last morning.
Light review only: formulas, definitions, standard formats (income statement, statement of financial position, cash flow) and the ratios you keep confusing. Pack your bag or set up your remote desk. Check the weather and transport. Sleep at your normal time - a late cramming session costs more in concentration than it gains in knowledge.
Eat a normal meal, arrive with a buffer, and read only your one-page summary. At check-in, follow staff instructions, place prohibited items in storage, and confirm your workstation or device works before the clock starts. If something is wrong - wrong paper, broken equipment, noise - raise it immediately, not after the test.
Read the instructions and note the number of questions and the time available; work out your average minutes per question. If the platform permits, flag and skip any question that stalls you for more than roughly your average, and return to it later. Check whether negative marking applies before guessing - confirm with the provider if the instructions do not say.
Work in passes: answer confident questions first, then return to flagged ones. For calculations, write the formula before substituting numbers and sanity-check the magnitude of the result. Watch the clock at quarter points so you are not surprised in the last ten minutes, and reserve time to check that every question has an answer.
Stop starting new long calculations. Confirm no question is blank if there is no penalty for guessing, check that answers are saved or transferred to the answer sheet, and submit deliberately rather than letting the clock submit for you.
Rules to check
Bring the original ID that matches your registration exactly. Photocopies, expired documents and screenshots are commonly refused; if your only available ID differs from your registration, contact the provider before test day to correct it.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Candidates arriving after the start may be refused entry or given no extra time, and late arrival is usually not grounds for a refund or transfer. Confirm the exact cut-off with the provider.
Place phones, smart watches, notes and bags in the designated storage and switch devices off. Possession of unauthorised material at the desk can lead to invalidation of your result regardless of whether you used it.
Use only the calculator and stationery the provider permits. If you are unsure whether your model is allowed, ask before the test rather than risk confiscation or a misconduct finding.
Raise any problem - equipment failure, disturbance, illness, wrong test version - with the invigilator immediately and ask for it to be recorded. Issues reported only after the test are much harder to remedy.
Breaks are usually limited and supervised, and the clock may keep running. Confirm with the provider whether unscheduled breaks are allowed and whether they count against your time.
Results and pass standards are set by the awarding body. Check the current pass mark, result issue date and any resit or appeal window in your candidate handbook, and confirm with the provider if these are not published.
Do not share, photograph or reproduce test content. Discussing live questions with others is treated as misconduct and can invalidate your result and affect future eligibility.