IFoA CP1 exam-day guide
IFoA CP1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm exam format and permitted materials with the provider
CP1 is delivered as a written-style exam, but the exact delivery mode (online proctored or test centre), software, and what reference material you may access differ by sitting. Read the current instructions on your exam booking and the IFoA assessment pages, and confirm any uncertain point with the provider before the day. Do not assume arrangements from a previous sitting still apply.
Photo ID matching your exam registration
Bring the original, valid photo identification that matches the name on your booking (typically a passport or driving licence). Check the expiry date now. If your ID name differs from your registration name, confirm with the provider in advance how to resolve it. needs_review: the exact list of accepted ID documents and any name-change evidence requirements.
Exam admission or booking confirmation
Have your candidate number, booking reference, and any joining instructions to hand. For a test-centre sitting, print or save the confirmation as the venue may ask for it. For a remote sitting, keep login details and the provider's support contact in one place.
Working calculator (plus a spare if allowed)
Use a calculator you have practised with and know how to operate for annuity and discounting functions. Check battery or charge the night before. Confirm with the provider whether a second calculator is permitted and which models are approved, as rules on programmable or graphical calculators vary.
Formula and tables reference, if permitted
CP1 involves substantial formula work: discounting, annuities, reserves, and multiple-state models. If the sitting allows a printed or on-screen formulae pack or tables, locate and bookmark it beforehand and rehearse using it under time pressure. Confirm with the provider exactly what is provided versus what you may bring.
Practice with the delivery software and word-processing tools
If you will type answers, practise in the same environment or a close equivalent: equation entry, tables, copy-paste, and saving. If handwriting, practise legible layout and numbering. Time yourself producing full answers, not just notes, so you know how long your working takes to write up.
Prepared answer-planning method
Have a fixed routine for each question: read the command word (state, explain, discuss, calculate, recommend), identify the marks available, allocate minutes accordingly, and jot a short bullet plan before writing. This reduces wasted time and missed marking points on longer bookwork questions.
Timing plan with checkpoints
Work out a minutes-per-mark budget from the total marks and exam duration, then set checkpoint times (for example, by the halfway point you should be at a given question). Decide in advance how to handle a question that stalls: leave space, move on, return if time allows.
Quiet, reliable test environment (remote sittings)
If sitting remotely, arrange a private room, stable internet, a charged device, and a backup connection such as a phone hotspot. Tell household members not to disturb you. Confirm with the provider the rules on room scans, desk clearance, and permitted items before the day.
Water, snacks, and any permitted medication
Check with the provider what food, drink, and medication you may have at your desk and whether breaks are allowed. For remote sittings these rules can be stricter than for test centres. needs_review: exact refreshment and break entitlements.
Watch or clock for timekeeping
Know how you will track time. Some test-centre software shows a countdown; some remote setups restrict what is on your desk. Confirm with the provider whether a wristwatch is allowed, and avoid anything that could be mistaken for a prohibited device.
Backup and support contacts
Save the provider's exam support number or email and know the procedure if your connection drops or software fails mid-exam. Confirm with the provider in advance how technical incidents are handled and what evidence you should keep, so you can act quickly rather than search for help.
Plan the day
Shift from learning to retrieval and exam technique. Re-read your own summary sheets for the core CP1 areas: cashflow and reserving models, profit testing and profit signatures, multiple-state and multiple-decrement models, unit-linked and with-profit business, and the regulatory and professional context. Do timed practice on full past-style questions, writing complete answers rather than outlines, and mark yourself against the command words and mark allocation. Practise using the permitted formulae pack so you can locate items quickly. Rehearse your calculator for annuity and discounting functions. Confirm all logistics: venue or login details, ID, permitted materials, and start time in your local time zone. Protect sleep; avoid new topics in the last day.
Do a light review only: skim summary sheets, command-word definitions, and your list of common errors (for example, mixing up reserves and asset shares, forgetting to state assumptions, or failing to recommend when asked). Do not attempt new material. Prepare and lay out everything on the checklist: ID, confirmation, calculator, permitted references, water. For remote sittings, test your equipment, internet, camera, and software login, and clear your desk. Check the start time and any joining or check-in window, and set alarms with a margin. Aim for a normal night's sleep.
Eat properly and avoid last-minute cramming of new content; a brief skim of your own notes is fine. Recheck ID, confirmation, calculator, and permitted materials. For a test centre, leave with generous travel margin and arrive early for check-in and ID verification. For a remote sitting, log in early, complete any room or ID checks, close other applications, and keep your support contact visible. Remind yourself of your timing plan and answer-planning routine.
Read the whole paper or question list first and note marks. Allocate time by marks and stick to your checkpoints. For each question, identify the command word, plan briefly, then write a structured answer with clear headings and numbered points so the marker can find marks. Show workings for calculations, state assumptions, and give units. If a question stalls, leave space and move on. Watch the clock for the final section: reserve enough time to finish the last question and to check that all answers are saved or submitted. If a technical problem occurs, follow the provider's incident procedure and note what happened.
Rules to check
Confirm all conduct rules with the provider before the day: what you may bring to the desk, what must be cleared away, and what counts as permitted reference material. Rules differ between test-centre and remote sittings, so rely on your current sitting's instructions, not on memory of previous exams.
Bring valid photo ID that matches your registered name, and be ready for verification at check-in or on camera for a remote sitting. If there is any mismatch or your ID is expiring, contact the provider in advance rather than on the day.
Work independently. Do not communicate with anyone during the exam, do not use unauthorised devices, software, or reference sources, and do not share or discuss the paper while the sitting is live across time zones. Confirm with the provider what post-exam discussion is permitted.
Breaks are governed by the provider's rules and may differ by delivery mode. Confirm in advance whether you may leave your seat, what happens to your exam clock, and whether supervised breaks are available, and plan hydration and medication accordingly.
If a technical or personal incident affects your performance, follow the provider's procedure immediately and keep any evidence. Confirm with the provider the deadline and process for reporting incidents or applying for special consideration; do not assume it will be handled automatically.
Answer the question that is asked. Marks are awarded for the command word: state, explain, discuss, calculate, and recommend each require different depth and structure. Calculations should show workings and assumptions, and recommendations should be justified, as method marks are typically available even when a final figure is wrong.
Manage the clock as part of the assessment. Spending too long on one question costs marks elsewhere, so keep to your minutes-per-mark plan, leave space for unfinished parts, and protect time at the end to complete and submit your answers.
Check the provider's rules on special arrangements, such as extra time or adjusted conditions, well before the exam. These usually require prior application and supporting evidence, and cannot normally be arranged on the day.