IFoA SA7 exam-day guide
IFoA SA7 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam entry and appointment details with the provider
SA7 (Enterprise Risk Management) is a Specialist Advanced exam delivered by the IFoA. Entry deadlines, sitting windows and whether the sitting is online-proctored or at a centre change between sessions, so log into your IFoA account and re-read the current exam instructions rather than relying on what a colleague did last year. If anything in your booking looks wrong, raise it with the provider before the late-entry cut-off.
Valid photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original document (usually a passport or photocard driving licence) with the exact name used on your IFoA record. For remote sittings this is the ID you show during the check-in; for centre sittings it is checked at the desk. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a digital copy is allowed - do not assume.
Your exam admission or confirmation email
Keep a copy accessible (printed and on your phone) showing your candidate number, sitting time and any centre or link details. You may not be admitted without it, and it resolves disputes quickly if there is a booking mix-up.
Working calculator(s) with spare batteries
Bring the calculator model permitted under the current IFoA exam regulations and a spare, plus spare batteries if it uses them. Check the approved-model list on the IFoA website - some programmable or graphing models are excluded. Practise with the exact calculator you will use so key sequences for discounting and annuity functions are automatic.
Printed or downloaded copies of the Core Reading and the SA7 syllabus
Most SA7 sittings are open book. Have the current Core Reading, your own notes and the syllabus to hand in a format you can search quickly. Confirm with the provider whether printed materials are allowed at your venue or only in a remote sitting - rules differ by delivery mode.
A one-page index or summary sheet you have written yourself
Open book rewards navigation, not re-reading. Build a sheet mapping syllabus outcomes and key risk-management frameworks (risk taxonomy, risk appetite, ORSA-style own-risk assessment, capital modelling limitations, ERM governance) to page numbers in your notes. In the exam you should be able to find the relevant material in under a minute.
Attempt several past or specimen SA7 papers under timed conditions
SA7 answers are largely discursive: you must apply ERM concepts to a scenario and justify recommendations. Practise writing structured answers with headings, bullet points and explicit links to the scenario, and mark them against the examiner-style solutions to see where you lost application marks.
A reliable computer, charger and stable internet connection (remote sittings)
If sitting remotely, run the provider's system and equipment check in advance, close background applications, and have a phone as a backup contact route. Confirm with the provider the exact platform, check-in window and permitted room setup; do not guess at webcam or desk-clearance rules.
Water, snacks and any permitted medication
SA7 is a long paper. Confirm with the provider what food, drink and medication are allowed at your desk or during breaks, and whether breaks stop the clock. Keep packaging minimal and quiet so you do not disturb others or breach room rules.
A plan for the first ten minutes of reading time
Decide in advance how you will use any reading time: scan all questions, note which scenario facts drive the risk issues, and rank questions by confidence. Write the ranking down so you do not drift into the longest question first.
Confirm the exact start time, time zone and joining instructions
Times are usually published in a stated time zone. Convert to your local time, set two alarms and plan to be ready well before the start. For centre sittings check travel, parking and building access; for remote sittings check the check-in deadline. Verify these details with the provider.
A post-exam note of anything you want to review
After finishing, jot down topics or question styles that caught you out while memory is fresh. This is for your own development and future sittings; do not discuss live exam content with others in a way that breaches the provider's confidentiality rules.
Plan the day
Switch from learning to consolidating. Re-read the syllabus outcomes and your one-page index, and check that every outcome has a corresponding page in your notes. Do one full timed paper or a set of long questions under exam conditions, then mark it strictly. Spend the remaining time on weak areas rather than re-reading material you already know. Confirm your booking, ID and venue or platform details with the provider now, so any problem can still be fixed.
Do a second timed practice session focusing on question selection and time allocation: how many minutes per mark, how long to spend planning, and when to move on. Review model answers for structure - how they define the risk, apply it to the scenario, weigh options and state a recommendation with limitations. Update your index with anything you had to hunt for.
Light revision only: skim the index, key frameworks and a handful of past questions you found hard. Pack your bag or set up your desk: ID, confirmation, calculator and batteries, notes, water, charger. Run any remote system check again. Check travel or joining instructions and the time zone conversion. Set alarms. Stop studying early enough to sleep properly - a rested candidate writes better structured discursive answers than a tired one.
Eat properly and avoid cramming new material. Do a quick skim of your index only. Arrive or log in early according to the provider's instructions, with ID and confirmation ready. Keep the desk clear of anything not permitted. Take a few minutes to settle your breathing and remind yourself of your time plan before the paper opens.
Read the instructions and note the mark allocation and any compulsory questions. During any reading time, scan all questions and rank them by confidence and marks per minute. Plan to start with a question you can answer well to build momentum, but do not spend disproportionate time on any single question.
For each question, spend a short time identifying the scenario facts, the risk issue and what the question actually asks (evaluate, recommend, critique). Write in short structured paragraphs or bullets with headings, and keep applying points back to the scenario - generic textbook lists score poorly on SA7. Watch the clock against your marks-per-minute plan and leave time to finish the last question rather than perfecting the first. If you get stuck, write a brief plan and move on, returning later.
Check you have answered every required part and that question numbers are clear. Add any short concluding recommendation or limitation you omitted. Make sure your name or candidate number and any required declaration are completed as instructed. Submit or hand in exactly as the provider directs, and keep any confirmation of submission.
Rules to check
Follow the current IFoA exam regulations and the provider's instructions for your sitting; where this guide and the official instructions differ, the official instructions prevail. If you are unsure about any rule - permitted materials, calculator models, breaks, or room setup - confirm with the provider before the exam rather than assuming.
Bring the original photo ID that matches your registered name and present it when asked. Candidates who cannot produce acceptable ID may be refused entry or have their script withheld; check accepted ID types with the provider in advance.
Keep only permitted items at your desk. For open-book sittings, materials must be your own lawfully obtained copies; sharing notes, collaborating, or using unauthorised devices or communication tools during the exam is misconduct and can lead to disciplinary action and loss of the exam.
Do not communicate with anyone about the content of a live or recently sat paper except through official channels. Exam material is confidential, and discussing questions online or with other candidates can breach the regulations even after you leave the room.
If you need to leave the room or take a break, follow the invigilator's or remote-proctor's instructions exactly. Confirm with the provider whether the clock stops during breaks and what is permitted; unapproved absence may end your sitting.
Marks are awarded for application and judgement as well as knowledge. Answer the question asked, use the scenario, and structure your response; lengthy but generic material earns limited credit. Show workings and state assumptions where a calculation is involved.
If something goes wrong - technical failure, illness, or a disruption - stop and follow the provider's reporting process as soon as possible and keep evidence. Do not attempt to fix a remote-sitting problem by yourself in ways that breach the rules; contact the provider's exam support.
Check the pass-mark and results-release arrangements for your sitting with the provider, as these can change between sessions, and do not rely on second-hand claims about marking or grade boundaries.