ICAP CAF exam-day guide
ICAP CAF · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admit card / exam permit (printed)
Print the admit card or exam slip issued for your attempt and keep it in the same folder as your ID. If you have not received one, contact ICAP well before the date - the exact issuance procedure and cut-off should be confirmed with the provider.
Original photo ID (CNIC or passport)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. Which specific document is accepted for your centre should be confirmed with ICAP in advance.
Two blue or black ballpoint pens plus a spare
Write in ink only for constructed-response answers. Bring at least two so a dry pen never costs you time.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Needed for objective-answer sheets that require shading or for diagrams and workings you want to be able to correct.
Approved non-programmable calculator
Check the permitted-device list with ICAP before the exam; programmable, graphing or wirelessly connected calculators are commonly excluded, and an invigilator may confiscate an unapproved device.
Simple wristwatch (non-smart)
Wall clocks may not be visible from your seat. A basic analogue or digital watch helps you pace yourself; smart watches should be left at home.
Printed exam timetable and venue directions
Confirm the paper, date, reporting time and hall on the official timetable, and plan the route in advance so you arrive early rather than on time.
One-page summary sheet for last-minute revision
Keep it in your bag, not at your desk - revision material is not permitted inside the hall. Use it in the corridor before entry and then put it away.
Transparent water bottle and a light snack
Whether food and drink are allowed at your seat varies by centre; ask the invigilator before the paper starts.
Phone switched off and stored in your bag
Do not keep a phone, earbuds or smart watch on your person. Even a silent device can be treated as misconduct if it is found at your desk.
Transport and backup plan
Book your ride or arrange a lift the night before, and identify a backup option. Traffic and parking are the most common causes of late arrival.
Sleep and logistics settled the night before
Set two alarms, lay out clothes and documents, and aim for a normal night's sleep - cramming the final night usually costs more marks than it gains.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Re-read your own summary notes, formula lists and past errors. Do two or three timed practice sessions under exam conditions, then mark them honestly and note the recurring mistake pattern rather than the score.
Confirm the paper, date, reporting time and exact venue on the official timetable. Check your ID and admit card are valid and in your possession, not with a family member or in a drawer at the office.
Rehearse your timing plan: decide roughly how many minutes per mark you will spend and which question you will attempt first. Write the plan down so you do not have to think about it on the day.
Do a light review only: headings, definitions, formats of statements, and the two or three areas you keep getting wrong. Close the books by early evening.
Pack the bag: ID, admit card, pens, pencil, eraser, sharpener, approved calculator, watch, timetable printout, water. Put the bag by the door.
Check travel time at the hour you will actually travel and add a buffer. Set two alarms. Eat a normal meal and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat something you normally eat. Avoid trying a new heavy meal or an energy drink you are not used to.
Arrive at the venue with enough margin to find the hall, use the washroom and settle. Being early buys calm; being on time buys stress.
Switch the phone off and put it away before you enter the building. Read the notice board for your hall and seat, and follow invigilator instructions for depositing belongings.
Fill in every identification field on the answer booklet and answer sheet before you read a question. Then scan the whole paper and mark which questions you will do first.
Start with a question you can do confidently - it settles nerves and banks marks. Leave the hardest question for later rather than opening with it.
For objective questions, answer every item; if there is no penalty for wrong answers, never leave a blank. For constructed-response questions, show workings - method marks are usually available even when the final figure is wrong, but confirm the marking approach with ICAP materials.
Watch the clock against your per-mark plan at the halfway point and again with about 20 minutes left. If you are behind, write brief bullet-point answers on the remaining questions rather than leaving them empty.
Stop writing new material. Check that every page carries your roll number, that no answer is written in the rough-work area, that objective answers are transferred to the answer sheet, and that all loose sheets are handed in.
Rules to check
Carry your original photo ID and admit card and place them on the desk for checking. If either is missing, raise it with the invigilator immediately - do not wait until the end of the paper. The exact accepted ID documents should be confirmed with ICAP before the exam.
Mobile phones, smart watches, earbuds and any other communication or storage device must be switched off and left with your belongings, not at your seat. Possession of such a device during a paper is normally treated as misconduct regardless of whether it was used - confirm the current policy with the provider.
Use only a calculator that appears on the permitted list. Programmable, graphing or wirelessly connected devices are commonly prohibited, and an invigilator may confiscate an unapproved device without compensating you for lost time. Confirm the permitted models with ICAP.
Do not leave the hall during a paper except with invigilator permission and escort. Time lost is normally not added back, and repeated or unexplained exits may be reported. Confirm the break and exit rules for your centre with the provider.
Write only in the answer booklet and on the answer sheet provided, in the required ink. Cross out rough work, keep every page numbered and identified, and hand in all materials issued to you before leaving.
Follow all invigilator instructions and keep your eyes on your own work. Talking, passing material, or looking at another candidate's script can lead to the paper or the whole attempt being disqualified under the examination regulations.
Marking is per paper against a pass standard, and there are usually separate rules on how many papers you may attempt and on aggregate performance across a session. Verify the current pass mark, attempt limits and aggregate rules with ICAP rather than relying on what other candidates tell you.
If you believe there is a problem - a misprinted paper, a missing page, a disruption, or illness during the paper - report it to the invigilator at the time and ask for it to be recorded. Complaints raised only after the exam are much harder to support.