CA (Chartered Accountant) - 13 exams. Awarding body is ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland).

Summary

5 exams:
- Reporting and Performance 1 (2 hours)
- Assurance (90 mins)
- Business Management and Finance (2 hours)
- Taxation (2 hours)
- Business Law (90 mins)
To pass, you are required to achieve 50% of the total marks available.
5 exams:
- Reporting and Performance 2 (2.5 hours)
- Advanced Reporting and Performance (3 hours)
- Advanced Assurance (2.5 hours)
- Corporate Finance and Modelling (2 hours & 1 week coursework)
- Data, Risk and Technology (2 x coursework (1 week each))
To pass, you are required to achieve 50% of the total marks available.
Employers can also create a personalised learning journey for their students by selecting one of four in-depth electives:
- Advanced Tax (2 hours)
- Data Analytics (coursework x 1 week)
- Innovation for Growth and Transformation (coursework x 1 week)
- Sustainability for Accountants (coursework x 1 week)
2 exams:
- Case Study (3 hours
- Professional Ethics (2 hours)
To pass, you will need to correctly answer 50% of the questions set.

Alongside passing your assessments, you’ll also need to have worked and logged a minimum of 450 days of Relevant Practical Experience (RPE) to complete your CA training. In around 3 years you will be a member of ICAS! Apprentices will also need to submit a Project Report (pass mark 50%).

Knowledge.

There are 5 compulsory knowledge exams. Each is between 90 minutes to 2 hours in duration. To pass you are required to achieve 50% of the total marks available. These exams give an introduction to the foundations of accounting. The assessments are summative, objective test questions.

Reporting and Performance 1.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Explain the accounting requirements for financial statements.
2. Prepare and present a set of financial statements in accordance with relevant accounting standards.
3. Explain the requirements for non-financial reporting and performance in accordance with relevant standards.
4. Explain ethical guidance in the context of reporting and performance.

Taxation.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Calculate a personal tax liability.
2. Calculate a direct tax liability for a business.
3. Calculate an indirect tax liability for a business.
4. Explain the key principles and administration of UK tax.
5. Describe best practice when dealing with clients, other professionals and HMRC.

Assurance.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Define business risk and explain a range of strategies, including internal controls to manage financial and non-financial risk.
2. Explain the role and responsibilities of the external auditor within the UK regulatory framework.
3. Apply guidance, including the International Standards on Auditing (UK), to the external audit process.
4. Apply ethical guidance, including the Financial Reporting Council Ethical Standard, to assurance engagements.

Business Law.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Identify the key features of UK law as it applies to business.
2. Identify the essential features of UK Company law.
3. Describe the main elements of law which are relevant to finance professionals.
4. Apply ethical guidance in the context of business law.

Business Management and Finance.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Describe the environment within which businesses function.
2. Prepare data used in financial analysis.
3. Apply appropriate techniques to support investment decision making.
4. Explain how non-financial information supports sustainable business decisions.
5. Illustrate the use of ethics in business management and finance decisions.

Skills.

There are 5 compulsory skills exams and 1 elective exam. Each exam is either 2, 2.5 or 3 hours and there is coursework (1 week each). Employers create a personalised learning journey for their students by selecting one of four in-depth electives as well. To pass, you are required to achieve 50% of the total marks available. The exams are invigilated written assessments and allow you to apply technical knowledge to real-world situations.

Reporting and Performance 2.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Apply technical knowledge to account for complex transactions and events.
2. Prepare financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
3. Prepare non-financial reporting and performance disclosures in accordance with relevant standards.
4. Apply ethical guidance in the context of reporting and performance.

Corporate Finance and Modelling.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Advise on investment and funding options to support business decision-making.
2. Advise on corporate restructuring situations.
3. Construct and appraise a range of financial and operational models.
4. Evaluate and respond appropriately to ethical issues in the context of corporate finance and modelling.

Advanced Reporting and Performance.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Advise on the requirements for financial reporting and performance in accordance with relevant standards.
2. Advise on the requirements for non-financial reporting and performance in accordance with relevant standards.
3. Evaluate and respond appropriately to ethical issues in the context of reporting and performance.

Data, Risk and Technology.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Recommend risk-management strategies to address financial and non-financial risks affecting an organisation.
2. Evaluate and communicate the results of data analyses, presented in a range of formats, to provide relevant information for decision making.
3. Identify and evaluate existing and emerging technology solutions and contribute to an IT strategy to meet business objectives and strategy.
4. Evaluate and respond appropriately to ethical issues arising in the context of data, risk and technology.

Advanced Assurance.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Apply practical skills and technical knowledge in providing assurance services.
2. Apply professional judgement and professional scepticism in conducting an assurance engagement.
3. Evaluate and respond appropriately to ethical issues arising in assurance engagements.

Skills-level elective courses.

Employers can create a personalised learning journey for their students by selecting one of four in-depth electives:

Advanced Tax (2 hours)
Data Analytics (1 week coursework)
Innovation for Growth and Transformation (1 week coursework)
Sustainability for Accountants (1 week coursework)

Integration.

There are 2 compulsory exams. Case Study is 3 hours and Professional Ethics is 2 hours. To pass, you are required to achieve 50% of the total marks available. These exams are open book, invigilated written assessment. Bringing everything together and calling on what you’ve learned so far, you’ll demonstrate professional and ethical judgement and develop conclusions and recommendations through two courses.

Note: If you study under an apprenticeship you will also need to complete a Project Report.

Integrated Case Study.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Integrate technical accounting knowledge, critical thinking and professional skills to provide commercial insights and recommend solutions to complex business problems.
2. Communicate effectively across a range of business contexts.
3. Act with integrity and set an example by 'doing the right thing'.

Professional Ethics.

Syllabus learning outcomes:
1. Evaluate the impact of ethical issues in business on the individual, the profession, and society, including the effect on public trust.
2. Consider the perspective of others when reviewing ethical issues and making recommendations.
3. Consider the ICAS Code of Ethics and relevant legislation when making informed judgements and recommendations on appropriate course(s) of action taken to address ethical issues.

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This information and more can be found on the ICAS website.