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What IT and internet specifications are needed to operate the exam?
In general most laptops will meet the specification as long as they have a webcam, microphone and internet connection. Students can test their laptop or PC in advance of their exam using the "Test it Out" process. The preferred browser is Google Chrome.
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What is E-Assessment?
E-Assessment means you will be sitting your exams online fully invigilated in a place of your choice, for example alone in a room at home or alone in a small meeting room in your workplace. All students will use a laptop to sit their exams and this laptop must have a working camera and microphone. The use of any external mouse, keyboard or monitor is not permitted (this includes USB and blue-tooth). Chartered Accountants will not be running Exam halls, therefore all students must identify their own location to sit their exams. All exams on E-Assessment will be fully invigilated and the current version of the published Examination and Appeal Regulations apply.
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I am an FAE student do I need to complete an executive summary?
If candidates decide to do an Executive Summary then they should do so at the start of Question 1 for SIM1 and Question 5 for SIM2 . However it is not required to be comprehensive as no marks will be awarded for Executive Summaries. A line for each question is more than sufficient. The same applies at Core, if candidates decide to do an executive summary they should do so at the start of question 1.
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What is on-boarding and do I need to have any other equipment in the room?
On-boarding is where you log onto ProctorU and you are permitted entrances into your exam once you have completed all of the security checks successfully. More information can be found on the E-Assessment page and how to get started. Students are reminded that they should have a reflective surface i.e. mirror in the room with them on each exam day in case there are areas of the room that need to be viewed and cannot be reached by your webcam.
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What do I do on the day of the exam?
One week before you are due to sit your exams you will have received an email from the examination executive, which will give you your allocated time slots to onboard into the exams you are enrolled on, keep this email safe. On exam day please do not log into ProctorU before your allocated time slot, once you log in you should select the relevant exam and click begin. Your ID and area will be checked by an invigilator and once you have passed all security checks you will then be transferred to begin your exam. Students should also have a reflective surface available (for example a mirror) should the invigilator need it for a room scan. Please review the E-Assessment information pages for video's. If you miss your time slot you will have 15 minutes after this time to log into ProctorU to complete your exam. If you do not log in you will be marked as absent.
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What if my internet drops during my exam?
Should the internet drop the platform is programmed to continue for a short period. However, should the internet connection not automatically reconnect, the student should click the ProctorU extension (Blue Owl or green phone in top right) and log out. They should then exit the browser and fix their internet connection. Once reconnected they should then log back into the student portal, click on current students and then 'My Enrolments' and click through on the link beside the relevant exam. This will bring them to the ProctorU homepage where they can select "Reconnect" and go through the on-boarding process again with their invigilator. No exam responses are lost in this situation, the system will have been paused and will remember all of the work the student did up until the point where they got disconnected.
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What if a student does not have internet coverage?
Given the low internet coverage required (circa 1.5 MB up/download speed) then it will be very rare that a student will have insufficient internet connectivity. If a student has a concern about their internet coverage, the student could ask all other members of their household to remain off the internet if possible during their exam. Students should ensure that they test their equipment in advance of the exam day so that any issues may be identified in advance. When students are deciding where to sit their exams it is essential that they bear the following in mind, students are required to sit in a private, quiet and well-lit. No other people are permitted to be in the same room / area as the student during the exam.
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Can a student complete the examination on their office laptop?
We have been working with IT Departments of most of the major Training Firms. Students should check in with their IT Departments in advance of scheduling their exams to establish whether there are any constraints in their firm. For example some firms will require that students take the exam on their guest wi-fi and students will need to organise this in advance. However, in any case where there is any issue with running the E-Assessment on the firm's hardware then students can sit the exam using their own personal laptop.
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How easy is the E-Assessment platform to use?
The platform is extremely easy to use and is very intuitive in terms of navigation. Students will be able to experience using the platform by completing the practice exam papers which will be available as per the timetable. There will also be additional video tutorials and screenshots covering the on-boarding processes and exam navigation available from early July on wards for all exam levels.
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What is to stop a student using the internet to “Google” an answer or email a friend?
The platform “locks down” the inappropriate internet access and tracks and highlights any attempts to challenge the secure environment. Due to the student sharing their screen with the online invigilator, they are constantly being watched and recorded. If a student attempts to open up another window in their browser a pop-up will come onto screen warning the student to not to attempt to open additional windows. If the student consistently attempts this or tries to open additional information during the exam, the online invigilator will speak to the student and warn them if they do this again, their exam will be terminated and a report (and video) will be provided to the examination committee.
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What is to prevent someone from cheating during the exam?
The exams students will be sitting are fully invigilated and recorded, during the on-boarding process you have to secure your environment which means scanning the room to ensure that you do not have any books during a closed book exam and also to ensure there is no on else in the room with you. During exam time students are unable to open any other widows on their laptop. Students will be able to copy and paste within the exam platform but will not be able to copy and paste in from any external sources e.g. clipboard. Any attempt to cheat will be noticed by the invigilator or the AI process. The invigilator will also be carrying out checks during the on-boarding process which will identify whether the desktop is shared or running in a virtual machine. If a candidate is caught attempting to bypass any of the security measures their exam will be terminated and a report (and video) will be provided to the relevant examination committee.
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What happens if a student cannot log into a particular exam?
In practice 99.9% of students are able to resolve any technical issues. Technical support will be able to resolve most issues. Where a student is unable to log into their exam due to the Chartered Accountants website not being available. Students will be sent a link by email to their exam, this link will be sent to the email address they have listed on their student portal, it is very important that your email address and mobile number on your student portal are updated.
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What happens if the student has technical difficulties during the exam?
If a student has technical issues during their exam, ProctorU has 24/7 technical assistance available and they will assist the student to get their issues resolved and allow the student to complete their exam. As per normal the examination executive in Chartered Accountants Ireland will available by phone or email to assist with students if necessary.
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Will the new platform cope with “reasonable accommodation” cases?
The new platform is designed with reasonable accommodations in mind. The Institute will continue to accommodate all such reasonable accommodation cases within the platform or otherwise i.e additional time that has been awarded will be available on the platform. Students must still follow existing reasonable accommodation policies and procedures. Students are advised to contact the Disability officer in relation to their circumstances should they have any further questions. In advance of the main exams in August and September, any student requiring reasonable accommodation must apply to the Disability Officer before close of business on Friday 26th June, 2020.
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Will there be any changes to the format of exam papers now they are on E-Assessment?
No the format of all exam papers will remain the same as previous years.
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Will students be allowed extra time in the exam now we have to type our answers, can we print out the exam paper?
No. The exams have been set using all of our normal rigorous procedures and have been sat many times under exam conditions to ensure that students will be able to answer the papers in the time provided. The exam platform does not facilitate the printing of any documents and therefore students will not be able to print out the exam paper or any part of the exam.
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How can I show my workings?
Students will be able to complete their workings as part of their answer and where needed a working box will be provided. There will be no change in the way marks are awarded candidates should input their workings on the E-Assessment platform with the same amount of detail that they would for a paper script.
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Can I use a second screen/laptop to view the questions and answers simultaneously, what else is not permitted?
No. The system will not allow any additional screens and therefore students can only use one laptop and no additional screens. Should a student try to use a second screen the exam will not launch for them and they will not be able to sit. Students are also not permitted the use of any type of additional mouse, keyboard, number keypad or anything that needs to be attached to the laptop by USB. The use of Ethernet cables are not permitted. Students are also not permitted to wear non religious head wear, smartwatches, ear plugs, or ear phones during their exam they must be able to hear the online invigilator at all times. Students must ensure that they are not disturbed during their exam and no one can enter the exam environment otherwise the exam will be voided. Students are also reminded that they are not permitted to read exam questions out loud. Students lap/desktop speakers should be un-muted during the exam. At no stage should speakers be muted.
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Will there be any changes made to the amount of study leave a student is allowed for E-Assessment exams?
No all study leave remains the same as published in the current Examination and Appeal regulations which are published on the Chartered Accountants Ireland website.
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What happens when a student takes a toilet break?
The student has 3 minutes to take a toilet break if necessary. The student before leaving the room must inform the invigilator by speaking into the screen stating that they are leaving the room to take a toilet break. The student's exam time will not be paused. Once the student returns from the toilet break, the online invigilator may ask the student to once again pan the room with the laptop to ensure no non-permitted items are in the area and also to ensure that their mobile phone is still in the room and out of reach of the student.
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Can students bring a dictionary into the exam?
Yes, student can bring an English to English dictionary into the exam, however the student must skim through the dictionary in front of their camera so the invigilator is satisfied it is acceptable and there are no other materials within the book.
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What happens if a student does not have valid/correct I.D, or if their name is different to the name they have registered with?
Students must ensure they have a valid I.D (i.e. Driving licence, passport, Government issued ID). Student need to ensure that the ID they intend to use to sit their exam is valid (the ID must be in date and not expired) and also that the name on the ID matches exactly the name you have registered under on your student portal. If you have any issues in relation to your ID please contact the relevant examination executive as soon as possible in advance of exam day. Students who fail to produce the correct ID on the day of the exam will not be permitted to sit and this will be counted as an attempt. If you have any concerns about your ID please contact the Examination executive as soon as possible in advance of the exam.
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Will students have access to the exam platform before they sit their main exams?
Students will have access to practice papers in advance of their main sitting, the timetable for when the practice papers will be available in on the Chartered Accountants website under the relevant level. Video's and the practice papers themselves will be available to students before the end of June 2020.
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I am a CAP1 student will all my exams still be sat as closed book exams?
Yes all CAP1 exams will continue to be sat as closed book exams as per our current Exam and Appeal regulations as published on our website.
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If I am sitting a closed book exam what can I have on my desk during my E-Assessment?
You are allowed to have a pen, 5 sheets of blank paper (which both sides must be shown to the invigilator to ensure it is blank), a non programmable calculator and your ID only.
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Can I keep my mobile in the room with me?
Yes. Students are permitted to keep their mobile in the room with them while sitting an E- Assessment. The mobile must be kept out of reach and on silent, you will be asked to show the invigilator where you are placing your mobile. The reason for being allowed to have your mobile phone in the room with you and on silent is in case ProctorU's technical support need to contact you. Please ensure the mobile number on your student profile is correct.
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Will CAP2 and FAE exams still be open book?
Yes. All current rules remain the same. At CAP2 all exams except for Taxation II (ROI) & (NI) will be sat at open book. CAP2 Taxation II (ROI) & (NI) will be sat as a closed book exam. All FAE exams will remain as open book exams.
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Is the CAP2 Taxation (ROI) & (NI) Exam now open book?
No. CAP2 Taxation (ROI) & (NI) still continue to be a closed book exam and students cannot have any notes on their desk, students are permitted to have a pen, 5 sheets of blank paper which both sides must be shown to the invigilator to ensure it is blank), a non programmable calculator and your ID.
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Will I be able to use E-Books in open book exams?
No. Students are not allowed to use E-Books to sit any open book exams. Students are only permitted to use 1 laptop in their exams and this is the one they will use to answer their exams on. Students should also note that they cannot use any notes that are on their examination laptop, the system will not allow you to access these during an exam so they must be printed out in advance of the exam.
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Will I still be allowed reading time in my exams and can I highlight?
Total exam timings at CAP2 and FAE now include the relevant reading time. The reading time has been included in the time allocated on the system to complete and submit your exam. Students choose how to use this reading time, either in advance by reading the whole paper or by using throughout the exam. The highlighting functionality will not be available for any exams this year. Students may however take notes throughout their exam. For all students sitting closed book exams you are permitted to have 5 sheets of blank paper only. For students sitting open book exams you can have unlimited paper.
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Is the CAP1 Taxation I (ROI) & (NI) a full paper?
Yes. As per the current competency statement CAP1 Taxation I (ROI) & (NI) is now a full paper. The exams will be 3 hours long.
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Is the FAE Core paper a one day exam?
Yes the FAE Core paper will be sat on 1 day only.
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How do I access the Tables, schedules and Appendix documents that were given as inserts in the paper?
Students will still be provided with the relevant Tables, schedules and Appendix documents and this can be accessed in the exam where needed by pressing the resource button. Please view all of the videos on E-Assessment for more information.
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Is there a rest day at all levels now?
Yes. As we have moved to E-Assessment we have introduced a rest day at all levels. The rest day will be the middle of the exam week on a Wednesday.
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Will E-Assessment papers be based on the current syllabus?
Yes. All E-Assessment exams will be based only on the examinable topics in the current competency statement. The competency statements are published on our website on the relevant level page.
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Can the student have spare paper in the exam room for calculations in a closed book exam?
Students sitting a closed book exam (all subjects at CAP1 and CAP2 Taxation II ROI/NI) will be permitted to have 5 sheets of blank paper only in the test environment for rough work calculations and no extra paper is permitted.
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I wish to apply for Reasonable accommodation for my E-Assessments how do I do this?
Any student who wishes to apply for Reasonable accommodation to sit my exams should contact the Disability officer as soon as possible and provide them with details of your application and also provide the required original supporting evidence.
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Will exam halls be made available by the Institute for students who prefer to be in the presence of an invigilator (adept at calming students who suffer panic attacks, etc.)?
No. Available research says that candidates are less anxious by doing their exams at home or other familiar environment. Should an unexpected event take place the on-line invigilator will contact the student. Students can communicate with the online invigilator through the ‘Blue Owl Icon’ at the top of their screen or use the chat box during an exam. Institute staff will engage with the invigilator as needed and there will be a video record available.
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How long will student scripts and videos of the exams be retained?
Retention of exam material (scripts and video) will comply with our standard GDPR policy.
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Is the new exam platform compliant with GDPR requirements?
Yes. The systems have been externally checked to confirm GDPR compliance and the Institute has undertaken its own due diligence on this. All data retention (including video) is compliant with the Institute’s data privacy policies. A copy of the Data Privacy Policy can be viewed. You can also view the Privacy statement on our website.
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Can the rules on sharing information with firms be extended to where the initial course fees are paid by the employer, both for first sittings and repeats, rather than being tied to the term of the training contract?
No, there will be no change to these rules on sharing information due to GDPR requirements.
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Will the firm have access to the ProctorU (invigilator) exam recording?
The firm may be shown the exam recording if Chartered Accountants Ireland believes there is a valid case of cheating or improper conduct by the student during the exam. However, in the normal course of events the exam recording will not be viewed by anyone and only be retained for 15 days and will then be destroyed in accordance with Institute's data retention policy.
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I have read all of the E-Assessment information and I have a question what do I do?
If after viewing all of the video's and the FAQ's in relation to E-Assessment and you still have a question please contact the relevant examination executive who will be able to assist you with any queries you might have.
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Can I open Microsoft Word or Excel during my exam to copy and paste calculations?
No, students cannot open any external Microsoft Word Documents , PDF or Excel (that are not on the exam platform) while in the exam. If they do they will be asked by the online invigilator to close them and this will be flagged. Students can bring in blank paper to write calculations and then transcribe to the exam platform.