What is E-Assessment?

E-Assessment means you will be sitting your exams online fully invigilated/recorded 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. This laptop must have a working camera and microphone and be connected to a stable and strong internet connection.  The use of an external mouse, keyboard, number pad or monitor is not permitted (this includes USB and blue-tooth devices).  Chartered Accountants Ireland will not be running Exam halls, therefore all students must source 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.

What specifications are needed to sit the exam?

In general, most laptops will meet the required specification, as long as they have a working webcam, microphone and sufficient internet connection. Students can test their laptop in advance of their exam sitting using the "Test it Out" process. The preferred browser is Google Chrome or Firefox (students should not use Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge as they are not supported).  The student must ensure they are using the current version of their browser and have downloaded the ProctorU Chrome extension. 

How can I check my equipment using "Test it out" before my exam sitting?

Students can only test their equipment once they have received their exam time slot (for CAP1 Management Accounting Interim Assessment, CAP2 Financial Reporting Interim Assessment, FAE AAFRP and main exams at all levels). Students will receive their time slot for these exams approx. 2 weeks before the exam day. Students should not try to create a ProctorU profile. Once the student clicks on the exam link, which will be visible on the student portal on the ‘My Enrolments’ page, they will be automatically re-directed to their ProctorU dashboard. Here students can test out their equipment in advance of their exam sitting.

Before receiving their exam slot, students can check their camera and microphone are working by using settings on their laptop and check their internet by doing an internet speed check. 

What if a student does not have sufficient internet?

Given the low internet speed requirements (circa 3 Mbps upload / 12 Mbps download speed) it will be very rare that a student will have insufficient internet speeds. If a student has a concern about their internet speed, the student could ask all other members of their household to remain off the internet if possible, during their exam. Students may need to investigate the possibility of sitting in a different location where the internet speed meets the requirements. As a last resort, however not recommended as this can be unstable, students can use ‘Mobile Hotspot’ to connect. Students should also ensure that they test their equipment in advance of the exam day so that any issues may be identified in advance.

Where is the best location to sit my exam?

Students are recommended to sit their exams at home. Students are required to sit in a private, quiet and well-lit area. There should be no-one else in the same room / area as the student during the exam. Students should place a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door to prevent interruptions. If a person enters the room, the exam may be voided due to a breach of exam rules. The student’s workspace must be clear of unauthorised materials. The student must check if the examination scheduled is an open book or closed book examination before the exam begins.

Can a student complete the exam on their office laptop?

We have been working with the IT Departments of most of the major Training Firms. Students should check in with their IT Departments in advance of sitting 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 of their sitting, as this may cause a Firewall/security issue on exam day. The network being used should not contain 'Firewalls'. Firewalls may prevent the ProctorU invigilation extension or the camera on the laptop from working. Check with your I.T department to ensure these will not cause issues on the day of the exam. Students must ensure that they are disconnected from VPN before starting the onboarding process. 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.

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 and in-date I.D. (i.e. Driving licence, passport, Government issued I.D.). The name on the I.D. must match exactly the name you have registered under on your student portal. If you have any issues in relation to your I.D., please contact the relevant examination executive as soon as possible in advance of exam day. Students who fail to produce the correct I.D. on the day of the exam will not be permitted to sit and this will be counted as an attempt. Accepted forms of I.D. can be found on the ‘How to get started’ page

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 are additional video tutorials and screenshots available on the E-Assessment microsite.

How can I prepare for my exams?

Along with the course material, video tutorials and screenshots students will be given access to practice exam papers and are strongly encouraged to attempt at least 1 Practice Paper before sitting their interim assessment and main exams. As part of their course, students will be able to sit a mock exam in advance of the main exam sitting. Please contact the relevant course co-ordinator for more information.

Will all exams sat on E-Assessment be based on the current syllabus?

Yes. All exams sat on E-Assessment 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.

Will students have access to the exam platform before they sit their Interim assessments and main exams?

Students will have access to practice papers in advance of their interim assessment and main exam sitting, the timetable for when the practice papers will be available on the Chartered Accountants website under the relevant level.  Videos and the practice papers themselves are available to students on the E-Assessment microsite.

What is the overall exam time for each of my exams?

CAP1:

On demand exams – DEBK & Law (ROI & NI) – 90 mins

MA IA – 90 mins

Main exams – 3 hours

CAP2:

FR IA- 90 mins

Main exams – 3 hours 50 mins (includes reading time)

FAE:

AAFRP: 130 mins

Main exams: 4 hours 30 mins (includes reading time)

Will I still be allowed reading time in my exams?

Total exam timings at CAP2 and FAE 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.  Students may take notes throughout their exam.  For all students sitting closed book exams you are permitted to have 5 individual sheets of blank paper only. For the CAP1 Law exam, students are not permitted to have any paper or pen in the exam environment. For students sitting open book exams you can have unlimited paper.

Can I highlight the exam questions or section text on E-Assessment?

No, the highlighting functionality will not be available for any exams. Students may however take notes throughout their exam, with the exception of CAP1 Law, using the permitted number of blank sheets. We strongly recommend that students fully engage with the practice papers provided to them to assist with their exam technique.

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.

Are CAP2 and FAE exams open book, does this include the CAP2 Taxation exams?

Yes, all CAP2 and FAE exams will be sat as open book. This is a slight change from previous years, whereby the CAP2 Taxation exam was a closed book exam, this exam is now open book.  However, the FR IA still remains a closed book exam.

I am an FAE student, do I need to complete and executive summary?

If students decide to do an executive summary, then they can do so at the start of the first question for SIM1 and the first question for SIM2. However, it is not required to be comprehensive as no marks will be awarded for an executive summary. A line for each question is more than sufficient. The same applies at Core, if students decide to do an executive summary, they should do so at the start of question 1. 

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.

Will exam halls be made available by the Institute for students who prefer to sit in an exam hall?

No. Due to the ongoing pandemic (Covid-19), restrictions and current health advice, all exams will continue to be sat on the E-Assessment platform.

Is there a rest day at all levels?

Yes, as all exams continue to be hosted on E-Assessment, there is a rest day scheduled at all levels. The rest day will be on a Wednesday.

Will students be allowed extra time in the exam to type their answers, can students print out the exam paper?

No, the exams have been set using all of our normal rigorous procedures. The exams 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.

What is on-boarding and do I need to have any other equipment in the room?

The on-boarding process is where a student accesses ProctorU through their student portal. Using the exam link on the ‘My Enrolments’ page, they will be re-directed to their ProctorU dashboard. On exam day, at their scheduled time, students will click the ‘Start session’ button on their ProctorU dashboard.

Students will then complete the required security checks and during that time, must ensure their laptop speaker is un-muted and remains so at all times. The camera must be switched on and remain on until the submission of the exam. The valid and in date I.D. must be ready on the workspace. Students will be required to take a photo of this when prompted. The student must ensure their whole face is within the camera view at all times during the onboarding phase and throughout the exam. Students must not tilt their laptop screen, as this will change the camera angle. Students are reminded that they should have a reflective surface i.e. mirror in the room with them on each exam day in case required, if requested, to do a room scan.

How do I prepare my equipment in advance of exam day?

The student must ensure they are using the current version of their browser and have downloaded the ProctorU Chrome extension . The preferred internet browser is Google Chrome (students should not use Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge as they are not supported). 

Students must ensure there is sufficient RAM on their laptop. RAM is the speedy short-term memory it uses for running applications and opening files. To check your RAM- In the search bar type ‘About your PC’. Under ‘Device Specifications’ you will see a line named “Installed RAM” and this will tell you how much you currently have. Recommended RAM usage should be below 70% usage / 16 GB. If it exceeds this, students may have to delete some running applications.

Students must ensure there is no updates scheduled to be run during the exam time and should complete a full virus check. To complete the virus check, students should go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security. To perform an anti-malware scan, click “Virus & threat protection.” Click “Quick Scan” to scan the system for malware. Windows Security will perform a scan and give you the results.

Students should complete an internet speed check. The recommended requirements are circa 3 Mbps upload / 12 Mbps download speed.

Both camera and microphone must be working in order to sit E-Assessment exams. The network being used should not contain 'Firewalls'. Firewalls may prevent the ProctorU invigilation extension or the camera on the laptop/desktop from working. Check with your I.T department to ensure these will not cause issues on the day of the exam. Students should avoid using 'Guest Wi-Fi networks, as this may cause the Firewall issue.

Students should prepare the environment in which they plan to take their exam. The area should be quiet and adequately lit. The student’s workspace must be clear of unauthorised materials. The student must check if the examination scheduled is an open book or closed book examination before the exam begins. The student must ensure the location is free from interruptions.

Can I use a second screen/laptop to view the questions and answers simultaneously, what else is not permitted?

No, students are not permitted to use additional screens, laptops or any type of additional mouse, keyboard, number keypad or anything that needs to be attached to the laptop by USB or Bluetooth. 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. 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 laptop speakers should be un-muted at all times during the exam. Students should be in view of the camera at all times and ensure the camera is switched on from the start of onboarding until the completion and submission of the exam. 

N.B Should a student attempt to use a second screen, laptops or any type of additional mouse, keyboard, number keypad or anything that needs to be attached to the laptop by USB or Bluetooth a report may be made to the Exam Committee. 

What do I do on the day of the exam?

On exam day, students should log in to their student portal, click the relevant exam link and they will be re-directed to their ProctorU dashboard. Please do not attempt to log on before your allocated time slot. 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.

You will need to take a clear picture showing all of your I.D. Once you have passed all security checks you will then be transferred to begin your exam. The page the student will be re-directed to is the Cirrus exam introduction page, this page contains the breakdown of the exam paper and students are permitted to take notes.

N.B. Students are reminded, that once they reach the exam introduction page, they must remain seated at their workspace, they can take notes and then they must begin their exam immediately. Any unnecessary delays maybe reported to the relevant Exam Committee.  

What happens if a student cannot log into a particular exam?

In practice 99.9% of students are able to resolve any technical issues. A practice on-boarding session is provided for students in advance of the main exams. The purpose of these sessions is to identify and troubleshoot with students any issues that may arise. Technical support will be able to resolve most issues.

If a student experiences issues on exam day and has not availed of the opportunity of the practice onboarding or has not completed/ passed the ‘Test it out’ in advance of exam day, technical support will work with the student to solve the issues. Students are reminded it is the student’s responsibility to present on exam day with working/functional equipment, including internet.

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.

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. Students should have the ProctorU Direct chat link open if they encounter an issue on exam day. As per normal the examination executive in Chartered Accountants Ireland will be available by phone or email to assist with students if necessary.  Students should only have one Direct chat link open, as opening multiple chats will cause a delay in resolving the issue(s).

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 (Jigsaw piece 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. No exam responses are lost in this situation, the system will have been paused and will remember all of the work the student completed up until the point where they got disconnected. The exam timer will not be paused.

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 their exam. The mobile must be kept out of reach and on silent/vibrate. The reason for being allowed to have your mobile phone in the room with you and on silent/vibrate, is in case ProctorU's technical support or the Exam Executive need to contact you. Please ensure the mobile number on your student profile is correct.

Can students bring a dictionary into the exam?

Yes, students can bring an English-to-English dictionary into the exam. Students must show and hold the dictionary to the screen/camera showing the cover and go through the pages to show there is nothing inside.

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 individual sheets of blank paper (which both sides must be shown to the screen to ensure it is blank) to be used for calculations only and no additional pages are permitted, a non-programmable calculator and your ID only. Please note for the Law exam, no materials are permitted with the exception of an English-to-English dictionary. 

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.

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.

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, therefore students should input their workings on the E-Assessment platform with the same amount of detail that they would for a paper script.

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 attempt to do so, they will be reported to the Exam Committee. Students can bring in blank paper to write calculations and then transcribe to the exam platform. 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, Notepad, Excel or Word.

What is to prevent someone from cheating during the exam?

The exams on E-Assessment are invigilated and recorded.

As part of the onboarding process, students must ensure that they do not have any books during a closed book exam and also ensure there is no one else in the room with them. 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, Excel or Word. 

N.B  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 laptop is shared, running in a virtual machine or if any unpermitted resources are open on the desktop. If a student 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 and their firm if in a training contract.

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 ProctorU, 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, these attempts will be recorded, reviewed, their exam will be terminated, and a report (and video) will be provided to the examination committee and their firm if in a training contract.

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 does not need to wait for a response for permission to leave. The students’ mobile phone must remain in the exam environment. 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 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.

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 that have been granted by the Disability Office, within the platform or otherwise. Students must still follow the current reasonable accommodation policies and procedures.  Students are advised to contact the Disability officer in relation to their circumstances should they have any further questions. 

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Will the firm have access to the ProctorU (invigilator) exam recordings?

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.