The objective of the Final Admitting Examination (FAE) is to assess candidates’ total competency.  With the cumulative principle, the FAE education programme is designed to integrate the knowledge, skills and values derived from earlier studies and the work environment.

FAE is broken down into two elements known as FAE Core and FAE Elective. With the cumulative principle, what you learned at CAP1 and CAP2 will be expanded in FAE.

The following course completion criteria are applicable for the 2024/2025 academic year:
“All seven integrated case study workshops within FAE Core education programme are deemed mandatory sessions  with full attendance and engagement expected. The specific online workshops are: Boyne, Claddagh, Finn, Lagan, Lee, Liffey and Shannon”.

Integrated case study workshops provide an environment for students to hone their skills of analysis and application which are critical to success in the FAE examinations.Students who are absent from more than two of the above workshops will be deemed to have not successfully completed the FAE Programme and consequently become ineligible to sit the FAE examination in the 2024/2025 academic cycle.

FAE is broken down into two elements known as FAE Core and FAE Elective.

IOB membership for the Financial Services Elective

FAE runs, thanks to its online only format, across the island of Ireland. Timetables will be available on the student portal closer to course commencement date

Within FAE Core, the education programme gives students a blend of single and multidisciplinary case-based teaching.

Online learning is a good way for students to organise their studies around their work, social or family commitments in a structured, supported environment. Chartered Accountants Ireland is committed to ensuring students achieve success by providing comprehensive materials, online resources, and ensuring that individual support is available. Students who have proven themselves to be self-motivated, disciplined and committed enough to take responsibility for their own learning will benefit most from this course.

The FAE examination is very different to exams previously sat. The case studies give no specific requirements, there are no specific mark allocations and subjects are not examined in the single discipline. FAE assumes your knowledge and tests your understanding and application of that knowledge in a real business-type scenario. FAE expects students to think like a professional, in an integrated manner, and give the professional analysis and advice expected of a chartered accountant.

The FAE exam contains two elements:

FAE Core: FAE core comprehensive

FAE Elective: One of the electives detailed below must be completed.

• Advanced Auditing and Assurance
• Advanced Taxation (ROI/NI)
• Advisory
•  Financial Services
•  Public Sector

Completion of the Advanced Auditing and Assurance elective is a pre-requisite for gaining an audit qualification. Electives are also available for completion post-FAE, as CPD.