ICAN exam structure
27 papers across 6 levels, sat in order. Each paper below links to its full syllabus with the examinable weighting of every topic.
1. Foundation4 papers
The entry level. Examined by objective questions answered on screen, so recall and speed matter more than written argument.
- Business EnvironmentHeaviest area: Business Processes and Environment (25%) · 130 past questions
- Financial AccountingHeaviest area: Accounting for Transactions in Financial Statements (20%) · 129 past questions
- Management AccountingHeaviest area: Costing Methods and Techniques (20%) · 128 past questions
- Corporate and Business LawHeaviest area: Laws of Commercial Transactions (35%) · 129 past questions
2. ATSWA Part I4 papers
- Basic AccountingHeaviest area: Accounting processes (20%) · 167 past questions
- EconomicsHeaviest area: Theory of production (15%) · 168 past questions
- Business LawHeaviest area: Law of business associations (25%) · 168 past questions
- Communication SkillsHeaviest area: Practical application of communication skills (60%) · 132 past questions
3. Skills6 papers
The middle level, and the first written by hand. Answers are marked on the reasoning as much as the conclusion, so setting out the principle and its application earns marks a bare figure does not.
- Financial ReportingHeaviest area: Preparing and Presenting Financial Statements of a Simple Group (Parent, a Subsidiary and an Associate) (20%) · 36 past questions
- Audit, Assurance and ForensicsHeaviest area: Gathering Evidence and Audit Report (25%) · 57 past questions
- TaxationHeaviest area: Companies Income Tax (30%) · 55 past questions
- Financial ManagementHeaviest area: Investment Appraisal (25%) · 28 past questions
- Performance ManagementHeaviest area: Decision Making Techniques (25%) · 37 past questions
- Public Sector Accounting and FinanceHeaviest area: Report and Audit (20%) · 56 past questions
4. ATSWA Part II4 papers
- Financial AccountingHeaviest area: Preparation, presentation and interpretation of non-complex financial statements of corporate and non-corporate entities (25%) · 168 past questions
- Public Sector AccountingHeaviest area: Public sector accounting and financial reporting (45%) · 166 past questions
- Quantitative AnalysisHeaviest area: Statistics (40%) · 167 past questions
- Information TechnologyHeaviest area: Systems development, security and issues in management of information (18%) · 168 past questions
5. Professional5 papers
The final level. Written by hand, heavier on judgement than computation, and assuming everything from the levels below it.
- Strategic Business ReportingHeaviest area: Group Financial Statements (30%) · 50 past questions
- Advanced Audit, Assurance and ForensicsHeaviest area: Planning and Undertaking Audit Work (30%) · 21 past questions
- Strategic Financial ManagementHeaviest area: Advanced Investment Appraisal (30%) · 21 past questions
- Advanced TaxationHeaviest area: Taxation of Companies and Investment Income (35%) · 28 past questions
- Case StudyHeaviest area: Scenario Requirements (26%) · 31 past questions
6. ATSWA Part III4 papers
- Principles of Auditing & AssuranceHeaviest area: Meaning of auditing, legal framework, regulations, and theory (20%) · 168 past questions
- Cost AccountingHeaviest area: Elements of cost (25%) · 167 past questions
- TaxationHeaviest area: Personal income tax (PIT) (20%) · 168 past questions
- ManagementHeaviest area: Organic business functions (16%) · 168 past questions
Why the order matters
The levels build on each other by design. Advanced Taxation assumes Taxation; Strategic Business Reporting assumes Financial Reporting; Advanced Audit assumes Audit, Assurance and Forensics. Attempting a Professional paper without the Skills paper beneath it means carrying two syllabuses at once, under the pressure of the harder one.