Pre-class guide
Read our short guide to help you get prepared for class.
About to begin your CA studies? Below you’ll find some essential information to help get you started.
(Remember, to access some of the online resources mentioned below you’ll need to log in using your icas.com email address and the password you created for it.)
Blended learning
Classes are currently delivered through a blend of face-to-face lectures, live online lectures and directed self-study using our virtual learning environment Advantage (see below), and a range of additional online resources and tutor support.
Advantage
Advantage, which stands for my CA Blended Learning Environment, is our virtual learning environment. It’s the place to find course materials and online resources, key documents, announcements and discussion boards. This is also home to our essential pre-course briefings and guides making it the best place to get started with your ICAS studies.
Online classes
Our online classes are conducted using Microsoft Teams. We’ll send an email inviting you to your relevant Teams class. It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with Teams and carry out checks to ensure your system is set up correctly before your classes start. You can find user training on Microsoft Teams’ help pages and for technical help please contact us at onlinelearning@icas.com.
ICAS Students being taught by our training partner BPP will use Adobe Connect for online learning and will be contacted by BPP directly.
Timetables
All your class timetables are easily accessed through the online platform Timetabler. Timetables are normally made available approximately one week before your classes are due to start.
Syllabus
Our CA syllabus is structured to deliver the skills and knowledge to succeed in business and beyond, today and in the future. The three stages, Test of Competence (TC), Test of Professional Skills (TPS) and Test of Professional Expertise (TPE) are complemented by a requirement to record your Relevant Practical Experience (RPE) in an Achievement Log (see below).
Achievement Log
Our CA qualification is a highly practical one, which is why, along with your studies, you also have a requirement to complete an Achievement Log by recording the Relevant Practical Experience (RPE) you gain in the workplace. Your log should be signed off every year by your firm and it will need to have been completed before you can qualify as a CA.
Student Handbook
Our CA Student Handbook is full of useful information you will need to refer to from time to time during your training. There’s everything from the rules relating to attendance and exams to the code of conduct you’re required to follow.
Reasonable adjustments
As a result of disabilities (permanent or temporary) or learning difficulties, some Students will require reasonable adjustments to how we provide learning and assessment during their CA learning journey. You can apply, submit supporting evidence and manage existing adjustments through our online portal. For a permanent or long-standing disability, illness or special-needs consideration, please submit your application when you first enrol for an education programme, examination or assessment.
Your icas.com email address
We provide all ICAS Students with a personal student.icas.com email address. You’ll need this email, and the password you create for it, to access many of the online tools and resources that are essential to your learning. It’s also your main point of contact for ICAS: you’ll also need to use it when getting in touch with us, and we’ll send all essential updates and information to that address.
Contacting ICAS
If you need help with anything and can’t find the information you need on our website or the ICAS help centre, please email us at students@icas.com and remember to use your icas.com email address when you do. Alternatively, you can call us Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0131 347 0100.
All your CA Student resources
More information and links to all resources mentioned above, and everything else you’ll need throughout your training, can be found on our CA Student pages: