TPS exam guidance
Follow our step-by-step guide to get ready for your TPS exams.
All TPS-level exams (including mocks) are conducted through the Cirrus online platform using remote invigilation.
To make sure you’re fully prepared, and help remove some of the stress, we’ve explained how it works and what you must do to get ready for exam day.
Please read through all the guidance below to understand what happens when, and what you need to do when.
(If you’ve been here before and are looking for something specific, click a link to jump to a section).
- How to book an exam
- What to do (at least) one week before your exam
- What to do 72 hours before your exam
- What happens on exam day
- What happens after the exam
- Useful links
How to book an exam
Upcoming exams are available to book on Timetabler when the booking window opens. You’ll find more information and details of the latest exam dates here.
What to do (at least) one week before your exam
1. Watch our video guides
Cirrus user guide
Proctorio invigilation tutorial
2. Prepare what you’ll need to sit your exam
- A quiet, private and enclosed room/location with a desk and comfortable chair.
- A working PC or laptop with an embedded web cam and microphone. (You can only use one screen, either the laptop or an extension monitor. If you choose to use an external monitor, you'll also need an external webcam, keyboard and mouse.)
- A power connection for your laptop.
- A stable internet connection (ideally for your sole use during the exam).
- 2GB of free RAM for the proctoring software to run properly. (Close any applications that you don’t need.)
- Chrome set as the default web browser on the PC/laptop you’ll be using.
- This Chrome plug-in downloaded to the PC/laptop you’ll be using.
- The MS Teams app (or browser version) on the PC/laptop you’ll be using. (If using the app, download and install it before the day of your first exam.)
- If using a work laptop, your IT department may need to whitelist the following URL: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/proctorio/fpmapakogndmenjcfoajifaaonnkpkei.
- Photo ID, such as a driving license, passport or biometric national ID card. (The ID must be current and contain a photo and signature. Photocopies or digital copies won’t be accepted.)
3. Take the onboarding test
Log in to Cirrus and take the Essential Onboarding Test. It will show you how the platform works and what to expect on exam day. You will also be able to check the remote invigilation software, Proctorio, and ensure it's compatible with your device. You can take the test as many times as you like, and should do so at least once before every exam diet.
You’ll find it in your Cirrus dashboard approximately one week before your first exam.
4. Access your exam Teams
For each exam diet we’ll add you to a dedicated MS Teams, with two channels:
- Announcements: this is where we’ll confirm the start time, send you important updates, reminders and links to key guidance ahead of your exam(s).
- General: this is where you can ask us pre-exam questions and contact us with issues. (Before posting a question, please thoroughly read all the guidance on this page and in the Announcements channel.)
When logging in to Teams, use your @student.icas.com email and its password, and remember to turn on all notifications.
We’ll add you to the Teams approximately one week before your first exam. Please note that it’s your responsibility to ensure you’ve been added and get in touch with us if not.
5. Read our exam T&Cs
Please make sure you’ve read our exam Terms & Conditions and the associated policies before sitting your first exam.
6. Review your reasonable adjustments
If you’ve been awarded exam adjustments, the details of your application and the exam timings will be emailed to you no later than 2 working days before your exam. If you don’t receive these and believe that adjustments should be applied to your exam profile, please contact students@icas.com as a matter of urgency.
For short-notice requests within the 15 days before your exam, please contact us as soon as possible on 0131 347 0100 and we'll do our best to help.
What to do 72 hours before your exam
1. Re-watch our video guides
If you haven’t already, watch our video guides, or watch them again to refresh your memory. You can’t be too prepared.
2. Check your exam Team
Make sure you’ve been added to your exam Team and get in touch with us if not. That’s where we’ll confirm the start time, share key updates and where you can ask pre-exam questions.
3. Check your Cirrus dashboard
Log in to Cirrus, check your dashboard contains all the exams you’ve booked and get in touch with us if not. You'll gain access to your exams on Cirrus at least 72 hours before your first exam. Will keep you updated on the exam Teams' Announcements channel.
4. Read the invigilation guide
From looking at your wrists to vaping, learn the behaviours that online invigilators look out for and you should avoid during the exam.
5. Get help with pre-exam stress
It’s only natural to feel stressed in the run up to an exam. It’s just your brain and body’s way of reminding you to prepare for the day. Watch our video to learn more about ways to cope with exam stress. And if you’re really struggling, our Student Assistance Programme has a free 24-7 helpline with BACP-accredited counsellors.
What happens on exam day
Watch our video guide, and read through the information below, to discover everything that happens on exam day, from what you're allowed to bring, to how to conduct the room scan.
Get your ID ready
Remember, you’ll need to show valid photo ID, such as a driving license, passport or biometric national ID card. If your webcam struggles to focus on your ID during the Cirrus checks, ensure the room is sufficiently lit. If that doesn't fix the problem, take the best picture possible. If necessary, we'll contact you after the exam for further verification.
Know what you can bring
Your permitted materials, a clock or stopwatch, ear plugs or ear defenders. You can bring food and drink if the food is in a clear container or bag and it must be shown to the camera at the start of the exam.
Your permitted materials
The exam is open book, so you can use any materials you think may be helpful. Materials can be paper copies or downloaded digital copies. You are not allowed to access the internet (including myCABLE) to view materials or information. Please download and save any material to your computer before the exam.
Know what you can’t bring
Headphones, earbuds/pods and smart watches/devices are not allowed. Articles of clothing that cover your head are also not allowed. Religious head coverings are permitted.
Switch off your phone
Switch off your phone and put it out of reach.
Log off your VPN
You will be unable to access Proctorio and Cirrus if your device is connected to your VPN.
Log in to Cirrus 15 minutes before the start time
Your exam times will be posted in your exam Teams in the week before your first exam.
You should log into Cirrus and click the link to access the exam up to 15 minutes before the start time. This extra time is to allow you to print the exam paper (should you choose to do so) and to conduct the room scan. However, you won’t be able to start the exam until the stated start time.
You can email the paper to yourself on another device for printing in another room. You should take no longer than 5 minutes to print the paper. Once the exam paper has been released and you have downloaded or printed it – you must sit at your desk in exam conditions and wait for the exam to start. You must not read any notes.
Starting the exam
At the stated exam start time, click 'start assessment' in Cirrus to begin.
Don’t be late. Failure to log in at the start time may result in you being unable to sit the exam.
If you’ve been awarded a time-based reasonable adjustment, we’ll email you in advance with your individual start time.
Enter your responses directly into Cirrus
You must type your responses directly into Cirrus. Only content entered directly into Cirrus will be marked.
Your response can’t be embedded as an image, screenshot or snip. This will not be marked, and you will receive a ‘0’ for this part of the paper.
Copying and pasting Excel content
This shouldn’t be confused with assessment tasks that may involve you ‘copying and pasting’ content from Excel into Cirrus. This is allowed, but can’t be embedded as an image, screenshot or snip.
There are no marks for presentation at TPS. Marks are only allocated for content. There are no marks available for formatting, colour, shading or any other presentation aspect. Please don’t worry if formatting is lost when copying and pasting content.
If graphs are required as part of your response, they need to be uploaded as an Excel sheet. Some SFM and FINREP questions may also ask you to submit an Excel sheet as part of your response. The question will let you know when this is needed.
Using Word templates
If you’re using templates created in Word, these should be transferred to Cirrus immediately. You should complete the assessment, using your template, in the Cirrus assessment platform.
Taking bathroom breaks
If you need to take a bathroom break, raise your hand to the camera and say, “bathroom break”. Your break should take no longer than 5 minutes.
Mandatory wellbeing break
During the exam there is also a mandatory 15-minute wellbeing break. This must be taken at some point during the exam. It’s up to you when to take the break. When you decide to do so, raise your hand and say, “15-minute break”. This break must be taken in a single block (i.e., you cannot take three 5-minute breaks). During this break you must remain in full view of the camera and you cannot read your exam paper or type into your exam script. If you wish to get up from your chair to stretch or exercise this must be done in full view of the camera.
Keep check of time
Once you’ve clicked ‘start assessment’ the clock in Cirrus keeps track of your available time. This time includes the 15-minute wellbeing break, so you must stop to take that break at some point during your exam.
There will be no upload window at the end of your exam. Everything that you wish to be submitted and marked as part of your exam must be typed into Cirrus (as detailed above) by the end of the time.
Completing the exam
When you have entered all your responses and are happy with them you can click ‘submit assessment’ to end the exam and submit your responses.
Alternatively, when the time on the clock expires, Cirrus will auto-submit your responses.
Please note that once your responses have been submitted, they are final and can’t be changed.
Once your reponses have been submitted you can close the Cirrus window.
How to deal with issues during your exam
Please follow these steps if you experience an issue during your exam:
- Raise the issue by writing a new post in the General channel of your exam Team.
- Stay calm. We’ll aim to investigate and resolve the issue as quickly as possible to get you up and running with no loss of exam time.
- Check the Announcements channel in your exam Teams for further information and follow any instructions carefully.
- If the issue is individual to you, complete a Special Considerations form (see below).
- If the issue has affected everyone sitting the exam, we’ll report it to the Special Considerations and Extenuating Circumstances Panel, who’ll consider it when reviewing marks.
What happens after the exam
Applying for a Special Consideration
A Special Consideration can be applied after an exam and relates to an unforeseen and temporary experience that’s impacted your performance during the exam. A link to the Special Consideration form will be posted in the General channel of your exam Teams at the end of the exam, and you can apply from then until 12:00am 3 days later.
Getting your results
Results dates can be found in our yearly planner and your results will be emailed to you by 10a.m. on the relevant date. (Please note that we don’t give out exam results over the phone.)
Appealing your results
Our Appeals Policy has full information on the rules governing appeals and how to apply.