Whether you’re about to start your first module or your last, you could probably benefit from a few tips on succeeding in the Chartered Accountants Program.

For most candidates, the Chartered Accountants Program is without doubt an intense, challenging period of life. For the average candidate, it is the first time they have had to juggle postgraduate study, work pressures and social commitments.

So, how do you maximise your chance of success with all aspects of your life? You need to plan for success by allocating your time to life’s demands. Below are some suggestions for you to consider:

• Manage your time – we suggest you set aside 10 hours per week to study. The time required to study, combined with your work and personal commitments, requires careful management. Remember that you can be flexible but you will have to stick to your plan.



• Forecast demands – discuss upcoming commitments with your employer so that you can accommodate times of increased workload with key dates for your study such as extension projects etc



• Have a documented study plan ready to go at the commencement of the module and keep it up to date as things change. Go to myCA to access a study plan template.



• If the module is not an area that you are as familiar with then you will need to allocate more time to study - this may exceed the 120 to 140 hour range. To help you judge your level of required knowledge, prior to enrolling into the module, you should self-assess to see whether you need to do additional research. For example, use the pre-module test and check your assumed knowledge and identify areas that you will need to review or refresh prior to starting the module. To access these tests, go to myCA >CA Program >Pre-Module tests.



• Make contact with other candidates. You can build your network by:
• Linking with past or current candidates at your workplace
• Posting messages on myCA to form a study group
• Asking candidates in your focus session to form a study group.



• Work through past exam questions. If working through a whole paper seems a bit too daunting, it's a good idea to select some questions. The aim of this is to refine your exam technique rather than an emphasis on your technical knowledge and application. Review the examiner’s feedback to ensure you don’t make the common mistakes identified from the last exam. Copies of the two most recent past exam papers for the module are provided at the end of your CLP.

To maximise the chances of a satisfactory result in your exam, start your preparation now!
Need more help? An excellent starting point is the Planning you study chapter located at the beginning of your CLP.