Study notes built specifically for CAI FAE and CAP2 exam preparation.
What Sets These Apart
How these notes are different
Comprehensive coverage, exam-focused structure
The notes cover every topic that could be examined. But they are condensed, structured
for application, and designed to save you from spending weeks working through the full
syllabus unaided. The concepts are explained and shown in the context of how they are
used in an exam setting, often with practical examples.
Structured for efficient revision
The notes are designed to reduce the time you spend figuring out what matters. No
padding. No repetition. The structure is built for revision in the weeks before the
exam, not for reading from cover to cover.
Exam-specific, not general accountancy
These notes are built around the CAI FAE and CAP2 syllabi specifically. The framing,
the emphasis, and the examples are all oriented toward what the CAI examines — not
general IFRS knowledge or broad accountancy theory.
Substantial free samples — decide before you buy
We provide approximately 10% of each set of notes as a free sample — typically 30–45 pages.
This is deliberate: students should be able to assess the quality, structure, and usefulness
of the notes before purchasing.
View samples →
Behind the Notes
Who's behind ACA Notes
ACA Notes was created by a team of chartered accountants with direct experience of the
FAE examination process. The team identified the gap between the study resources available
and what the exams actually test, and built the notes they wished had existed.
The notes have been refined through feedback from students across multiple exam sittings,
and updated to reflect current syllabus requirements and examination approaches. With
approximately six people behind the business, ACA Notes is a professional, team-built
offering — not a side project.
What Students Say
Student outcomes
Trusted by over 900 CAI students across FAE and CAP2.
Rikki T.
FAE Core · Summer 2025
"I honestly found FAE Core so hard to get my head around at the start because it covers such a mix of topics. These notes made it all feel a lot more manageable. They helped me tie together strategy, leadership, risk, sustainability and the data side of things in a way that actually stuck."
Shauna C.
FAE Auditing & Assurance · Summer 2025
"I always found Audit hard to revise because it feels like one of those subjects where the detail can bury you. These notes helped me cut through that. Once I had everything laid out properly, that was half the battle won."
Connor D.
FAE Taxation (ROI) · Summer 2025
"Tax was probably the subject I dreaded most because there is just so much in it and it is easy to get overwhelmed fast. These notes made it feel a lot more manageable. I could actually work through the topics properly instead of constantly feeling like I was behind."
Neil N.
FAE Advisory · Summer 2025
"What helped me most was that the notes pushed me to think commercially. With Advisory, it is easy to stay too theoretical, but these made me focus more on the business angle and what the recommendation should actually be based on."
Eric A.
FAE Financial Services · Autumn 2025
"FS can get overwhelming fast because there is such a wide range of material in it. These notes helped me bring it all together, especially around funds, regulation, lending, credit risk and AML. I stopped feeling like I was revising separate mini-subjects and started seeing how it all fits."
Glen O.
CAP2 Taxation (ROI) · Summer 2025
"CAP 2 Tax was one of those subjects where I kept feeling busy without feeling confident. These notes helped fix that. They gave me a much clearer handle on the core areas and made revision feel more productive."
Matty F.
FAE Core · Summer 2025
"I used these notes when I was struggling to bring my answers up to FAE standard. They helped me think more commercially and link different parts of the syllabus together instead of treating everything as separate topics. The real world examples were really great too."
Ella N.
FAE Auditing & Assurance · Summer 2025
"I was not looking for anything fancy, I just wanted notes that would actually help me answer Audit questions better. These did that. They made it easier to understand what the examiner is really looking for instead of just learning procedures off by heart."
Peter M.
FAE Taxation (ROI) · Summer 2025
"I found these especially useful when I was trying to improve how I approached tax scenarios. Before that, I would panic a bit when a question mixed different taxes or brought in planning points. The notes helped me think in a much clearer and more organised way."
Aoife C.
FAE Advisory · Summer 2025
"I actually enjoyed Advisory, but I found it hard to know what a strong answer was supposed to look like. These notes helped a lot with that. They made topics like strategy, investment decisions, expansion and performance measurement feel more practical and easier to apply."
Andrew P.
FAE Financial Services · Summer 2025
"I found these really helpful because they made a specialist elective feel far more approachable. The topics can sound very dense at first, but the notes explained them in a way that felt clear and relevant."
Eoin B.
CAP2 Taxation (ROI) · Summer 2024
"I found the notes really helpful because they explained things in a straightforward way. With tax, once you start confusing one rule with another, it can unravel quickly. These helped me keep the different taxes separate in my head and build up confidence properly."
James B M.
FAE Core · Summer 2025
"What I liked most was that the notes did not feel overly academic or dragged out. FAE Core can get overwhelming quickly, especially when you are trying to cover things like governance, risk, AI and business strategy all at once. These notes made it much easier to manage."
Robert J.
FAE Auditing & Assurance · Summer 2024
"I used these notes mainly because I needed something that would help me write better answers, not just read theory. They were really useful for that. I felt much clearer on how to approach audit issues in context."
Trevor C.
FAE Taxation (ROI) · Autumn 2025
"What I liked about these notes was that they helped me slow the subject down in a good way. FAE Tax can get very heavy once you are into groups, reorganisations, VAT and international issues, but the notes made it easier to follow the logic instead of just memorising rules."
Leanne W.
FAE Advisory · Summer 2024
"I liked these because they matched the way Advisory works as a paper. It is not just about knowing a topic, it is about using judgment. The notes really helped me get better at pulling together the financial, strategic and operational sides of a scenario."
Sheehan A.
FAE Financial Services · Summer 2025
"For me, the value was that the notes made the subject feel more real. They were not just giving definitions, they helped me understand the environment the industry operates in and why certain issues matter."
Ciara L.
CAP2 Taxation (ROI) · Summer 2025
"For me, the biggest help was having everything in one place. I was using too many different sources before and it was making Tax feel harder than it needed to be. These notes simplified things without making them feel oversimplified."
Oisin R.
FAE Core · Summer 2024
"There is a lot on the FAE Core syllabus, and I was getting lost jumping between different sources. These notes pulled everything together in one place and explained it in a way that felt practical rather than overwhelming."
We are confident in the quality of the notes — and we provide substantial free samples
so that students can evaluate the product before purchasing.
For study notes, a partial refund of 30% may be available where a student can demonstrate
they failed both the main exam sitting and the resit for the same subject. Supporting
documentation is required.
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