FAQs on ICB
Qualifications
& Exams

It is possible to postpone an exam from a paper version to an online version or vice versa. 

        PAPER EXAMS: These are hard copy exam papers that are completed by students at their Training Centre or an ICB Exam venue. 

        ONLINE EXAMS: These are online exams that are completed on the Macci platform and proctored by the ICB.

Specific rules apply to both types of exams. Please make sure that you have read the ICB Examinations Policy and the Technical specifications for Online Exams before you decide on your exam type.

IF I AM BOOKED FOR A SPECIFIC EXAM TYPE CAN I CHANGE THE TYPE?

Once the exam has been booked and paid for, the exam type CAN be changed, this means that you can switch from one to the other.

IF I AM BOOKED FOR A SPECIFIC EXAM TYPE, CAN I POSTPONE TO A DIFFERENT TYPE?

The student portal is programmed to automatically postpone your subject to the next available date. The next available date can be either an online exam or paper exam. 

CAN I BOOK FOR DIFFERENT EXAM TYPES AT THE SAME TIME?

Students can be booked for multiple types of exams. 

E.g. You could be writing on an online exam for BKTB in April but also be booked to write BUSL at an ICB venue in July. 

Remember that when booking your exams on the student portal, ALL online exams are booked to the ONLINE EXAM VENUE and paper exams are booked to ICB EXAM VENUES. This is to ensure that you are clear on what type of exam you are writing and where.

All exam sessions (online and paper) are 3 hours long, plus an additional 30 minutes for setup and reading time.

2025/2026 Exams

The following ICB venues offer paper-based exams only, and each has limited seating. Be sure to book early to secure your place:

Please note: Online exams are not available at these venues.

2026/2027 Exams

Please note:  These venues are relevant for the Paper Exams (Distance and Self Study Students only)

The below article details how Distance and Self-study students book exams on the Student Portal. A link to the student portal can be found on the ICB website www.icb.org.za at the top right of the page.

Book an Exam

Before you can book for an exam, you must register on the student portal and select a qualification.

The successfully registered student can now book an exam. This is done by clicking on Enter Assessment on the left-hand side of the screen.

The next step is to choose / select the subject for which the student wishes to book an exam. This is done from the drop-down menu. After selecting the subject, the student then needs to choose an exam venue from the drop-down menu. Once the venue has been selected, the student must click on the Search for Available Assessment Dates button. This will display a range of dates for which the exam is available. The student then needs to select the preferred exam date.

To complete the process, click on Add to Basket next to the preferred exam date and venue.

Review Basket and Checkout

Students will be asked to review the contents of their basket. If an exam has been selected in error, it is possible to remove it by clicking on the X next to the item. If the exam selected is correct, click on Checkout.

NB: Once an exam is booked, no changes or cancellations will be accepted!

Submit Assessment Booking

Students will be asked to give a final review of their basket. It is necessary to click on the Next Step button in order to progress through the final checks. In addition to a final review of what is in the basket, students will need to check that the billing address is correct, select the method of payment (credit card, debit card or EFT) and confirm the order. Once everything has been confirmed, students need to click on Submit in order to proceed to the payment.

Making a Payment

Payments are made through the PayFast system. The payment is affected using the means that the student has chosen:

Once the payment has been processed, the student will have access to the PoE.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN I GET A POP-UP MESSAGE WHEN I TRY TO BOOK?

1. This could mean that the venue has been closed for the next exam session and that no exams will be available for booking at that venue. Remember to check the ICB Website for available ICB Exam Venues.
   
   OR
2. This could mean that no exam dates have been opened for this particular subject. Remember to check the subject roll out schedule for your subject and also to check the ICB Exam Timetable to ensure that there are dates coming up for your subject.

VENUE CAPACITY LIMITS

ICB Exam Venue have capacity limits. This means that once the venue has reached the capacity limit that no further exams can be booked or postponed to that venue.

Please ensure that you get your bookings in as early as possible to ensure that you reserve a seat for yourself. 

2 WAYS to CHECK EXAM ENTRIES

1. As soon as you enter for an exam, you will receive an email with confirmation that we have received your entry.  If you don’t receive this, please follow up immediately, so that we can find any gremlins!

2. Distance and self study students can pop onto the student portal and go to the View My Exam tab.  Your upcoming exams will be listed here.  You can also use the blue button to download an exam confirmation in pdf format. While classroom students can check with their training centre.

When you did you original booking, you would have received a booking  confirmation via email.  If you did not receive,  please check the following;

1. Your spam folder. Sometimes, emails are automatically marked as spam

2. Check your connection to see whether other emails are indeed reaching you

3. Check your mailbox and make sure it is not “full”

4. Ensure that your email address is correct or has been updated on our system. Sometimes people change from employer which impacts their email address which they used to register with initially.

Should you have checked all the above and it still does not reach you, please contact us via this link; https://www.icb.org.za/contact/

Students are able to apply for a voluntary postponement – rules and fees apply.

CLASSROOM STUDENTS

Students who study through a Training Centre must contact their Training Centre to request a postponement from the ICB.

The ICB will manually process the postponement and confirmation of the new exam date will be provided to the Training Centre.

DISTANCE / SELF STUDY STUDENTS

Distance and self study students are able to process paid postponements on the student portal. Remember to check the timetable to ensure that there are future dates available for the subject.

This functionality on the student portal has been updated to show the following:

1. Students can now postpone between exam types E.g. Paper to online, online to paper

2. Students can select from multiple postponement date options

3. Students can select an available venue for paper exams

Students will not see postponements available for a booked exam if this subject was already previously postponed for any reason. You can contact support@icb.org.za with any related queries.

Should you have missed the deadline to enter for an exam you can still enter a week after closing date by submitting a request for late exam entry, which will be charged a late entry fee. Please click here to see all fees.

What you need to do is complete the Contact us page on our website and clearly indicate the following;

1. Attach the proof of payment of the exam fee and late entry fee.
2. Please include the below in the text block asking to tell us more about how we can help you:
   • What exam type: Paper or Online
   • If paper: State venue where you would like to write
   • Date of exam
   • Subject
   • Your name / surname and student reference number

ICB students have a choice between sitting either paper-based or online exams. The exam timetable is divided between these two types of exams and affords students more opportunities to write exams.

Paper-Based Exams

Paper-based exams are sat at an exam centre. The centres are approved ICB exam centres. These centres are either ICB accredited training centres or at venues booked by the ICB specifically for exams.

Exams at centres are proctored / invigilated. The invigilators are trained in the ICB’s exam policies and procedures. On entering an exam venue, students are required to provide proof of identity. This proof may be in the form of:

Students will not be permitted to sit an exam if valid proof of identity is not supplied.

Paper-based exams are three-and-a-half hours in duration. The first half-hour is reading time where the invigilator will go through the exam rules. The exams commence at 9:00 in the morning and finish at 12:30. A student who arrives more than thirty (30) minutes after the start time of the exam will not be permitted to enter the exam venue and will not be permitted to write the exam.

At the end of the exam – or when the student is done writing – the exam paper and answer book is submitted to the invigilator.

Online Exams

As with the paper-based exams, the online exams take place on specific dates and at specific times. In contrast to the paper-based exams, online exams can be started any time from 9:00 to 13:00 on exam day and automatically closes at 16:30. Thus, the online exam is the same time duration as the paper-based exams.

Take note that ALL online exam sessions for the day will automatically close at 16:30.

Students are required to log into the exam between the stipulated times. A student who attempts to log into the exam more than thirty minutes after 13:00 will be considered as late and will not be granted access to the exam.

The type of questions in the online exams will be similar in nature to those questions in the paper-based exam. Thus, students can expect:

Online exams are proctored. This is done through an online system that makes use of the webcam on the student’s computer as well as tracking software. The webcam is used for facial recognition and it tracks eye-movement. The tracking software notes any activity on the student’s computer specifically related to activity outside of the exam page.

At the end of the exam, the student submits the exam paper by clicking on the “Submit” button. Where the finish time of an exam is reached and a student has not clicked on the “Submit” button, the online system automatically submits the exam.

Students doing the online exam are required to complete the post-exam survey.

Online exams have specific technical requirements. Students need to familiarise themselves with these requirements before booking an online exam. The Technical Systems Check in your PoE also need to have been passed to be able to write the online exam.

The format of the online exam will be very similar the paper based exam. The main difference will be the platform which will be used to capture your answers. One is paper and the other will be a computer.

The length and the marks of the paper may be adjusted to allow for adequate time needed to capture answers online.

PoE Deadlines

Students need to have completed their PoE by the PoE due date as per the exam time table to be allowed to write the exam (paper and onlne). This is about 1 week prior to final exams, to allow the ICB to perform certain administration functions prior to the exam and for students to focus on revision and exam preparations.  Any student who has not completed their PoE by the PoE due date AND in full, will not be permitted to write the final exam.

In Summary

Visit Mobicred for more information.

You can apply directly via the Mobicred website or by selecting PayU at checkout on the Student Portal. After selecting PayU at checkout, select Mobicred and follow the steps to create a new Mobicred account.

Mobicred is a simple & convenient credit facility that allows you to make one single monthly payment for all your purchases with a revolving credit limit – allowing you to spend whatever you re-pay.
*RCS is a registered Credit and authorized Financial Services provider. NCRCP 38/ FSP 44481

Note for Foreign Students:
If this is your first payment to the ICB, please contact us to obtain your payment reference number.

Past papers are not available because if outcomes change, past papers will be outdated – and we need to protect the credibility of the papers.

ICB focus is on learning. The goal of exams is to assess understanding of the material and not just get a grade!  By not returning marked papers, the emphasis remains on the feedback and learning process rather than focusing too much on the marks.

Also, if marked papers were distributed, students may share answers or questions with others, which then totally disregards academic integrity.  This could give students an unfair advantage and again compromise the integrity of the exam.

Your course materials (which do contain sample questions) and the ICB Assignments and Tests in your PoE will prepare you for the questions in your final exam.

ICB prides ourselves as an organization that by way of our Portfolio of Evidence (PoE)  that sets us apart from our competitors and our rigorous exam process.  Our students enter the workplace with a well respected and credible and internationally endorsed certification as opposed to just learning to pass an exam paper. 

Please speak to your training cntre if you feel you need extra help.

This is a security process which requires all students to upload a copy of your ID/Drivers license/Passport as well as a profile picture of yourself to the student portal. 

This process only needs to be completed once – provided that the verification is successful.

On the student portal, you will see a pop-up requesting you to upload your ID/drivers/passport license and profile Photo.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE ID VERIFICATION PROCESS: 

1.  Step 1: Log onto the Student Portal – Click on Update my details and then ID Verification

2.  Step 2: You will see an upload screen. 

a. The size of the files you can upload cannot be larger than 3MB.

b. The file types you can upload are: jpg, jpeg or png.

3.  Step 3: You need to upload specific photos that are going to be compared to each other for security verification.

1 X PROFILE PICTURE

a. You must upload a clear profile photo of your face. (Showing head and shoulders only)

b. You must look directly at the camera and have appropriate brightness and contrast – no filters.

c. The photo must be of you alone (no objects, toys, pets, other people, etc)

d. Your face must not be covered and your eyes must be open.

e. Your face must not have face paint or decorations on it.

f.  You cannot where headgear.

g. If you wear glasses, the lenses must be clear and no flash reflection must be seen on the glasses.

g. Photos must be in colour.

1 X PHOTO OF ID DOCUMENT:

Examples:

a. A clear copy of your ID document or Drivers licence must be uploaded.

b. The image must clearly show your photo that will be compared to your profile photo.

c. The image must clearly show your ID details that will be compared to your details on the ICB database.

d. Important: The document you upload a copy of must have the same details that you have used on your student profile. You can check these on the student portal.

e. If you are not a South African citizen, you can upload a clear copy of your Passport or equivalent ID that has a clear photo of you on it. Ensure that the details used on your student profile are the same as the document you are uploading.

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST UPLOAD THE CORRECT IMAGE AT THE CORRECT PLACE.

I.E. YOUR PROFILE PICTURE MUST BE UPLOADED AT THE PROFILE PICTURE SECTION AND YOUR PHOTO OF ID DOCUMENT MUST BE UPLOADED AT THE PHOTO OF ID DOCUMENT SECTION.

Once you have added your Profile Picture and Photo of ID document, click on the Upload button:

4.  Step 4: Verification process

When your documents have been uploaded, you will receive a confirmation email. This email lets us know that you have uploaded documents for verification.

This is an automated response from the ICB Support desk that will allocate a ticket number for the ID verification request.

An ICB agent will complete the ID verification process by comparing your Profile picture to your ID copy.

SUCCESSFUL VERIFICATION: 

If the verification is successful, you will receive an email and the student portal will show that you have successfully completed the ID verification process. The ID Verification tab will also disappear.

UNSUCCESSFUL VERIFICATION:

1. If the verification is unsuccessful, you will receive an email to inform you of the issue and what steps you need to take. This will generally require a re-upload of documents. You will continue this process until the verification is successful.

2. If for some reason a successful ID verification process has to be reversed, you will receive an email with the relevant details.

Students can update their details on the Student Portal.

Note: Certain information such as your training centre, your name, surname and ID number cannot be edited for security reasons. You will need to contact ICB directly, should there be any changes to this.  Log a ticket on our contact us page. Please include a copy of your ID for name changes.

For the rest of your details, you can check and update most of your details on the student portal.

Navigate to the “Edit my Details” menu.

Click “Edit my details” in the top right corner.  This will activate the fields so that you can edit them.

Once you are satisfied with the changes you’ve made, select the “save” button to compete.  You will receive an email confirming the changes. Please make sure that you receive this email, so that future emails reach you too!

Yes, there is currently no time limit on ICB courses.

Even if you passed just one subject, a while back, you can just start from where you left off. Or even move on to the next level automatically.

STUDENT PORTAL

Important to remember:

Steps to follow:

If you still need further assistance, have look at the ICB STUDENT PORTAL USER GUIDE for more information.

MACCI

First make sure that you are trying to log onto the Macci platform and not the Student portal.

You will see this login page:

Forgotten username:

If you have forgotten your username then you can refer back to the email you received when you registered on Macci for the first time.

Forgotten password:

You would have changed your password when you first logged in, but if you have forgotten what this was, you can click on the “Forgotten your username and password?” tab on the login page (as shown in the image).

This will ask you to add your username or email address to reset your password. An email will then be sent to you with a new password.

No Email received:

You will only receive a login details email for your digital portfolio when you are registering for your FIRST digital portfolio. You will not receive a login email for any additional digital portfolios and will need to use the same login details to access these.

If you are a distance student and have registered for a digital portfolio, you will only gain access to these once your payment has been processed by the ICB. Once this has been done, you will be able to access Macci and see the portfolio you have registered for on your profile.

If you are a college student, you will receive immediate access to your portfolio once it has been booked by your college. Please note that you will receive no information via email if your email address is incorrect with your college. You need to make sure that they have your correct email details before they register your digital portfolio.

NB: Remember that all communication will go to the email address you used to register on Macci.

If you have changed your email address but not updated this with the ICB, then you will not be able to reset your username or password and will not receive any communication. You will then need to contact the ICB directly and or update you email address on the student portal.

Important to note: Please make sure you use the latest version of Chrome.  Take note that the support for older versions of Internet Explorer has ended. This means that Microsoft no longer provides security updates or technical support for old versions of Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer (IE) 10 and older), which can directly impact the performance of your browsers. Regular security updates help protect devices so upgrading and staying current is important. 

About 7 weeks after your final exam. Distance and Self-Study students can view results in the Student Portal. Training centre students will receive results from their training centre.

Yes — if you choose to write an online exam, it will be done through MACCI.

Once you have booked and paid for an exam, your PoE will be created on MACCI automatically.

First time Macci users will receive an email with login details and current Macci users will use their existing login details to access the PoE.

For Distance and Self-Study students, once you pass a professional certificate, you can book your next exam on the Student Portal. Your PoE for the next professional certificate will be created on MACCI after your booking/payment.

Classroom-based students must book through their Training Centre.

Yes — Your Training Centre will register you and may manage your exams, but you are required to login and verify your ID.

Step 1: Choose a Training Centre

Step 2: Enrol & Start Studying

Step 3: Attend Classes & Study

Step 4: Prepare & Write Exams

Step 1: Register with ICB

Step 2: Access the Curriculum

Step 3: Plan Your Study Approach

Step 4: Source Your Learning Material

Step 5: Prepare & Write Exams

MACCI is ICB’s online learning platform. You will complete your Portfolio of Evidence (PoE), all assignments, tests, and online exams on MACCI — whether you are studying through a Training Centre or as a Distance or Self-Study student.

The ICB Student Portal is where you:

Students are to ensure that they make use of  the latest version of Chrome as their default browser. An outdated browser, i.e. internet explorer will impact the performance of the activities on MACCI. The ICB cannot assist with any technical queries if it is found that the student is using an outdated browser.  

All assignments, tests and exams must be completed on a laptop or desktop as these are interactive activities that perform best on these devices.

How to install Chrome on your PC:

 Google Chrome is a fast, free web browser. Before you download, you can check if Chrome supports your operating system and you have all the other system requirements.

INSTALL CHROME ON WINDOWS

1. Download the installation file.
2. If prompted, click Run or Save.
3. If you chose Save, double-click the download to start installing.
4. Start Chrome:
   • Windows 7: A Chrome window opens once everything is done.
   • Windows 8 & 8.1: A welcome dialog appears. Click Next to select your default browser.
   • Windows 10: A Chrome window opens after everything is done. You can make Chrome your default browser.

If you’ve used a different browser, like Internet Explorer or Safari, you can import your settings into Chrome.

Can’t install Chrome because of S mode

If you can’t install Chrome on your Windows computer, your computer might be in S mode. If you want to download and install Chrome, learn more about how to exit S mode. You can also learn how to fix problems installing Chrome.

INSTALL CHROME ON MAC

1. Download the installation file.
2. Open the file called “googlechrome.dmg.”
3. In the window that opens, find Chrome .
4. Drag Chrome to the Applications folder.
   • You might be asked to enter the admin password.
   • If you don’t know the admin password, drag Chrome to a place on your computer where you can make edits, like your desktop.
5. Open Chrome.
6. Open Finder.
7. In the sidebar, to the right of Google Chrome, click Eject .

 INSTALL CHROME ON LINUX

Use the same software that installs programs on your computer to install Chrome. You’ll be asked to enter the administrator account password.

1. Download the installation file.
2. To open the package, click OK.
3. Click Install Package.

Google Chrome will be added to your software manager so it stays up-to-date.

 
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS TO USE CHROME

Windows

To use Chrome on Windows, you’ll need:

Mac

To use Chrome on Mac, you’ll need:

Linux

To use Chrome on Linux, you’ll need:

FIX PROBLEMS ON CHROME

USE THE LATEST VERSION OF CHROME

Due to updates to Chrome’s p2p translation technology and other regular improvements and upgrades to the browser, it is essential to ensure that you are using the latest version of Chrome to use Macci functionality.

In order to ensure you are using the latest version of Chrome or how to update this if needed, follow the steps below. The process should only take a few minutes to complete.

STEP 1:

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

STEP 4:

In the CPBK Assignment and Online exams, you are required to take screenshots – in other words, a ‘photo’ of what is currently on your computer screen (a screenphoto or screenshot).

A FULL screenshot is always required. This means that the entire screen (including top and bottom tool/task bars) must be included in the screenshot.

Please follow the instructions in your assignment on how to name files correctly for submission.

In Windows: (Depending on your version of windows, the instructions may differ)

Option 1: Using snipping tool functionality

NOTE: In later versions of windows, you can use the Snipping Tool short cut by selecting ‘Windows + Shift + S’ on your keyboard to activate this programme. 

Option 2: Using print screen functionality

Change the Page Orientation to Landscape. Change the Scaling to Fit to: 1 by 1 page(s). Press OK.

NOTE: On newer versions of windows, pressing the ‘Print Screen’ button, activates the Snipping Tool. Using snipping tool is detailed in Option 2 below.

In Mac:

With the Online Exams being taken up by more and more students, it is good to have a clear understanding of who is responsible for what.

In short, the ICB is responsible to set-up the exam, manage the platform, manage student access to the exam, proctor the exam, mark the exam papers and issue results.

On the other hand, students are responsible to ensure that they meet all the technical requirements to be able to seamlessly write an online exam, complete the FULL PoE by the due date and follow all ICB policies related to exams and conduct.

If a training centre books their students for an online exam, the Training Centre are there to support their students in preparing for the exam. This can take different forms and will be listed in a bit more detail below.

For a short summary of the main responsibilities between ICB and the students, please see as follows;

Below, you will see a more detailed list of responsibilities between the ICB, the ICB student and an ICB Accredited Training Centre (College) in terms of the actions related to Online Exams:

Should you be uncertain about anything, please ensure that you read all the information provided regarding Online exams, this includes FAQ’s on the websites, videos, resources in the portfolio and read all the ICB policies in full. If you have done all of these, all your questions should have been answered and you will have all the technical knowledge to seamlessly write your online exam.

For online exams, ICB runs digital invigilation to ensure the Academic integrity of the online exams. If you have chosen to participate in ICB Online exams, there are a few technical settings and requirements that are compulsory.  

Contents of this document are:

1. General Technical requirements
2. External venue extra setup checks
3. Troubleshooting connectivity

1. General Technical requirements

1. The exam can be taken at home, office or college, but the student must take the responsibility to ensure that unforeseen disruptions will not adversely impact them. 
2. Booking for an online exam means that students agree that they have the listed requirements available at their disposal in order to participate in the ICB online exams.
3. Technical Specifications are subject to change as processes are refined and updated after every exam session.
4. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all the listed specified technical and connection requirements are met. 
5. Should a student still be disrupted and unable to complete the exam, they may only apply for a mitigating postponement for circumstances beyond the scope of the technical specifications. Please see the ICB Examinations Policy for details.
6. If a student completes an exam but has technical difficulties during the exam, these can be reported in the post-exam survey for the assessor to be aware of.  

In order to meet the requirements below you must match the following:

If you do not meet ALL of these, then you are not using the recommended specifications and will have issues on exam day.

2. If you are writing at an external venue e.g. work, library, college, etc. 

2.1 Connectivity (ie network speed)

3. Connectivity Troubleshooting 

One of the biggest obstacles with Digital invigilation is maintaining the right level of connectivity to stream the exam. If you are having any issues with connectivity, these tips may help:

1. Restart your device and router before the exam session.
2. Double check that all other applications on your device are completely closed. Some of these run in the background and use bandwidth. (ie email, WhatApp etc)
3. Close all other tabs in your browser.
4. If you are at home, make sure no-one else in the house is using the connection during your exam session.
5. If you’re having trouble during a live online exam, contact the ICB immediately using the Live Chat function on the bottom right of the Macci page.

Each ICB subject follows a structured assessment process through MACCI, our online assessment platform. Your learning is divided into three phases, each with assignments and online tests, followed by a final exam (online or paper-based). Your Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) counts 30% and your final exam 70%, with a 60% pass mark.

MACCI gives you access to your Digital PoE, instant test results, and progress tracking. All students—whether self-study or with a training centre —complete their assessments on MACCI. Final exams can be done online (with stable internet) or at a venue. Registration and bookings are fully online through the Student Portal or via your training centre.

If you are a training centre:

Qualifications that a student is registered for are found under Reports, Qualifications tab for bulk and individual searches.

You can also search per student and see a students full record of qualifications and completed subjects under Learner Information

Study Further — with Credit for Your ICB Qualification

You may be eligible for study credit with:

Example: NQF Level 6 ICB qualifications may provide credits at partner institutions. CIMA allows up to 2 credits with an NQF Level 5 Office Administration qualification.

Professional Membership

Post-qualification, you can apply for membership with:

Important: Only ICB-approved learning material may be used, to ensure alignment with assessments.

Whether you prefer to study on your own or with structured support, ICB gives you the flexibility to choose the path that fits your life.

Initial review: up to 6 weeks. If a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) is required, allow 7–8 weeks for results after PoE submission.

Yes — but note: NQF credits only apply if you enrolled as an ICB student before 30 June 2026. After that, exemptions apply to IQB Professional Certification (non-credit bearing).

Incomplete applications will not be processed. If you submit late documents, a new application fee will apply and the process restarts.

Download the ICB Examination Policy  — or contact support@icb.org.za (Subject: Exemptions).

Anyone with NQF-registered qualifications (last 5 years), or relevant work experience aligned to ICB qualification outcomes.

Subject certificates are issued for successfully completed conditional exemptions only, not for full exemptions.

Qualification certificates are issued once all requirements for a completed qualification are met.