Candidate FAQ

CAS Exams MAS-I, MAS-II, 5, 6-Canada, 6-United States, 7 and 9 will be offered in April 2025.

**Note: If a candidate observes a religious or national holiday during the exam window, CAS can extend their window by the number of holiday dates observed - up to a maximum of 4 days at the end of the exam window. Exam appointments during the extended window are reserved on a first come-first served basis and subject to availability.

Registration for the April 2025 administration will be introduced gradually by location over the new CAS Portal beta testing period beginning in late January. More information about registration changes can be found here: Important Update: Temporary Exam Registration Process in CAS Portal.

The deadline to register for the April 2025 exam administration is March 25, 2025.
 

Candidates with formally diagnosed disabilities or medical conditions who need exam accommodations at a Pearson VUE testing center can submit their accommodation request during the online registration.

When registering for an exam, you will be asked at the start of the process if you require exam accommodations for a disability or medical condition. If you select Yes, you will be prompted to select your requested accommodations and provide more information, such as medical documentation. Please note that all candidates will be asked to submit their request and documentation when registering for the first time with the new AMS, regardless of past accommodations granted. If you are unable to provide documentation, please contact accommodations@casact.org.

Requesting an accommodation will open a case for CAS staff to review. You will be able to schedule your exam after your request has been reviewed. For more information regarding exam accommodations and documentation requirements, please visit the CAS Exam Accommodations webpage.

For the CAS Data and Insurance Series Courses, contact The Institutes.
For Exams 1&2, contact the sponsoring organization.

When registering for an exam, you will be asked at the start of the process if you require exam accommodations for a disability or medical condition. If you select Yes, you will be prompted to select your requested accommodations and provide more information.

Candidates who are pregnant and/or nursing who need exam accommodations  do not need to provide documentation for the following list of standard pregnancy and/or nursing testing accommodations:

• Frequent/Extended Breaks to be used during the exam (exam clock continues to run)
• 50% Additional exam time
• Permission to have a beverage in a clear, spill-proof bottle
• A private space with an electrical outlet, that is not a restroom for lactating purposes. Candidate may access locker for necessary medical equipment to pump during breaks.*

If any additional accommodations are requested, documentation from a healthcare provider stating the need for those specific accommodations is required.

*Private space is provided on a first come, first served basis and is subject to availability. This could require a candidate to travel to a test center that has private space available.

Children are not permitted at the testing centers.

If a candidate observes a religious or national holiday during the exam window, CAS can extend their window by the number of holiday dates observed - up to a maximum of 4 days at the end of the exam window. Exam appointments during the extended window are reserved on a first come-first served basis and subject to availability.

To request a religious or national holiday exam window extension, first complete your registration and payment. You will need to ignore your first Authorization to Test (ATT) email from Pearson VUE which will not include the extended dates.  After your registration is completed, navigate to the Help section of the CAS Portal, and open a case using the Exams: Religious National Holiday Extension category. After your request has been reviewed you will receive correspondence from CAS regarding your request and/or an updated Authorization to Test email which includes your extension.

The refund deadline is April 1, 2025.

Refund Policy:

CAS has a strict refund policy. Refund requests must be sent via the CAS Portal no later than April 1, 2025. Please see the Syllabus of Basic Education for exceptions after the refund deadline.

To cancel your exam and receive a partial refund (if eligible) you must first cancel your exam sitting with Pearson VUE, save the confirmation from Pearson VUE, and open a case in the upper right hand of the CAS Portal by going to the Help tile, and selecting the case category Exams: Refund Request. Complete the rest of the form, including a copy of your cancellation documentation from Pearson VUE and Click Create again to submit the case.

Canceling the exam appointment does not entitle you to a refund if you do not submit a case to request the refund by the refund deadline.

Yes, there are two types of fees listed below:

Administrative Fees

A $200 administrative fee per examination will be assessed on all refunds. Scenarios where we WOULD charge administrative fee:

• If the candidate cannot find an exam appointment, the CAS offers them one and they decline the appointment and ask for a refund
• All refund requests received before the deadline that do not fall into the exception category

Exceptions to Administrative Fees for Examinations:

Scenarios where we would NOT charge an administrative fee (exceptions):

• A candidate changes their registration from one exam to another at any time during the open registration period
• A candidate cannot find an exam appointment with Pearson VUE and the CAS cannot find an appointment within a reasonable distance and therefore the candidate requests a refund*
• A candidate receives cancellation from Pearson VUE and for whatever reason does not want to reschedule and requests a refund*
• A candidate has a documented medical or family emergency as described in the Exceptions After the Refund Deadline section of the Syllabus of Basic Education.*

*The candidate may receive a full refund in the instances outlined above, whether before or after the refund deadline. In all other situations, candidates that cancel their examination after the refund deadline will forfeit their full exam fee.

No-Show Fees

Candidates are free to reschedule or cancel an exam at a test center up to 48 hours before the scheduled testing time. Candidates who miss their testing time will be considered no-shows and not issued a refund. Candidates considered no-shows will be charged a $100 fee. Be advised that 48 hours is not 2 business days; it is 48 hours prior to the scheduled exam start time. Further instructions can be found below under What if I cannot make it to my exam appointment?

Candidates should be aware that due to Pearson VUE requirements, exam registrants who register and then decide to sit for a different exam will be required to cancel their original CAS registration and Pearson VUE exam appointment and then re-register and make a new exam appointment. Please note that there are no fees associated with switching exams after the initial registration.

No, the guessing penalty for MAS-I and MAS-II has been removed as of October 2022. For more information, please read the article Guessing Penalty Eliminated Beginning Fall 2022.

No personal items may be taken into the testing room except a single approved calculator and items listed on the Pearson Vue Approved Comfort Aid List. This includes all bags, books, notes, phones, writing instruments, watches and wallets. Food and water are prohibited in the exam area unless an accommodation has been pre-approved.

Regular scratch paper, ink pens, or pencils are not allowed.

At Pearson Professional Centers, and Pearson Vue Authorized Testing Centers - Select, a non-erasable spiral notebook with 5 pages front and back of writing space will be given to candidates with a fine-point felt pen for scratch work. If you need an additional spiral notebook, you can raise your hand and a Pearson VUE representative will provide you with up to two additional notebooks. If you request a 4th notebook, the representative will take your first notebook so that you only have 3 notebooks total at a time.

At Pearson Vue Authorized Testing Centers, candidates are provided with 2 or 3 (depending upon availability) noteboards that have 1 page of writing space. If you need an additional noteboard, you can raise your hand and a representative will provide you with another noteboard and take your first noteboard, so that you only have 2-3 noteboards total at a time.

See the list of functions and on the Pearson VUE/CAS website under “Related Links.”

There may be times where knowing a spreadsheet formula will make the calculations quicker, but candidates will not be required to have knowledge of specific spreadsheet formulas to receive full credit.

If a particular spreadsheet function is recommended to produce a result, candidates will be given instructions for its use, or a definition of inputs and outputs.

If you cannot find an exam appointment, please contact the CAS. If the CAS cannot find an appointment within a reasonable distance (180 miles in the US) the candidate may request a full refund. Exam availability cases outside of the United States will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

In the United States, a reasonable distance is defined as 180 miles. Exam availability cases outside of the United States will be handled on a case-by-case basis. The CAS will work with the candidate and Pearson VUE to find them a spot at a testing center.

If you need assistance finding a spot, please contact casexams@casact.org

Exam slots are limited, so if you are unable to attend your exam appointment, please cancel your appointment at least 48 hours prior to the exam with Pearson VUE AND the CAS, or you will be charged a $100 administrative "no-show" fee. Please note that your exam fee will be forfeited if your appointment is canceled after the refund deadline.

To cancel your appointment 48 hours+ prior to exam and avoid “no-show” fee:
Contact Pearson VUE support, or cancel via your Pearson VUE account, AND email casexams@casact.org with cancellation request and proof of Pearson VUE cancellation.

To cancel your appointment within 48 hours of exam:
Contact Pearson VUE support AND email casexams@casact.org.

Please inform the exam administrator as soon as the issue occurs. A case will be filed with PearsonVUE. Candidates may also submit feedback or a grievance with the CAS after the exam, however the first course of action should be to inform the administrator of any issues that occur during the exam.

Please note that auto-saving does occur throughout the exam. All responses are saved immediately.

For candidates sitting in Quebec, all CAS exams are available in English and Canadian French. There is also a Chinese-language version of Exam 6-Taipei. All other examination questions and instructions will be administered exclusively in English.

Send your additional questions via email to casexams@casact.org. Any questions regarding testing accommodations and/or holiday extensions can be sent to accommodations@casact.org. For general information and helpful links, please visit the Pearson VUE/CAS website.

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