APC COACHING
Composure is the Competency
Many 2026 APC candidates are feeling the weight of the upcoming exam. First-time candidates are building on existing knowledge whilst developing higher levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation through their professional programme. Some have received confirmation of eligibility to write in December, with the release of their professional programme results. Others are preparing for a supplementary board course exam.
How stressed are candidates, really?
At the end of July (approximately 16 weeks before the final APC exam on 2 December 2026) we invited candidates on the APT professional programme to complete an anonymous survey on stress, confidence and APC exam composure, via the APT Learner Management System, before their professional programme final exam. These are the headline numbers from the 623 candidates who answered.
Why the APC exam creates this kind of pressure
APC is the last academic hurdle before qualification as a CA(SA), a long academic path and after everything it’s taken to get here, the mix of excitement and nervousness is completely normal.
As an aspiring CA(SA) facing this final board exam, remember that you have already demonstrated technical competence in an exam setting. You’ve spent at least the past 20 months embedding theory through practical experience. The IAC tested what you know, while the APC tests why that matters and what to do with it. As SAICA puts it, “the APC is the final common assessment point before entry into the profession.” (Source: SAICA CA(SA) Competency Framework, approved 21 April 2026.)
You and other APC candidates may receive very different kinds of professional exposure during your training contracts. Regardless of these differences, all newly qualified CAs need to demonstrate that they can perform under pressure and exercise judgement, both in an exam setting and, on-the-job. APC serves as a consistent measure for entry into the profession. High examination standards contribute to the credibility of the designation.
The survey results should be viewed in the context of how the APC exam is designed to assess more than technical knowledge. It’s testing your ability to integrate information across disciplines, synthesise multiple issues into a coherent response, distinguish relevant information from distractions, and exercise professional judgement in a simulated real-life situation. Even candidates who are technically prepared feel pressure because of these additional demands.
These higher-order cognitive skills are often compromised as stress levels escalate. Most candidates can relate to the experience of unravelling during an exam, where you know you’re not thinking optimally, and making all the connections that you should be making.
Where the pressure is coming from
We asked candidates to name their top contributors to stress. Two answers stood well above the rest and both stem from the same place – the exam matters and time to prepare for it is limited.
APC Performance & Wellbeing Survey 2026 · share of candidates naming each as a top contributor to their stress · n = 623
We acknowledge that balancing work demands and APC preparation during this phase may be intense. Every day, as you show up, remember that this balancing act is part of your preparation. Proper planning and time management is essential, supported by emotional regulation strategies. These strategies are relevant on examination day, during the pre-release period and now, in the weeks leading up to the exam. They are most effective, once you have embedded them into your hard-wiring, and you can implement them when needed, without too much extra effort. An integrated approach, including noticing how you feel stress in your body, can help you regain your composure before your thinking starts to unravel.
The APC exam is testing your composure
SAICA notes that a candidate may reach the wrong technical conclusion and still demonstrate competence if the reasoning is ethical, well considered and appropriately supported. (Source: SAICA CA(SA) Competency Framework, “CA of the Future”, Guidance on the Professional Programme and the Assessment of Professional Competence, approved 21 April 2026). When the pressure is on, composure helps protect that reasoning process.
IN THE MOMENT, TRY THIS
Notice where the stress shows up in your body first, shoulders, jaw or stomach. Name it silently, just one word. Take one slower breath before you turn back to the question. That is often enough to interrupt the spiral and let your preparation do its job.
We also asked what would make the biggest difference on exam day itself. Trusting their own preparation came out on top, ahead of calm, belief, resilience and a nerves plan.
APC Performance & Wellbeing Survey 2026 · share of candidates choosing each option · n = 623
WORTH REMEMBERING
The exam is weighing on you because it matters to you.
Trusting your preparation starts with acknowledging your progress
Competence and technical knowledge have been built and tested, during exams and on the job, over years. You are not starting from scratch.
Removing the pressure is not realistic. What you are training for is the ability to maintain composure while the pressure drives you forward, on exam day and in the professional life waiting on the other side.
Deepa Daya is a CA(SA), registered SAICA assessor, and accredited brain-based coach with over a decade working with CA trainees. She works with a small number of APC candidates each year – helping them build the professional competence this exam requires through structured reflection, real-world application, and deliberate practice.