ICAI CA Foundation Course: Dates, Application Form, Eligibility, Syllabus, Admit Card, Result
ICAI CA Foundation exam is the first step to start your journey to become a CA. This article entails all the important information related to the course like important dates, eligibility criteria, application process and more.
ICAI CA Foundation is a comprehensive course designed to provide aspiring professionals with a strong foundation in the field of Chartered Accountancy. It is the entry-level examination for the
Chartered Accountancy
course offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The CA Foundation course aims to equip students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in accounting, auditing, taxation, and finance. The CA Foundation exam dates for the January 2026 session are January 18, 20, 22 and 24, 2026. On November 3, 2025, ICAI made the online application form for the CA Foundation available. To be eligible for the course, candidates must have completed their 10+2 education from a recognised board or institution. They can register for the CA Foundation course after passing the 10th standard examinations.
The CA Foundation examination is conducted in a paper-based mode and consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The exam evaluates the students' understanding and application of the concepts taught during the course. It assesses their knowledge in areas such as accounting principles, business laws, mathematics, logical reasoning, economics, and business and commerce. Upon successfully clearing the CA Foundation examination, students can progress to the next level of the CA course, which includes the Intermediate and Final examinations.
Also Read:
Career in Actuarial Science Vs Chartered Accountancy - Which is Better?
CA Foundation Exam Highlights
Please find the major highlights of the ICAI CA Foundation exam below:
Full Exam Name | CA Foundation Exam |
Conducting Body | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India |
Frequency of Exam | 3 times a year |
Exam Level | National Level Exam |
Mode of Application | Online |
Mode of Exam | Offline |
Exam Duration | Paper 1 and Paper 2 (Subjective Papers) - 3 hours Paper 3 and Paper 4 (Objective Papers) - 2 hours |
CA Foundation Important Dates 2026
The CA Foundation exam June 2026 dates are mentioned in the table below:
Exam Events | Dates |
Commencement of Registrations | November 3, 2025 |
Last Date for Submitting Application | November 16, 2025 |
Last Date for Registration with Late Fee | November 19, 2025 |
Editing Window Opening and Closing Dates | November 20 to 22, 2025 |
Exam Date | January 18, 20, 22 and 24, 2026 |
Result | TBA |
CA Foundation Exam May 2026 Important Dates
Check the CA Foundation 2026 dates for the May examination below.
Event | Dates |
ICAI registration for CA Foundation under the new scheme Last date | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Release | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Submission Last Date (Without Late Fee) | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Submission Last Date (With Late Fee) | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Admit Card Release Date | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Date | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Result | TBA |
The CA Foundation last session dates are presented here.
Event | Dates |
ICAI registration last date for CA Foundation under the new scheme | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Launch | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Submission Deadline (Without Late Fee) | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Submission Deadline (With Late Fee) | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Form Correction Window | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Admit Card Release Date | TBA |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Date | September 2026 |
CA Foundation 2026 Result | TBA |
CA Foundation Eligibility Criteria
The CA Foundation course eligibility criteria are as follows:
- Students may join in the CA Foundation course if they have completed the class 10th exams offered by a recognised school board or if they have taken an exam recognised as being comparable by the Central Government.
- After clearing the 10+2 examinations from a recognised school board or an exam that the Central Government has recognised as comparable, students are qualified to take the Chartered Accountancy Foundation test.
- A candidate must have finished the four months of mandatory study time after enrolling in the CA Foundation course and have passed class 12 to be qualified to take the Foundation exam.
- The candidate needs to sign up with the Board of Studies and complete the four months of compulsory study.
- The ICAI does not impose an upper age limit on candidates seeking admission to the CA Foundation programme.
There are a few exemptions in CA Foundation eligibility criteria for certain category of candidates and those are as follows:
- Graduates/ Postgraduates from commerce and non-commerce backgrounds with an aggregate score of 55% and 60% or above, respectively, are eligible to skip the CA Foundation exam and directly apply for CA Intermediate level.
- Those who have successfully completed the Executive or Intermediate levels of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) or the Institute of Cost and Work Accountants of India (ICWAI) are also eligible for direct admission. Such candidates do not need to finish the Foundation course in order to enrol immediately in the CA Intermediate level.
- The CA Intermediate course is also open to applicants who are in their final year of graduation. After submitting their final year graduation report or passing certificate within six months of the date they took the final year graduation test, along with proof that they successfully completed the ICITSS (Orientation Course and Information Technology), such applicants' registration would then become official.
CA Foundation Registration Process 2026
Online registration is required, and a single, successful registration has validity for three years. A candidate may apply and show up for a total of six attempts.The CA Foundation registration steps are as follows:
- Visit eservices.icai.org and select the self-service portal to access the form. It requires the password and login information to be entered.
- The “Register for exam” tab will appear on the dashboard after selecting the SSP portal login.
- After clicking on the foundation exam form, a pop-up with the foundation rules will appear, which you must then accept.
- Additionally, you can look up student information and pictures or signatures. Only one person can fill out the exam form after updating the photo and signature. Select next.
- Click the “I agree” box on the declaration form that appears after that.
- Then, after clicking next, a payment gateway window will appear, requiring INR 1500 (CA Foundation application fee) to be paid.
- By clicking on the side button after paying the exam fees, one can also download the exam receipt for future reference.
CA Foundation Course Registration Fee
The online registration fees for CA Foundation are as follows:
Details of Fees | Fees for Indian Student (in INR ₹) | Fees for Foreigner (in US $) |
Cost of CA Foundation Prospectus | INR 200 | 20$ |
CA Foundation Registration Fee | INR 9,000 | 700$ |
Subscription for Student’s Journal for one year (optional) | INR 200 | 20$ |
Subscription for Member’s Journal for one year (optional) | INR 400 | 40$ |
Total | INR 9,800 | 780$ |
Documents Required for the CA Foundation Course Registration
Before completing the CA Foundation application form, candidates must have scanned copies of the following documents:
- Photocopy of Aadhar Card
- Recent coloured photo of the candidate
- For candidates who are SC, ST, or OBC, certified proof of their special category is required
- Verified evidence of nationality (for foreigners)
- Authenticated copy of the class 12th exam mark sheet or admit card
- Class 10th admit card or certificate that has been attested and includes the candidate's name and birthdate
CA Foundation Exam Pattern
The CA Foundation Course is a combination of 4 Papers, two of which are subjective and two objective. There is negative marking for selecting incorrect options in the objective papers (Paper 3 and Paper 4).
Event | Details |
CA Foundation 2026 Exam Pattern Issued by | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India |
Exam Mode | Pen and Paper Mode |
Exam Duration | Paper 1 and Paper 2 (Subjective Papers) - 3 hours Paper 3 and Paper 4 (Objective Papers) - 2 hours |
Total Number of Papers | 4 Papers |
Question Style | Papers 1 and 2 - Subjective Papers Papers 3 and 4 - Objective Papers (MCQ) |
Level of Difficulty | Moderate to tough |
Marks per Paper of CA Foundation 2026 | 100 marks per paper |
Marking Scheme | Paper 3 and Paper 4 have Negative Marking (0.25 per wrong answer) |
Total Marks | 400 |
Passing Criteria | 40% in all subjects minimum 50% in aggregate. Additionally, out of 400 total, 200 minimum |
CA Foundation Syllabus
There are four subjects covered in the CA Foundation course. Accounting, business law, mathematics, and economics are all covered in the curriculum. Every year, ICAI makes the CA Foundation Syllabus available to students. You have a four-month study period to finish the syllabus. Review the comprehensive syllabus below:
Papers | Subjects | Sections |
Paper 1 | Principles and Practice of Accounting (100 Marks) | |
Paper 2 | Business Laws and Business Correspondence and Reporting | Part A : Business Laws (60 Marks) Part B : Business Correspondence and Reporting (40 Marks) |
Paper 3 | Business Mathematics and Logical Reasoning and Statistics | Part A: Business Mathematics (40 Marks) Part B: Logical Reasoning (20 Marks) Part C: Statistics (40 Marks) |
Paper 4 | Business Economics and Business and Commercial Knowledge | Part A : Business Economics (60 Marks) Part B : Business and Commercial Knowledge (40 Marks) |
CA Foundation Admit Card
To enter the exam room, you need to have an admit card. The organisation that conducts the exam usually releases the admit cards 14 days before the exams. They no longer send the admit cards by mail or in person. Instead, you can only download the admit card for the CA Foundation exam from the ICAI website.To be prepared, make sure to print out your admit card at least 10 days before the exam so you don't have to rush at the last minute. You are allowed to download the admit card a maximum of three times, so it's a good idea to make 3-4 photocopies of it. If you notice any mistakes in the exam centre or medium (due to incorrect information provided during the application process), you will have the opportunity to correct those errors after downloading the admit card.
Also Read: How to Become a Chartered Accountant?
CA Foundation 2026 Result
Students need to refer to the ICAI official website to check the CA Foundation results. They can follow the steps below to check the CA Foundation results:
- Navigate to the ICAI's official website and click on "Foundation Results".
- Enter the credentials, including the six-digit roll number and pin/registration number, followed by the captcha code.
- Tap the Submit button and find the result.
Note : Aspirants who pass CA Foundation with 70% or higher will earn a "Pass with distinction" certification from the ICAI.
Aspirants having questions and feedback can drop them via our Q&A Zone or call on 1800-572-9877. For any assistance on admissions, students can fill out our Common Application Form and our expert counselors will get in touch. Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more updates and information on the ICAI CA Course.
