TABLE OF CONTENTS
An Overview of CA Foundation Course
Steps for Registration on SSP Portal
An Overview of CA Foundation Course
Chartered Accountancy is regarded as one of the most respected professions of India. The first step to enter into Chartered Accountancy is CA Foundation.
Candidates can register for the CA Foundation after passing their class X exam. The first attempt of CA Foundation under New Scheme of Education and Training will be conducted after passing class 12th examination. A candidate must get registered for Foundation courses with the Board of studies of ICAI before four months from the 1st day of the month in which the exam is held. Under the New Scheme of Education and Training which was launched on 1st July 2023, examinations are now held thrice a year, that is May, September and January.
Students can register under the New Scheme of Education and Training through the Self Service Portal (SSP). The validity of registration in the Foundation course is of 4years from the first attempt.
The foundation course consists of 4 papers where, paper 1 Accounting and paper 2 Business Laws are subjective and paper 3 Quantitative Aptitude and paper 4 Business Economics are objective type. There is also a negative marking of 0.25 mark per wrong answer in objective type papers. A candidate is declared passed if he/she obtains 40% passing mark in each paper and 50% passing mark in aggregate in all four papers.
Fees Structure
The course fee structure is as follows:
Mandatory Fees:
- Registration fees- Rs.9000 is payable for the registration under the Board of Studies ( BOS ) and is one time fees inclusive of study material.
- Prospectus Fees- Rs.200 is payable along with the registration fees for prospectus. It is a document detailing the rules, code of conduct and overview of CA Course.
- Examination fees- Rs. 1500 with late fee of Rs.600 is payable for every attempt.
These fees are exclusive of any other costs like verification of marks, coaching classes, travel. So the total cost of the first attempt will be Rs. 10,700. This might seem overwhelming since it includes a one time registration fee. Therefore, students must understand the difference between registration fees and examination fees while doing budget planning.
Optional Fees:
- Journal- the fees for a student’s journal is Rs.200 per year and for a member’s journal is Rs. 400 per year. This is optional but highly recommended for annual updates.
Coaching Costs
CA is a self paced study course. Opting for coaching classes is a cost which is not paid to ICAI and it depends on your personal choice. At CareerAligns our CA Foundation Online classes are designed to keep the costs affordable.
Students can choose the type of coaching as per their preferences.
Offline classes- Face to face live classes in physical classrooms.
Live Online classes- Live classes but in virtual mode with digital problem solving using zoom apps or similar such platforms.
Recorded Lectures- Recorded lectures shared through pen drives, google drives which students can watch at their own pace.
The coaching costs of all subjects range from Rs.15000 to Rs.20000. Adding to that, other costs may include reference books like past papers, test papers, suggested answers, model test papers, mock test papers of around Rs. 2000 to Rs. 3000 per attempt, laptop and internet connection could cost around Rs.3000 to Rs. 4000 per year, test series etc.
Other Costs To Consider
Apart from ICAI costs and Coaching costs, there are few hidden costs that must be considered while planning a budget before entering into CA Foundation.
Re- Examination costs- if a student does not clear the exam in the first attempt then again he/she will have to fill up the examination form and pay exam fees of Rs. 1500 and this amount has to be paid for every attempt till the student passes the exam.
Verification of marks/Certified copies- if a student wants to get his marks verified if he is not satisfied with the marks obtained, then he/she will have to pay Rs. 50 per paper. Also if a student wants to get his / her copies of evaluated answer books , then the fee is Rs. 100 per paper. The window is open for a month where you can apply online through the SSP portal by navigating to the Post Examination Services section and paying the relevant fees.
Accommodation and travel Costs- if you have migrated to tier 1 cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata for better academic guidance, then you must consider accommodation costs like PG Rent and daily travel expenses which constitutes a major portion of your expenses.
Steps for Registration on SSP Portal
ICAI has now made all transactions digital through the SSP portal. There is no need to submit paper applications or make payments through Demand drafts. Students can now simply register themselves on the SSP Portal and make payments or any applications.
Registration:
- Go to the official link of the SSP Portal
- New students will have to click on register as First Time Users.
- Enter all your personal details like name, Date of birth, email address, mobile number, country and click on Generate OTP to validate your details.
- The system will send login credentials on your email id. So login to the system and enter your academic details like Class X and Class XII marks and percentage, Board ( ICSE, CBSE, or and State Board), upload your marksheets, passport size photograph, and signature.
- Then go to Student functions -> Entry level forms -> Foundation Registration.
- Pay through UPI, Credit or debit cards, netbanking.
- On successful payment, you will receive an acknowledgement and an email bearing login credentials to order your study material from Centralised Distribution System ( CDS ) Portal. Along with the study material, a prospectus will also be delivered.
Examination:
For filling up the Exam form students can navigate to Exam Functions -> Apply for Exam -> Select the Center and Medium -> pay the fees of Rs. 1500.
CA Foundation Fees Timelines
Registration window – the expense range is around Rs. 9200 (Registration + Prospectus). At this period of time a student has to create a login account on SSP Portal and get himself registered by paying the registration fees and ordering the study material. The last date for registering for January 2027 exams was 1st September 2026. Since this date has already passed, students can register for May 2027 exams, the last date for which will be 1st January 2027.
Preparation Window – the expense range is around Zero for self study and upto Rs. 20000 for coaching.
Exam Form window – the expense range is Rs. 1500 or Rs. 2100 in case of late fee for filing up the exam form and getting enrolled for the upcoming exam. The exam form window for January 2027 exams will open on 3rd November,2026 and the last date for submission will be 16th November, 2026 , with late fee, it will be 19th November 2026. For May, 2027 exams, the window shall open in February, 2027/March 2027.
Conclusion
CA Foundation course is made affordable because people from all walks of life can pursue this course and since it is offered by ICAI which is formed by enactment of law, it gets significant recognition.
The main difference in the costs is because of the coaching that students opt for better guidance and results..
If you try to stay result driven and strive to succeed, you can pass the Foundation level without incurring additional costs.
FAQs
Are the study material charges included in the Registration fees?
Yes. The Rs. 9000 charges include the study material cost also. You do not have to pay separately for books.
How many times a year are CA Foundation exams conducted?
CA Foundation exams are held thrice a year, that is, January, May, September.
Is it compulsory to pay re exam fees if I fail?
Yes. You will have to pay Rs. 1500 or Rs. 2100 in case of late fee, if you do not clear the exam and want to appear again.
How can I make payment to ICAI for registration or for exam fees?
You will have to create a login account on the SSP portal after filling in all the relevant details and documents and then navigate to the student function tab. There you can find the relevant link for paying registration charges or exam form fees.
What is the minimum time required to do registration?
You will have to register yourself at least 4 months before the exam to be eligible to appear.
Do I have to pay the Rs.9000 fees again if I fail?
No. It is a one time payment and the registration is valid for 4 years for the foundation course.
Can students from science, arts stream also register in CA apart from commerce stream?
Yes, provided they have cleared their class 12th examination.
What shall be the last date to register for January 2027 foundation exams?
A student should register at least 4 months before the 1st day of the month in which the exam is held. So for January 2027 exams, the last date for registration should be September 1, 2026.
Is the registration fees refundable?
No, the registration fee is not refundable unless duplicate payment is made.
Are mock test papers or revision test papers included in the study material?
No. Only course books are given in the study material. For Revision test papers ( RTP) or mock test paper ( MTP) or suggested answers, a student can either download it from the Board of studies ( BOS ) portal or buy it from the institute.