ICB Exams – Everything You Need to Know

At Together We Pass we believe in helping students, and so this page is here to give you all the information you need about your ICB exams.

How ICB courses are graded 

• 30% of your final mark comes from your coursework
• 70% of your final mark comes from the final exam
• You need at least 50% in the final exam to pass
• You need at least 60% overall to pass

30% from ICB Coursework

30% of your final mark comes from the activities and assignments you undertake during your course. You will be given your Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) folder once you’ve registered for an assessment with the ICB. You should receive this at least 2 weeks before the exam. You then take this with you on the day of the exam, and your PoE will be complete when your final assessment is added to it at the end of your course.

70% from final ICB exam

Your final exam will count for the remaining 70% of your mark. You will need to include it in your PoE, which will then be sent to an ICB-registered assessor who will review it to see whether or not you have passed.

You need at least 50% in the final ICB exam

Remember that you need to get 50% in your final exam to pass. This is regardless of any marks you get from your coursework, so you must be properly prepared, and have practiced in exam settings before taking the final exam.

This means that your activities and assignments during your studies are just as important as the final assessment, because they are part of fully preparing you for the final assessment, and also to provide evidence of the hard work you have done.

What is the ICB pass mark?

In order to pass your ICB exams, you will need to get 60% for the overall course, this includes all course work as well as the final exam.

When and where are my ICB exams?

The ICB has many centres around the country and abroad where you can register to write your ICB exams. These ICB exams are held at ICB-approved assessment centres around southern Africa. Our friendly staff will help you find a venue and explain how to book closer to the time.

You can only be assessed if you have paid your annual ICB student registration fee.

Make sure that you double check the ICB Assessment Policies & Procedures before you start completing your PoE, as these are updated from time to time.

As of the 2021 academic year, students will be able to choose between a written exam and an online exam. There will be a few differences to accommodate the online exams: 

• Online exams will be written at a place of the student’s choice rather than an assigned venue 
• Invigilation will be proctored using an online facial recognition software to determine whether the student has any computer activity outside of the exam window, and whether the student is looking anywhere other than at their computer. 
• Online exams will be written from 13:00 – 16:30 as opposed to the paper exams which will be written from 9:00 to 12:30 

What happens if I need to postpone an assessment?

Should you need to delay your ICB exams, then you will need to check the Assessment Timetables to see when you need to submit postponements by, and pay a postponement fee. There are cut-offs for these for each assessment cycle so make sure you request a postponement in time.

If you need to postpone your assessment because you are ill on the day, you can apply for a free postponement (you must include a doctor’s certificate with your request), which may be issued at the ICB’s discretion. Assessment for subjects can only be postponed once, and only if your postponement fee is received in time.

Download the ICB Assessment Policy here to learn more.

What happens if I do not pass my ICB exam?

If you do not pass the first time, you are allowed one re-assessment, where you must get 60% to pass. This must be done within 12 months of your original summative assessment date. We recommend that re-assessments are written as soon as possible, as subject content will change, and it is then your responsibility to make sure you are aware of what has changed.