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Failed IFRS exam twice — what finally worked for me on attempt 3

by Jessica L. 590 views3 replies
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Jessica L.OP
May 27, 2026

I've been trying to get my IFRS certification for almost two years now and I'm embarrassed to admit I failed the first two attempts pretty badly. First time I scored a 58, second time a 61 — passing is 70. Both times I studied by just reading the standards and watching YouTube videos, which clearly wasn't cutting it.

What changed for my third attempt was actually doing structured IFRS practice test questions instead of passive reading. I found that I was memorizing concepts but couldn't apply them under time pressure. Once I started drilling application-style questions — especially on financial instruments (IFRS 9) and leases (IFRS 16) — things started clicking. My study guide I built focused heavily on disclosure requirements because those kept tripping me up.

Passed with an 74 last month. Happy to share what worked. Anyone else struggling with the financial instruments section specifically? That was the hardest part for me and I have some specific exam tips that helped me get past it.

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Alex G.
May 28, 2026
This is so relatable. I'm currently scheduled for my first attempt in six weeks and IFRS 9 is destroying me. The classification and measurement categories for financial assets especially — I keep mixing up amortized cost vs. FVTOCI. Did you find any particular question types that helped solidify that distinction? Also how many hours total did you study for attempt 3 vs the earlier ones?
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Tyler B.
May 28, 2026
The time pressure is real. I set a timer for every practice session so exam day felt familiar. Also: don't skip the conceptual framework questions, people underestimate how many show up.
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emily_w
May 28, 2026
Congrats on passing! I took a different approach — I used the actual IASB illustrative examples alongside practice questions and that combination helped me see how the standards actually apply in real company scenarios. Disclosures are brutal though, you're right. I almost think the exam tests whether you can find things in the standards quickly more than whether you've memorized them.

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