Can You Do CA Online or Study for It at Home?

What you can and cannot do online

So "doing CA online" really means studying online. The exams and the training still have to be done in person, and they set the pace of the course. For the minimum time from registration to the Final exam, see how long the CA course takes.

Studying CA at home

Studying at home does not let you skip ICAI's waiting periods. You must be registered for at least four months before a Foundation exam and eight months before an Intermediate exam. Your Final eligibility depends on finishing practical training at least six months before the exam month (ICAI FAQs, Q 2.7, Q 3.9 and Q 4.5).

Within those periods, ICAI's free resources on the BoS Knowledge Portal cover most of what a self-studying student needs:

• Study material and e-books for every paper, also on the ICAI BOS mobile app.
• Revision Test Papers, Mock Test Papers, past question papers and ICAI's suggested answers.
• Live virtual classes with recorded lectures, on the portal, the app and ICAI's YouTube channel. ICAI's prospectus calls them free, but for CA Intermediate the current batch is paid: ₹1,000 per group for live and recorded lectures, or ₹200 per group for recordings only (BoS announcement, 10 June 2026). Check the terms for your level and batch on the portal.

For a daily routine built around these resources, see our guide to self-study for CA at home.

What you study at each level

Older courses and articles may still follow ICAI's old syllabus. ICAI's New Scheme of Education and Training, launched on 1 July 2023, has fewer papers:

Sources: ICAI FAQs on the New Scheme (Q 2.9 to 2.13, 3.13, 3.16, 3.17, 4.3, 4.7, 4.8) and ICAI's announcement of 6 April 2026 on the Final exam months. The detailed syllabus for each paper is on ICAI's New Scheme page.

What an online CA course includes

Private online CA courses usually combine some of these:

• Live classes on a fixed timetable, with questions answered during the class.
• Recorded lectures, streamed, downloaded or supplied on a pen drive or Google Drive, which you can replay.
• Notes and question banks, alongside ICAI's own study material.
• Test series marked by the faculty.
• Doubt support by chat, email or scheduled sessions.

What to check before you pay

• The scheme and the exam session. The course should follow the new-scheme papers above. For the GST and indirect tax papers, it should follow ICAI's study guidelines for your exam session, which set the cut-off date for amendments and list the topics excluded.
• Group-wise options. At Intermediate you register for both groups but may appear in one group at a time (ICAI FAQs, Q 3.12). Final is also passed group by group, so you can buy and study one group first.
• Access until your attempt. Check how long recorded lectures stay available if you defer an exam to the next session.
• Tests in ICAI's format. Compare the course's test papers with ICAI's Mock Test Papers for your level, including the MCQ share and negative marking at Foundation.
• A demo lecture. Watch a full lecture by the faculty who will teach you, in the language you want, before you pay.

Online or classroom coaching

Neither is required by ICAI, and many students mix both. In our experience the choice comes down to how much structure you need:

If you prefer a classroom, ICAI's regional councils and branches organise coaching for Foundation, Intermediate and Final, and ICAI accredits institutions to run coaching classes (ICAI Prospectus). The BoS portal lists accredited coaching classes. Some regional councils and branches also provide reading rooms.

For the same comparison for the company secretary course, see our guide to CS online courses.

What it costs

Each provider sets its own coaching fees, so compare what the price includes: live or recorded classes, books, tests, doubt support and how long access lasts.

ICAI's own fees are separate and are paid to ICAI whichever way you study. ICAI's FAQs give registration fees of ₹9,000 for Foundation (including the study material), ₹18,000 for Intermediate (both groups) and ₹22,000 for Final (both groups). On top of these, you pay an exam fee for every attempt. For the September and November 2026 exams, ICAI's fee chart lists these fees at Indian centres:

A ₹600 late fee applies within the late-fee window. For ICITSS fees, concessions and the total cost to qualify, see the CA course fee structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to buy books if I study CA online?

Not necessarily. ICAI's study material for every level is free on the BoS Knowledge Portal, and the Foundation registration fee includes the printed study material, which you order through ICAI's CDS portal (ICAI FAQs, Q 2.2 and Q 2.4). Books from other publishers are optional.

Can I do a degree alongside CA?

Yes. ICAI's prospectus says it has an agreement (MoU) with IGNOU so that CA students can take IGNOU's B.Com (Accounting and Finance). The BoS portal lists other university schemes under "Special Schemes for Graduation and Post-Graduation Courses – MoUs".