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Key Facts: ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Exam

Multiple-choice questions

CIArb Introduction to ADR Assessment

55%

Pass mark

CIArb

Attempts permitted

CIArb

7 days

To submit once started

CIArb

170+

New York Convention states

UNCITRAL

ACIArb

Membership grade earned

CIArb

The CIArb Associate (ACIArb) Introduction to ADR Assessment is an online, on-demand multiple-choice exam of 60 questions selected at random from a pool, requiring 55% to pass with three attempts allowed; once an attempt is started the candidate has 7 days to submit. It follows CIArb's Introduction to ADR course and has no formal prerequisite. The syllabus spans the ADR landscape, arbitration fundamentals (separability, kompetenz-kompetenz, the seat and lex arbitri), the arbitrator's duties of impartiality and disclosure, arbitral procedure and evidence, the form and challenge of awards, and enforcement under the New York Convention 1958, with reference to the UNCITRAL Model Law and the English Arbitration Act 1996/2025. Passing confers eligibility to apply for Associate (ACIArb) membership for up to two years.

Sample ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ACIArb (Intro to ADR) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A commercial contract between two parties contains no dispute resolution clause. When a dispute arises, the parties want a neutral third party to facilitate a settlement but who has NO power to impose any binding decision on them. Which form of ADR are they describing?

A.Mediation

B.Arbitration

C.Expert determination

D.Adjudication

Explanation: Mediation is a facilitative process in which a neutral mediator helps the parties negotiate their own settlement; the mediator has no authority to impose a binding decision. Any settlement only becomes binding if the parties agree to it, typically by signing a settlement agreement.

2Which of the following best distinguishes arbitration from litigation in a national court?

A.Arbitration arises from the parties' consent and produces a private, generally final award

B.Arbitration is always free of charge to the parties

C.Arbitration decisions can never be enforced across borders

D.Arbitration is conducted only by serving judges

Explanation: Arbitration is a consensual process founded on the parties' agreement to arbitrate; it is private and confidential, and the tribunal's award is generally final and binding with very limited rights of appeal. Litigation by contrast is a public state process that does not depend on the parties' consent.

3In a construction dispute governed by the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, a party refers the dispute to adjudication. What is the legal status of the adjudicator's decision?

A.Final and binding with no further recourse

B.Binding only if both parties later agree to accept it

C.Temporarily binding until the dispute is finally determined by litigation, arbitration, or agreement

D.A non-binding recommendation only

Explanation: Statutory adjudication under the Construction Act 1996 produces a decision that is binding on a temporary basis: the parties must comply with it, but it can be reopened and finally determined by litigation, arbitration, or agreement. This 'pay now, argue later' mechanism keeps construction projects moving.

4Parties to a sale-of-goods contract disagree only about the market value of certain assets. They appoint an independent valuer to decide the figure, agreeing the decision will be final and binding. The valuer relies on his own knowledge and is not bound to follow rules of evidence or to give a reasoned hearing. Which process is this?

A.Expert determination

B.Mediation

C.Arbitration

D.Conciliation

Explanation: Expert determination refers a specific issue (often valuation or technical questions) to an expert who decides it using their own expertise; the decision is binding by contract. Unlike an arbitrator, the expert need not hold a formal hearing or apply rules of evidence and is not subject to the New York Convention.

5Which ADR process is characterised as the most informal and is essentially a direct, unassisted communication between the parties to resolve their differences?

A.Arbitration

B.Negotiation

C.Adjudication

D.Expert determination

Explanation: Negotiation is the most informal ADR method: the parties (or their representatives) communicate directly to reach a voluntary settlement without any neutral third party. It involves no imposed outcome and no third-party facilitator.

6A key advantage of mediation over arbitration and litigation is that it allows the parties to:

A.Preserve their commercial relationship through a mutually agreed outcome

B.Obtain an enforceable award under the New York Convention

C.Compel disclosure of all documents from third parties

D.Appeal the outcome to a higher court

Explanation: Because mediation is facilitative and the parties craft their own settlement, it is well suited to preserving ongoing commercial relationships and can produce creative, interest-based outcomes that an adjudicative process cannot impose. Settlements are consensual rather than imposed.

7Which of the following ADR methods produces an outcome that is binding and enforceable, but ONLY through a contractual claim for breach (not under arbitration legislation or the New York Convention)?

A.Expert determination

B.Arbitration

C.Statutory adjudication

D.Med-arb

Explanation: An expert's determination binds the parties as a matter of contract; if a party refuses to comply, the remedy is a claim for breach of the contract that established the expert determination. It is not enforced as an arbitral award and is outside the New York Convention.

8In a 'med-arb' hybrid process, what happens if the parties fail to reach a settlement during the mediation phase?

A.The same or a different neutral proceeds to arbitrate and render a binding award

B.The dispute is automatically discontinued

C.The matter must be litigated in court

D.The mediator issues a non-binding recommendation

Explanation: Med-arb combines mediation and arbitration: if mediation does not resolve the dispute, the process moves to arbitration and a binding award is rendered. A recognised concern is whether the same neutral acting as both mediator and arbitrator can remain impartial after hearing confidential caucus information.

9Confidentiality is frequently cited as an advantage of arbitration over litigation. Which statement about confidentiality in arbitration is MOST accurate?

A.Confidentiality is automatically guaranteed in every jurisdiction by the New York Convention

B.Arbitration is private, and in many jurisdictions an implied duty of confidentiality applies, though its scope varies

C.Arbitral hearings are always open to the public

D.Confidentiality only applies to mediation, never to arbitration

Explanation: Arbitration proceedings are private (only the parties participate), and many jurisdictions (such as England) recognise an implied duty of confidentiality, though its precise scope and exceptions differ between legal systems and rules. It is not automatically guaranteed everywhere.

10Which of the following is generally considered a DISADVANTAGE of arbitration compared with litigation?

A.Very limited rights of appeal on the merits

B.Inability to enforce the outcome internationally

C.Lack of party autonomy over procedure

D.Mandatory publication of the award

Explanation: Arbitral awards are final with very narrow grounds to challenge them and, in most systems, no appeal on the merits. While this delivers finality, it is a disadvantage for a party that believes the tribunal got the substance wrong, since there is usually no way to correct an error of fact or law.

About the ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Exam

The CIArb Associate (ACIArb) Introduction to ADR Assessment is the entry-grade examination of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, taken after CIArb's on-demand Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution course. The online assessment comprises 60 multiple-choice questions drawn at random from a pool, with a 55% pass mark and up to three attempts. It tests understanding of the main ADR processes (negotiation, mediation, arbitration, adjudication and expert determination), the arbitration agreement, the role of the tribunal, arbitral procedure, awards, and enforcement under the New York Convention. Passing makes a candidate eligible to apply for Associate (ACIArb) membership.

Questions

60 scored questions

Time Limit

Timed online; 7 days to submit once an attempt is started

Passing Score

55%

Exam Fee

Varies by course (confirm on ciarb.org) (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb))

ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Exam Content Outline

20%

ADR Landscape

Negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, adjudication and expert determination; binding vs facilitative processes; med-arb and early neutral evaluation; the Singapore Convention; and the advantages and limits of each method

20%

Arbitration Fundamentals & the Arbitration Agreement

Separability (s.7 AA 1996; Art 16 Model Law), kompetenz-kompetenz, the seat and lex arbitri, ad hoc vs institutional arbitration, arbitrability, stays under s.9, and the writing requirement under Article II of the New York Convention

18%

Role & Duties of the Arbitrator and Tribunal

Impartiality and independence, disclosure and conflicts (IBA Guidelines; Halliburton v Chubb), appointment and challenge (Art 12 Model Law), the s.33 duty of fairness, case-management powers, summary disposal, and arbitrator immunity

16%

Arbitral Procedure & Evidence

Party autonomy, IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence, document production (Redfern Schedule), witness and expert evidence, interim measures (Art 17), burden and standard of proof, default proceedings, and the applicable substantive law (Art 28)

14%

Awards: Form, Content & Challenges

Types of award (final, partial, consent), formal requirements under Article 31 of the Model Law, reasons and costs, correction under the slip rule, setting aside under Article 34, and challenges under ss.67-69 of the Arbitration Act 1996

12%

Enforcement & the New York Convention

Recognition and enforcement of foreign awards, the Article IV documents, the exhaustive Article V refusal grounds, the public-policy exception, reciprocity and commercial reservations, and the rule against review of the merits

How to Pass the ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 55%
Exam length: 60 questions
Time limit: Timed online; 7 days to submit once an attempt is started
Exam fee: Varies by course (confirm on ciarb.org)

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ACIArb (Intro to ADR) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Build a one-page comparison table of negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, adjudication and expert determination, noting which are binding and which are facilitative

2Learn separability and kompetenz-kompetenz together: separability keeps the arbitration clause alive, and kompetenz-kompetenz lets the tribunal rule on its own jurisdiction (s.7 and s.30 Arbitration Act 1996; Art 16 Model Law)

3Memorise the difference between the seat (legal place, fixes the lex arbitri and supervisory courts) and the venue (the physical hearing location)

4Know the section 33 duty to act fairly and impartially and give each party a reasonable opportunity to present its case; many award challenges trace back to a breach of it

5Drill the New York Convention Article V refusal grounds and remember that enforcing courts do not review the merits of the dispute

6Note the English Arbitration Act 2025 reforms: a default that the arbitration agreement is governed by the law of the seat, and an express tribunal power of summary disposal

7Practise applying the rules to short fact patterns, since the assessment tests scenario understanding rather than rote recall

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CIArb Associate (ACIArb) Introduction to ADR assessment?

It is the entry-grade assessment of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, taken after its on-demand Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution course. Passing it makes a candidate eligible to apply for Associate (ACIArb) membership.

How many questions are on the assessment?

The assessment comprises 60 multiple-choice questions selected at random from a pool. Candidates must score at least 55% to pass and are allowed up to three attempts.

How long do I have to complete it?

The course and assessment are online and on-demand through CIArb's LearnADR platform. Once an attempt is started, the candidate has 7 days to submit it.

What does the syllabus cover?

It covers the ADR landscape, arbitration fundamentals and the arbitration agreement, the role and duties of the arbitrator, arbitral procedure and evidence, the form and challenge of awards, and enforcement under the New York Convention, with reference to the UNCITRAL Model Law and the English Arbitration Act.

Do I need a law degree or arbitration experience?

No. The Introduction to ADR course and assessment are designed for newcomers to dispute resolution, with no formal prerequisite or prior arbitration experience required.

What does passing the assessment lead to?

Passing makes a candidate eligible to apply for CIArb Associate (ACIArb) membership for up to two years. Associate is the first CIArb membership grade and a foundation for progressing toward Member (MCIArb) and Fellow (FCIArb).

How long should I study for it?

Most candidates spend roughly 20-40 hours working through the course content and practising questions over three to six weeks of part-time study, depending on prior familiarity with ADR.