Picture Kemi in Lagos, reading ICAN notes on a danfo at 6am, somewhere between Ikorodu and Ojota. She works full-time at an accounting firm, gets home after 8pm, and her exam is in 10 weeks. Some nights she falls asleep over her books. Some weekends she doesn’t study at all because family events take over. She’s starting to wonder if studying while working is even possible. It is. Thousands of Nigerians do it every year. The trick isn’t more hours. It’s a smarter plan. This guide shows you how to balance a job, exams and a life without burning out.
Studying while working means combining a job with a degree, professional exam or certification. To succeed, work out how many hours you can realistically give each week, build a fixed study timetable around your job, use short daily sessions and your commute, study with proven techniques like self-testing and spacing, talk to your employer about support, and protect your sleep.
Key takeaways
- Consistency beats long, exhausting study marathons.
- Research shows spacing study over time and testing yourself work better than re-reading.
- Use “dead time” like commutes and lunch breaks for short review sessions.
- Your employer may offer study leave, flexible hours or sponsorship, so ask.
Is it worth it? A quick check
Before you start, be honest about why you’re doing it:
- Will the qualification open doors to promotion, a new career or higher pay?
- Can you afford the fees, books and exam costs without debt?
- Is this the right season? A new baby, a job change or major family responsibilities may mean waiting a few months is wiser.
If the answer is yes, commit fully, with a plan.
Build a weekly study plan around your job
- Do the time maths. List your fixed commitments: work, commute, sleep, church or mosque, family. What’s left is your real study time.
- Set a weekly target. For example, 10 hours a week: 1 hour on five weekdays and 2.5 hours on Saturday and Sunday.
- Book study time like a meeting. Put it in your calendar and protect it.
- Plan backwards from the exam date. Divide the syllabus into weekly chunks, leaving the last two to three weeks for revision and past papers.
- Review every Sunday. What did you finish? What needs to move?
| Day | Example plan |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 20 minutes of flashcards on the commute + 40 minutes of focused study at night |
| Saturday | 2.5 hours: new topics + one past-paper question |
| Sunday | 2 hours: revision + weekly review and planning |
For more on managing time, read our time management tips for Nigerians.
Use your commute and lunch time
- Flashcards: review key definitions and formulas on your phone.
- Audio: listen to recorded notes or lectures if you’re not driving.
- Mini-quizzes: test yourself on one topic during lunch.
- Offline downloads: save materials before you leave home to avoid data costs.
Twenty minutes a day on the road adds up to more than an hour and a half each working week.
Study techniques that actually work
A major review by John Dunlosky and colleagues in 2013 looked at ten popular study techniques. Two stood out as highly effective:
- Practice testing: answering questions and past papers instead of just re-reading.
- Distributed (spaced) practice: spreading study over days and weeks. A large 2006 review by Nicholas Cepeda and colleagues, covering 317 experiments, confirmed that spacing out study improves long-term memory.
Techniques like highlighting and re-reading felt productive but were much less effective. So close the highlighter and open the past questions.
Build the habit with our guides on self-discipline and habits that stick.
Talk to your employer
Many employers support staff development, especially when a qualification helps your role. You could ask about:
- Study or exam leave.
- Flexible hours around exam periods.
- Sponsorship or partial payment of fees.
- Opportunities to apply what you’re learning at work.
A simple way to ask: “I’m studying for [qualification], which will help me in [part of my role]. Does the company offer any support, such as study leave or sponsorship?” Check your employment contract and HR policy first.
Protect your sleep and avoid burnout
- Don’t steal from sleep. Tired brains learn and remember less. Read our guide on how much sleep you need.
- Take one full rest day most weeks.
- Tell family and friends your plan so they understand why you may miss some events.
- Watch for burnout signs: constant exhaustion, dread and falling performance. Our guide on burnout can help.
For professional exams like ICAN, always check the official syllabus, exam dates and requirements on the ICAN website or the relevant professional body.
Try this this week
Write down every fixed commitment you have for one week, then find five one-hour study slots. Put them in your calendar. For each session, finish with 10 minutes of self-testing using past questions or flashcards.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours should I study while working?
It depends on your course and exam date, but many working students aim for 8 to 12 focused hours a week, spread across weekdays and weekends. Short, regular sessions using self-testing are more effective than occasional long sessions. Adjust based on your syllabus and progress.
Can I do ICAN while working full-time?
Yes, many candidates do. It requires a realistic weekly timetable, consistent study, lots of past-question practice and good sleep. Check the official ICAN syllabus and exam dates, and ask your employer whether they offer study leave or sponsorship.
How do I avoid burnout when working and studying?
Protect your sleep, take at least one rest day most weeks, and keep your study plan realistic. Tell family and friends about your schedule, and watch for signs like constant exhaustion or dread. If you feel overwhelmed for weeks, reduce your load or seek support.
Final thoughts
Studying while working is hard, but it’s one of the best investments you can make in yourself. You don’t need to study all night. You need a realistic plan, smart techniques and steady consistency. Start this week, protect your sleep and trust the process. Future you will thank you.
Build the discipline to finish with our guide on how to build self-discipline, and join the Mindset.ng newsletter for weekly practical guides.
Related reading
- How to build self-discipline
- Time management tips for Nigerians
- Burnout: signs, causes and how to recover
Sources
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58.
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
- Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. Official website.
Written and fact-checked by the Mindset.ng Editorial Team in line with our Editorial Policy. Last updated: 25 September 2026.
