Free ExAC Study Notes for Every Section

Examitect's study notes are a free, public library that covers all four ExAC sections, the fourteen official objectives, and every key reference, from CHOP and CHING to NBC 2020 and CCDC. In our years helping Intern Architects prepare for the Examination for Architects in Canada, our team has seen most candidates lose time studying the wrong things; clear notes fix that. Examitect is an independent ExAC prep platform unaffiliated with the CACB. The notes are free, no account needed, so you can start reading the right material today.

Key Takeaways

ExAC study notes in short.

  • The notes are free and public, with no account needed. Start at the study notes library and browse by section or by reference.
  • They cover all four sections and the fourteen objectives. Jump to Section 1, Section 2, Section 3, or Section 4.
  • Every key reference has its own notes. That includes CHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, NECB, and CCDC.
  • Use the notes to find what to read, not to replace the books. For closed-book sections you still need CHOP and CHING in full.
  • Notes are the setup; practice is the test. Read the note, then answer practice questions and run flashcards on the same topic.
  • They pair with a schedule. Match each note to the week it belongs in with a study plan.

What Examitect's study notes are

The hardest thing about a reading list as long as the ExAC's is not the reading; it is knowing what actually matters. Examitect's study notes exist to answer that. They are distilled summaries of every part of the exam, written so you can see the shape of a topic in minutes, then decide where to spend real reading time. They cover all four sections, the fourteen official objectives, and the key references the exam draws from.

The whole library is free and public. You do not need an account to read any of it, which is deliberate: the notes are the on-ramp, and the paid tools (practice questions, mock exams, flashcards, mind maps, and the study plan) are what you reach for once you know the terrain. Here is how the notes are laid out.

CostFree and public, no account required
By sectionAll four sections, each broken into its topics
By referenceCHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, NECB, CCDC, and the RAIC documents
CoverageThe fourteen official objectives across the four sections
NavigationBreadcrumbs and links between sections, topics, and references
Start hereThe study notes library

How the notes are organised

You can come at the notes from two directions, depending on how you study:

  • By section. Start from a section overview, such as Section 2, and drill into its topics. Some topics, like the code and final-project material, expand into sub-topics so you can go as deep as you need.
  • By reference. If you are reading a particular book, go straight to its notes. The CHOP and CHING pages summarise what each covers and how it maps to the objectives, which helps you skip the chapters the exam never touches.

Breadcrumbs and cross-links connect the two views, so you can move from a topic to the reference that covers it and back without losing your place. The structure mirrors the exam itself, which means the notes double as a map of what you are actually being tested on.

How to study with the notes

Notes are most useful as a frame around your reading and practice, not as a substitute for either. The routine our team recommends is simple:

  • Preview before you read. Skim the note for a topic first, so when you open the textbook you already know what matters and what to skim past.
  • Respect the open-book line. Only Section 2 is open book, and only the code references are allowed in. For Sections 1, 3, and 4 the notes guide your reading, but the content still has to live in memory. The ExAC exam guide covers the rules.
  • Turn reading into recall. After a note, run flashcards and practice questions on the same topic. The note builds the picture; practice makes you able to produce it.
  • Slot notes into a plan. A study plan tells you which notes to read in which week, so the library never feels like an undifferentiated pile.
FAQ

ExAC study notes: frequently asked questions

Yes. Examitect's study notes are free and public, with no sign-up required. They cover all four ExAC sections, the fourteen official objectives, and every key reference, including CHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, NECB, CCDC, and the RAIC documents.

The notes cover all four sections of the Examination for Architects in Canada and the fourteen objectives within them, plus distilled summaries of the key references. You can browse by section and topic, or jump straight to a reference such as CHOP or NBC 2020.

Yes. The study notes library is completely free and needs no account. Examitect keeps the notes open so any Intern Architect can use them, then offers practice questions, mock exams, flashcards, and study plans as the paid tools that build on them.

The notes are organised two ways: by the four ExAC sections, each broken into its topics, and by reference, where each primary book has its own page. Some topics expand into sub-topics, and breadcrumb links let you move between sections, topics, and references.

The notes cover the primary ExAC references, including CHOP, CHING, NBC 2020, NECB, and CCDC, along with the RAIC documents and a list of supporting resources. Each reference page summarises what the book covers and how it maps to the exam objectives.

Use them alongside the textbooks, not instead. The notes are a fast way to see the shape of a topic, review before practice, and find which chapter to read. For the closed-book sections especially, you still need to read CHOP and CHING in full, because they are not open book on the exam.

Read the note to understand a topic, then answer practice questions on it to turn that understanding into recall. Notes build the picture; practice questions and flashcards build the ability to produce the answer under exam pressure. Use the note as the setup and the questions as the test.

No. The study notes are public and free to read without signing in. You only need an account for the paid tools, such as the full practice question bank, mock exams, flashcards, mind maps, and the study plan.