I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Cowan and Partners (Edinburgh, Scotland) in Mar 2016
Interview
It was a lengthy application on the ICAS website. I then interviewed with one of the partners which was very much concerned with the contents of the application, your skills relating to accounting, why you want to do it etc.
I then went for a second interview with another partner which was very brief and informal, focused mainly on personality. Then it was a chat with a 3rd year trainee and another chat with an employee just qualified. That was mostly for me to ask my questions.