answer:
Q1: no objective, all essay.
Q2. yes, it is true.
Q3. around 80 pounds.

Self study first la, if cannot then go for classes.
P1 and P3 can self study, P2 classes will help a lot. The optional papers requires a bit of acca foundation papers knowledge so going to classes will be beneficial. In the end, all depends on you.

Get into Big4, or the mediums, tell them to pay for you

I am very serious here, dont ask them to bond you.
They never do anything for free and believe me on this.
Especially when comes to those ICAEW students taking via the foundation route, you dont want to know what fate will be waiting for them.

A degree holder here so I guess I would be in  a position to answer you...

Yeah register in one >.> classes help alot provided you go to the right places lol~ I wouldn't self-study the remaining 5 papers even if I was given the benefit of hindsight! (taken 3 papers already)
You can register for one class doesn't need to be all ^^ tuition fee depends on who you choose to study with... i.e. sunway is 1430+misc fees, Taylors also around 1200~, Kasturi is 780....
Yeah the Big4 will pay for the exam fees and also tuition fees up to a certain limit if I am not mistaken around rm15,000 which IMO isn't alot cause I think exemptions fees and all I have paid roughly 15k already (taken 3 papers, taking 1option now) unless of course u pass on your first try XD I'm a little skeptical if I can do so... hence why i think it isn't enough ^^;;