Both exams required for the UAE SCA Category 5 licence. Full ICWIM + full UAE FRR. 1,244 questions, 16 chapter walkthroughs, 2 cram sheets, one Gumroad license unlocks both. £79 (save £19).
The UAE Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA) issues categories of professional licence to individuals working in regulated financial-services roles. Category 5 is the licence typically required for:
To satisfy Cat 5, the SCA requires candidates to hold two qualifications:
These aren't SCA-run exams — they're delivered by CISI (via Pearson VUE) and accepted by SCA as the standard qualification stack. That's the pair the Cat 5 Pack bundles.
| ICWIM | UAE FRR | Bundle total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice questions | 680 | 566 | 1,244 |
| Chapter walkthroughs | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| Cram sheets | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Quiz modes | 5 | 5 | 5 per course |
| License unlocks | ICWIM only | FRR only | Both — one key |
One license, both exams. £79 saves you £19 and gets you the standard SCA Cat 5 qualification pair.
The most common Cat 5 candidate — someone joining a UAE-regulated wealth-management or advisory firm from overseas. The Cat 5 stack is the standard job requirement + the fastest path to a licensed role.
Moving from a UAE support role (operations, ops-risk, junior compliance) into a client-facing advisory role usually triggers Cat 5 requirements. ICWIM + UAE FRR is the standard prerequisite.
Increasingly common route — graduates joining private banks / boutique wealth managers in Dubai / Abu Dhabi are expected to have (or be actively pursuing) Cat 5 within 6-12 months of joining.
Cat 5 can be prepared for in your home country — CISI exams are delivered globally via Pearson VUE. Sitting both before you relocate is a common tactic for de-risking the UAE job search.
ICWIM's investment substance provides context for FRR's regulatory framing. Suitability, KYC, client money — you understand why the rules exist after covering the products. Target: sit ICWIM week 7-8, then focus on FRR weeks 8-12.
If you already work in UAE financial services, the regulatory context is familiar and FRR is quicker. Cleaner to get FRR done in ~4 weeks, then invest the bigger effort on ICWIM.
Assuming 8-10 hours per week alongside a full-time job: 10-13 weeks total for both exams sequentially.
If you only need the wealth-management foundation (or aren't sitting for a Cat 5 licence).
If you already hold ICWIM (or an equivalent) and just need the UAE regulatory piece.
Complementary AML/CFT specialisation — highly relevant post-UAE greylist.
When you buy the Cat 5 Pack, Gumroad emails you a single license key. Paste it at icwim.com/unlock and both ICWIM + UAE FRR unlock in your account — no separate keys, no separate purchases.
Yes. Access doesn't expire. If you're only sitting ICWIM this year and FRR next year, that's fine — both courses stay unlocked forever.
Cat 5 is the SCA onshore regime. DIFC (DFSA) and ADGM (FSRA) operate separate competence frameworks. Some free-zone roles accept CISI ICWIM (with local regulator-specific supplements); others require different exams. Check with your firm's compliance team.
Buy UAE FRR standalone at £49. If you'd bought ICWIM from us previously and now want the pack, email us — we can usually credit the difference.
No. Both are delivered globally via Pearson VUE — you can sit them from your current country before relocating. Many candidates prepare + sit both while still in the UK, EU, or India before starting a UAE role.
30-day Gumroad refund. One-time payment, permanent access — no expiry, no subscription.
CISI, ICWIM and UAE FRR are trademarks of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. FinStudyHub is not affiliated with CISI or the UAE Securities & Commodities Authority. Content is original preparatory material calibrated to the published ICWIM + UAE FRR syllabi.