The compliance officer's international baseline. 200 calibrated MCQs, 5 walkthroughs + cram sheet + audio, mock exams. £49.
Global Financial Compliance is CISI's international-compliance foundation qualification. It's the exam most compliance-officer job descriptions expect — the broad baseline that covers:
100 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours, 70% pass mark. Delivered computer-based via Pearson VUE. An internationally scoped compliance benchmark.
| Role | Why GFC helps |
|---|---|
| Compliance officer (general) | The default credential for international compliance roles |
| Compliance analyst / associate | Broad grounding across every compliance domain |
| Risk professional | Ch 5 (GRC) covers the risk-management operating model |
| Internal audit | Governance + three lines of defence + supervisory expectations |
| Regulatory operations | MiFID II venues, FATCA/CRS, extraterritorial reach mechanics |
| Career-switcher into compliance | A broad, internationally scoped entry credential for compliance |
| Ch | Topic | Exam weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Regulatory Environment — objectives, models, extraterritorial reach, venues, international bodies | 20 / 100 (~20%) |
| 2 | The Compliance Function — the heaviest chapter — independence, three lines of defence, the CCO, monitoring programmes, the regulator relationship, SMCR | 24 / 100 (~24%) |
| 3 | Managing the Risk of Financial Crime — money laundering and terrorist financing, the risk-based approach, CDD/EDD, sanctions, bribery | 20 / 100 (~20%) |
| 4 | Ethics, Integrity and Fairness — Consumer Duty, vulnerable customers, professional ethics frameworks | 19 / 100 (~19%) |
| 5 | Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) — board, three lines, operational resilience, culture | 17 / 100 (~17%) |
The exam is broadly balanced across all 5 chapters — no single chapter dominates the way Ch 4 does in CFC. Even distribution means revision should be even too.
GFC's 8th Edition workbook (August 2019) predates several material regulatory shifts. Our bank flags them:
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Full GFC bank — 200 Qs, walkthroughs, audio, cram sheet — £49 one-time.
Target: 80%+ across three timed mocks before booking. GFC's breadth means you can't just cram one section — spread the revision.
Combating Financial Crime — the AML/CFT specialist exam. Deep on FATF, POCA, PEPs, SARs, sanctions.
UAE FRR + CFC — the pair a UAE compliance head needs. GFC is not part of that requirement.
Entry-level CISI credential. Take this first if you're new to finance vocabulary.
5-7 weeks at 8-10 hours per week is typical. GFC is broader than CFC — no single chapter dominates — so revision needs to spread across all 5 chapters rather than focusing on one.
100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours. 70% pass mark. Delivered computer-based via Pearson VUE. Results usually available immediately after submission.
They test differently. GFC is broader (governance, ethics, international regulators, compliance operating model) but shallower per topic. CFC is narrower (AML/CFT specifically) but deeper. Most candidates find GFC's memorisation load (regulator acronyms, article numbers, framework details) heavier; CFC's operational depth on CDD/EDD/PEPs can be trickier without prior compliance experience.
GFC is not a licensing exam — it's a competence credential. It signals to employers + supervisors that you understand the compliance framework. Whether it satisfies specific SMCR competence requirements depends on your firm's own accreditation matrix. Check with your compliance team.
GFC is internationally-scoped by design. UK content features but so does US, EU, and international-standard-setter material. If you need UK-specific depth (PRA + FCA supervisory approach in detail), supplement with regulator publications alongside.
One-time payment, permanent access — no expiry, no subscription. Purchases aren't refundable once the licence key is issued, except where something is faulty or not as described — you can try free questions in every chapter before you buy.
CISI, GFC, ICWIM, IISI and CFC are trademarks of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. FinStudyHub is not affiliated with CISI. Content is original preparatory material calibrated to the published GFC syllabus.