Most candidates revise evenly and run out of time on the chapters that carry the marks. Below is the real weighting for every exam we cover, taken from the published syllabus, and the revision order it implies. The walkthroughs and cram sheets linked here are free and need no account.
Complete beginners; the cheapest way into the industry's vocabulary.
The paper: 30 questions · 60 minutes
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Banking | 5 | 17% | |
| 4 | Equities | 5 | 17% | |
| 5 | Bonds | 5 | 17% | |
| 8 | Other Areas of Financial Services | 5 | 17% | |
| 2 | Saving and Borrowing | 4 | 13% | |
| 7 | Markets | 4 | 13% | |
| 1 | Ethics and Integrity in Financial Services | 1 | 3% | |
| 6 | Derivatives | 1 | 3% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5) are 50% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 180 questions at £39, one-time, no expiry. FFS details →
Career-switchers and graduates wanting a first CISI credential.
The paper: 50 questions · 60 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Equities / Stocks | 10 | 20% | |
| 4 | Bonds | 6 | 12% | |
| 7 | Investment Funds | 6 | 12% | |
| 1 | Financial Services Sector | 5 | 10% | |
| 5 | Other Markets & Investments | 5 | 10% | |
| 6 | Derivatives | 5 | 10% | |
| 2 | Economic Environment | 4 | 8% | |
| 8 | Regulation and Ethics | 4 | 8% | |
| 9 | Other Financial Products | 3 | 6% | |
| 10 | Financial Advice | 2 | 4% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 3, Ch 7, Ch 4) are 44% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8 · Ch 9 · Ch 10 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 514 questions at £29, one-time, no expiry. Narrated audio is included. IISI details →
Anyone 18+ heading into US securities — no sponsoring firm needed.
The paper: 75 questions · 105 minutes · pass mark 70
The paper is 75 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions, so 85 in the seat.
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Understanding Products and Their Risks | 33 | 44% | |
| 3 | Understanding Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities | 23 | 31% | |
| 1 | Knowledge of Capital Markets | 12 | 16% | |
| 4 | Overview of the Regulatory Framework | 7 | 9% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 1) are 91% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 300 questions at $49, one-time, no expiry. SIE details →
Wealth managers, advisers and private bankers; half of the UAE Cat 5 pair.
The paper: 100 questions · 120 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Economics & Investment Analysis | 21 | 21% | |
| 7 | Investment Advice | 21 | 21% | |
| 6 | Investment Management | 15 | 15% | |
| 3 | Asset Classes & Markets | 14 | 14% | |
| 8 | Lifetime Financial Provision | 13 | 13% | |
| 4 | Collective Investments | 7 | 7% | |
| 2 | Industry Regulation | 5 | 5% | |
| 1 | Financial Services Sector | 4 | 4% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 5, Ch 7, Ch 6) are 57% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 678 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. Narrated audio is included. ICWIM details →
Anyone licensed onshore in the UAE by the CMA (formerly SCA); the other half of Cat 5.
The paper: 100 questions · 120 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Investment Funds | 15 | 15% | |
| 2 | Licensed Bodies | 14 | 14% | |
| 4 | Markets | 14 | 14% | |
| 5 | AML / CFT | 14 | 14% | |
| 1 | Regulatory Infrastructure | 11 | 11% | |
| 7 | Trading (ADX & DGCX) | 11 | 11% | |
| 8 | Dubai Financial Market (DFM) | 11 | 11% | |
| 6 | Client Protection | 10 | 10% |
The marks are spread evenly — the gap between the heaviest and lightest chapter is 5 questions. There is no chapter you can afford to skip, so plan even passes over all 8 rather than ranking them.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 680 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. Narrated audio is included. UAE FRR details →
Compliance officers and analysts; the broad international baseline.
The paper: 100 questions · 120 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | The Compliance Function | 24 | 24% | |
| 1 | International Regulatory Environment | 20 | 20% | |
| 3 | Managing the Risk of Financial Crime | 20 | 20% | |
| 4 | Ethics, Integrity and Fairness | 19 | 19% | |
| 5 | Governance, Risk Management & Compliance | 17 | 17% |
The marks are spread evenly — the gap between the heaviest and lightest chapter is 7 questions. There is no chapter you can afford to skip, so plan even passes over all 5 rather than ranking them.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 200 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. Narrated audio is included. GFC details →
MLROs, financial-crime and KYC teams.
The paper: 50 questions · 60 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Countering ML: The Framework | 15 | 30% | |
| 2 | Money Laundering: The Offences | 8 | 16% | |
| 6 | Other Financial Crimes | 8 | 16% | |
| 3 | Money Laundering: Sources & Methods | 6 | 12% | |
| 1 | Introduction & Regulatory Response | 5 | 10% | |
| 5 | Terrorist Financing | 4 | 8% | |
| 7 | Recent Developments | 4 | 8% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 4, Ch 6, Ch 2) are 62% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 224 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. Narrated audio is included. CFC details →
Risk officers and analysts; heavy on calculations.
The paper: 100 questions · 120 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Operational Risk | 18 | 18% | |
| 4 | Credit Risk | 16 | 16% | |
| 1 | Principles of Risk Management | 13 | 13% | |
| 5 | Market Risk | 12 | 12% | |
| 6 | Investment Risk | 11 | 11% | |
| 7 | Liquidity Risk | 8 | 8% | |
| 2 | International Risk Regulation | 7 | 7% | |
| 10 | Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) | 6 | 6% | |
| 9 | Risk Oversight and Corporate Governance | 5 | 5% | |
| 8 | Model Risk | 4 | 4% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 1) are 47% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8 · Ch 9 · Ch 10 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 252 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. RFS details →
M&A, ECM, nomads and company secretaries working under the UK regime.
The paper: 50 questions · 60 minutes · pass mark 70%
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Managing Regulatory Obligations | 16 | 32% | |
| 1 | The Regulatory Environment in the UK | 14 | 28% | |
| 5 | Equity Capital Markets | 8 | 16% | |
| 4 | Takeovers and Mergers | 7 | 14% | |
| 3 | Corporate Governance | 5 | 10% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 2, Ch 1, Ch 5) are 76% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 200 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. CFR details →
Post-trade, custody, settlement and asset-servicing staff.
The paper: 50 questions · 60 minutes
| Ch | Topic | Marks | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Other Investor Services | 16 | 32% | |
| 1 | Main Industry Participants | 13 | 26% | |
| 2 | Settlement Characteristics | 11 | 22% | |
| 5 | Risk | 6 | 12% | |
| 4 | Aspects of Taxation | 4 | 8% |
Work in this order — heaviest share of the paper first:
The first three (Ch 3, Ch 1, Ch 2) are 80% of the paper between them. If time runs short, that is where it should go.
Free with no account: walkthroughs Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · cram sheet · build a dated plan around your exam date.
Practise: 12 free questions per chapter in the app. The full bank is 200 questions at £49, one-time, no expiry. GSO details →
Three passes beat one long one. Read the chapter, work questions until you can explain the wrong answers, then come back to it a week later. Put the heaviest chapters in the first pass while your attention is fresh, and leave the lightest for the week before — they are quick to read and quick to forget.
If you have a date, the plan builder turns this into dated sessions and re-orders itself around the chapters you score worst on.