United Kingdom · QualificationsDo you need a CISI course to pass?
No. CISI gives two routes: self-study with its workbook and elearning, or formal training with one of its Accredited Training Partners (ATPs). The exam is the same either way, and so is the workbook, since CISI wants every UK candidate preparing from the one current edition.
Fitch Learning, one of CISI’s Premier Training Partners, says on its course pages that UK students who book a course still register, buy the exam and buy the CISI manual directly from CISI.
CISI courses and CISI’s own study tools compared
| Option | Price | Free to use | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official | |||
CISI student membership and My StudyOfficial study area for candidatesMy Study is CISI’s online platform for student members. It holds the sample papers, an On the Day section for your exam and advice on results and certificates. | Free for a year, or until you finish your qualification, when you book a CISI exam | My Study, with sample papers for a selection of multiple-choice exams and past papers for written exams | |
CISI workbooks and digital booksOfficial study text for each examThe Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) requires UK candidates to buy the current workbook, where one exists, when they book. Each edition matches one syllabus version. Digital books come only from CISI or its training partners, and CISI recommends the Kotobee Reader app. | £105 per Level 3 or 4 unit, £210 per Level 6 or 7 written unit in the UK; included in exam prices outside the UK | ||
CISI Revision ExpressOfficial online revision toolQuestions to check your understanding alongside the workbook, plus a Sample Exam Standard Test written to the standard of the real exam. CISI also sells a saver package of exam, workbook and Revision Express together, ordered by contacting it. | £45 for a multiple-choice exam, £65 for a written exam | ||
| Courses | |||
Fitch LearningClassroom and online coursesOne of CISI’s seven Premier Training Partners. Its courses include an online portal with a question bank and a mock exam book. If you fail after a classroom course you can attend another one free, and distance learners keep portal access until they pass. | Not shown on its IAD and IOC course pages; CISI exam fees and the CISI manual are extra | ||
BPPOnline IAD coursesBPP sells each IAD unit separately, with timetables running from late 2026 into 2027. Its Pass Assurance gives extended access to course materials and tutor guidance if you don’t pass an eligible exam first time. | Online from £450 per IAD unit, including VAT | ||
Redmill AdvanceSelf-paced elearningEight online modules, the last being a mock exam, with a certificate of 50 hours of CPD when you complete it. Sold through its LearnUpon store. | £129 plus VAT for its UK Regulation and Professional Integrity 2026/27 course | ||
Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
CISI’s Premier Training Partners
CISI gives Premier Training Partner status to partners that go beyond what it expects of an ATP. It names seven:
- Capital Markets & Derivatives Training
- Examready
- Fitch Learning
- Glascow Consulting
- Kaplan Financial
- Lockie Consultants
- ZISHI Cornerstone
CISI’s ATP finder on its own site lets you search every accredited partner by where you are and what you want to study.
How long CISI suggests you study
CISI’s qualification factsheets, printed between February 2020 and November 2022, give a recommended study time for each unit. Your own time will depend on your experience.
| Qualification | Study time |
|---|---|
| Investment Operations Certificate (IOC) | 80 to 100 hours per unit |
| Certificate in Corporate Finance | 80 hours per unit |
| Investment Advice Diploma (IAD) | 140 hours per unit |
| Chartered Wealth Manager Qualification | 200 hours per unit |
For the IOC, CISI suggests spreading those hours over three to four months before each exam. For the Chartered Wealth Manager Qualification it suggests one unit every six months, over 18 months in all.
How to check a CISI training provider
CISI warns that providers it hasn’t accredited often publish inaccurate or made-up questions and present them as CISI exam questions. It doesn’t license its exam content to any unaccredited provider. It also warns about recruitment companies that promise sponsorship through CISI qualifications if you pay money upfront. To stay safe, CISI suggests you:
- book exams directly with CISI, or through an accredited training partner, a school, college or university, or your employer
- check a provider against CISI’s list of ATPs before you pay
- call CISI’s customer support team if you’re in doubt
Sources: CISI · Fitch Learning and 7 more. Checked October 2026.
- CISI: Accredited Training Partners ↗
- CISI: Study support ↗
- CISI: Our professional qualifications ↗
- CISI: IOC factsheet (November 2022) ↗
- CISI: IAD factsheet (October 2021) ↗
- CISI: Certificate in Corporate Finance factsheet (February 2020) ↗
- CISI: Chartered Wealth Manager Qualification factsheet (February 2020) ↗
- CISI: Investment Advice Diploma ↗
- Fitch Learning: Investment Advice Diploma ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
Explore
Everything else, in one place
Level 4 and above
Professional standing
Help and comparisons