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Investment Advice Diploma (IAD): Exam Details & Availability

Investment Advice Diploma sample questions, practice availability, and Securities Prep access for the CISI IAD in the United Kingdom.

The Investment Advice Diploma (IAD) is CISI’s level 4 advice qualification for UK wealth and retail-advice pathways. If you are searching for IAD sample questions, a practice test, mock exam, or simulator, this is the main Mastery page to confirm the qualification scope and track current Securities Prep availability.

Investment Advice Diploma (IAD) practice is not yet available in the web app.
Contact us for rollout details at Support. In the meantime, see current Securities Prep exam pages.

What this IAD page gives you

  • a clear place to confirm whether the IAD is the right UK advice route for your role
  • current practice availability for Securities Prep on web and mobile
  • a compact summary of the official qualification structure and UK advice focus
  • official source links so you can verify the qualification details directly

Who the IAD is for

  • practitioners advising and/or dealing in securities or derivatives
  • candidates advising on retail investment products who need a UK advice qualification route
  • candidates building toward broader UK wealth-management or financial-planning study paths

IAD qualification snapshot

ItemCurrent summary
BodyChartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)
MarketUnited Kingdom
Official qualification nameCISI Level 4 Diploma in Investment Advice
Regulatory contextDeveloped to comply with RDR examination standards and appears on the FCA appropriate-qualification tables, according to CISI
StructureTwo core units plus one technical unit
Core unitsUK Regulation & Professional Integrity; Investment, Risk & Taxation
Technical pathwaysSecurities, Derivatives, or Financial Planning & Advice
Qualification time426 total qualification hours (CISI)
DeliveryRemote invigilation or global test centres

Best page to open next

If you need to…Best pageWhy
Compare IAD against the other UK CISI launch pages/exams/cisi/Best route when you are still deciding between advice, operations, and foundation paths.
Follow the non-official UK sequence first/securities/roadmaps/uk/Best route when you want the broader order before building a study plan.
Check the operations-led alternative/exams/cisi/ioc/Best route if your target role is operational rather than client-advice focused.
Start with the broader foundation first/exams/cisi/international-introduction-to-investment/Best route if you want a wider first-step qualification before moving into IAD.

What IAD questions usually test

  • UK regulation, professional integrity, and advice standards
  • investment products, risk, taxation, and client-impact trade-offs
  • the technical pathway you choose: securities, derivatives, or financial planning and advice
  • the ability to connect product knowledge, regulation, and client suitability into one defensible recommendation

How to prep right now for IAD

  1. Confirm which technical unit matches your intended UK activity before you build a study plan.
  2. Make the two core units automatic first, because they anchor every later technical decision.
  3. Build short notes around UK regulation, product risk, tax impact, and advice suitability rather than memorizing isolated facts.
  4. Use this page as the launch point for UK practice as soon as the Securities Prep bank goes live.

Current practice availability

  • Page status: live now on Mastery Exam Prep
  • Securities Prep status: dedicated IAD practice is being added
  • Best current use: confirm the qualification fit, review the structure, and bookmark the route for launch week

Official sources

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