SCI CMFAS RES5 Study Plan
Use a four-stage RES5 study plan that balances Part I regulation with the higher Part II pass requirement, timed practice, and explanation review.
Start with the correct baseline
Confirm that your exam uses SCI RES5 1st Edition Version 1.3, effective for examinations from 22 September 2026. Then take a mixed diagnostic without notes and record separate Part I and Part II results.
flowchart LR
A[Version check] --> B[Mixed diagnostic]
B --> C[Classify misses]
C --> D[Focused topic drills]
D --> E[Timed mixed sets]
E --> F[150-question rehearsal]
F --> C
Four-stage plan
| Stage | Main work | Exit evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Diagnose | Use a mixed set to identify weak actors, instruments, rules, processes, and advisory decisions | You can name the reason for each miss rather than only the correct answer |
| 2. Build Part I | Rotate through regulatory scope, recommendations, conduct, AML/CFT/PF, operational controls, product rules, market conduct, and CPF | You can identify the governing source and responsible actor before reading the options |
| 3. Build Part II | Practise ethics, conflicts, fair dealing, client engagement, fact finding, analysis, recommendations, presentation, and review | You can defend the best client-facing response using both ethical and process reasoning |
| 4. Integrate | Complete timed mixed sets and a 150-question rehearsal, then repair recurring errors | Both part-level results have a consistent margin above their separate official thresholds |
Suggested four-week rhythm
| Week | Focus | Practice pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA/FAR scope, advisers and representatives, recommendations, disclosures, introducers, competency, and conduct | Short topic sets followed by explanation review |
| 2 | AML/CFT/PF, incidents, technology and cyber controls, ILPs, licensing, fair dealing, collective investment schemes, market conduct, and CPF | Alternate rule-application and evidence-selection sets |
| 3 | Ethics, professionalism, conflicts, fair dealing, marketing, client relationships, and fact finding | Use scenarios with several plausible actions and explain why one is best |
| 4 | Financial analysis, strategy, recommendations, presentation, review, and mixed integration | Timed mixed sets, one full rehearsal, and targeted repair only |
Review misses efficiently
For each missed question, write one short diagnosis:
- wrong actor or authority;
- wrong rule or instrument;
- wrong product or client scope;
- wrong process stage;
- missing evidence;
- ethics or conflict error;
- unsuitable recommendation;
- arithmetic or assumption error; or
- version-sensitive fact requiring an official-source check.
Repeat a topic only when the explanation exposes a reasoning gap. Use unseen questions for the next measurement so familiarity does not inflate the result.
Final-week priorities
- Protect Part II study time even though it has fewer questions; its pass mark is higher.
- Practise three-hour pacing with the free full-length set .
- Review client facts, recommendations, disclosures, and records as one connected advisory process.
- Verify current dates, thresholds, forms, and notice versions through the official resources .