CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment Past Papers: What Exists (2026)
No public past papers exist for the CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment. Here's what CISI provides, and where to get current, weighted 50-question mocks.
If you are looking for past papers for the CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment, the short version is: they do not exist publicly. CISI publishes one official sample paper for the exam, the workbook has its own questions, and everything beyond that is unofficial material of unknown age. This page covers what you can actually use, and how to replace the past-papers habit with something better.
The paper you are preparing for
| Qualification | Level 3 foundation award |
| Questions | 50, multiple choice |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | 70% (35 out of 50), no negative marking |
| Syllabus | 11 elements, unevenly weighted |
The 50 questions are weighted by element, from seven on Equities down to three each on the lightest topics, and revising to that weighting is the single highest-value thing you can do. The full table is in our guide to passing the Introduction to Securities & Investment.
What CISI actually gives you
One official sample paper, 50 questions in an hour, mirroring the real format. It is the best single piece of free official material, and most people waste it by opening it too early. Save it for a full, timed sitting near the end of your revision.
The official workbook, with end-of-chapter questions and a practice paper. A fixed set: valuable once, then memorised.
Revision Express and the CBT demo. The paid revision tool and the free Prometric demo of the on-screen test.
One caution specific to this exam: much of what circulates online conflates the UK Introduction to Securities & Investment with the International Introduction, a different paper. Check that anything you revise from matches the exam you are booked for.
Why the free PDFs undermine you
The Introduction syllabus carries live figures: ISA allowances, capital gains rates, compensation limits, stamp duty thresholds. These move with Budgets and regulatory changes, and old mocks keep testing the old numbers. On a paper where you need 35 of 50 and the distractors are built from plausible near-misses, a handful of confidently learned stale answers is the difference between passing and not. The uploaded PDFs on Scribd and the flashcard decks on Quizlet are undated, unverified, and often not even about the right variant of the exam.
The alternative: current, weighted 50-question mocks
Passkey gives the Introduction exam four full mock papers, each 50 questions in 60 minutes, weighted across the eleven elements exactly like the real paper, with no overlap between papers. The bank is written from scratch against the current syllabus and current UK figures, every answer is explained, and practice mode drills you element by element with your weak spots surfacing first. Book when your readiness score says so, not when nerves do. Average 80% or higher on your last three mocks, sit within 30 days, and if you do not pass we refund you in full.
Start free. Try free Introduction to Securities & Investment practice questions, sit the free CISI mock exam taster, or take the free diagnostic to rank all eleven elements from strongest to weakest.
Every revision resource for this exam, in one list
- The official CISI workbook, current edition, from the CISI shop.
- The official 50-question sample paper, saved for one timed sitting.
- CISI Revision Express (paid) and the free Prometric CBT demo.
- Passkey: the full question bank, four weighted 50-question mocks, explanations, weak-spot tracking and a readiness score. £59 once covers all nine exams we support, for up to three months.
- Free practice questions, the free mock taster and the free diagnostic.
- Our full exam guide and the complete guide to passing CISI exams.
Passkey is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. For the picture across every paper, see CISI past papers: what's actually available.
Frequently asked questions
Are there past papers for the CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment?
Not publicly. CISI publishes one official sample paper and includes questions in the official workbook, but previously sat papers are never released. Questions are drawn from a rotating live bank.
How many questions is the CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment exam?
50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, with a 70% pass mark, so 35 correct to pass. There is no negative marking, so answer everything.
Is the UK Introduction exam the same as the International Introduction?
No. They are related but different papers, and a lot of unofficial material online mixes them up. Check that your revision material matches the exam you are actually booked for.
What should I use instead of past papers?
The official sample paper once, timed, plus a renewable source of current, exam-standard questions weighted like the real paper. That is what Passkey's practice bank and four full mocks are built to be.
Find your weak spots before exam day.
Start free with chapter 1 of every exam, take the free diagnostic to see where you stand, then unlock everything for one payment of £59, backed by our 80% mock guarantee.