Free CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment mock exam
Sit the whole Introduction paper: 50 questions spread across all eleven syllabus elements, under a 60-minute clock. Free, no sign-up, with a weighted score, an element breakdown and a written explanation for every answer.
What is on the CISI Introduction to Securities & Investment mock exam?
One full Introduction to Securities & Investment practice paper: 50 questions in 60 minutes, spread across all eleven syllabus elements in their real proportions. Score 35 out of 50 to meet the 70% practice threshold, then review every answer one at a time.
- Questions
- 50 original practice questions
- Time
- 60 minutes
- Practice threshold
- 70%, which is 35 of 50
- Access
- Free, with no account or card
How the paper is weighted
The Introduction paper is the broadest in the CISI catalogue and the most thinly spread. Eleven elements share 50 questions, so most elements are worth three to six marks and none of them is worth revising to death. This mock uses the same split.
| Element | Questions |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | 3 |
| 2. The Economic Environment | 3 |
| 3. Equities | 7 |
| 4. Bonds | 6 |
| 5. Other Markets and Investments | 5 |
| 6. Derivatives | 4 |
| 7. Investment Funds | 6 |
| 8. Financial Services Regulation | 5 |
| 9. Taxation, Investment Wrappers & Trusts | 5 |
| 10. Other Financial Products | 3 |
| 11. Financial Advice | 3 |
| Total | 50 |
Equities is the largest element at seven questions, and Equities, Bonds, Investment Funds and Other Markets and Investments together decide 24 of the 50 marks. The tail matters more than it looks, though: Introduction, The Economic Environment, Other Financial Products and Financial Advice are three marks each, and skipping all four gives away 12 marks before you start.
For the cleanest rehearsal, set aside the full 60 minutes, avoid notes and answer every question. There is no negative marking on the real paper, so a guess is always better than a blank. The mock hides feedback until submission and warns you before handing in a paper with blanks.
Full practice paper
75 questions. 90 minutes. No sign-up.
Sit the paper in one go if you can. Answers and explanations stay hidden until you submit, so the score is a more useful rehearsal than an instant-feedback quiz.
The timer starts when you press the button. Reloading or leaving the page ends this sitting.
Where the marks go on this paper
This exam is wide rather than deep, and that is what catches people out. Nothing on it is conceptually hard. All of it has to be precise: the difference between an ordinary share and a preference share, between a unit trust and an OEIC, between an ISA and a pension wrapper. Candidates who lean on general business knowledge tend to score well on the parts they already meet at work and badly everywhere else.
The second reliable leak is terminology that sounds interchangeable and is not. Nominal value against market value, coupon against yield, execution-only against advised. A question will offer four statements that differ by one word, and recognising the topic will not get you the mark.
The third is time. Fifty questions in sixty minutes is about seventy seconds each, which is comfortable if you know the material cold and impossible if you are reasoning each one out from first principles. That is the single best argument for sitting this under the clock rather than untimed.
How to use your result
Treat 70% as a practice threshold, not a readiness promise. A stronger signal is a run of timed scores above the threshold with no element repeatedly falling behind. Because the elements are small, a single weak element rarely fails you on its own; three weak elements will. Read the breakdown looking for a pattern of low scores across related topics rather than one bad number.
Use the answer review to understand each miss, then revisit the relevant part of the Introduction to Securities & Investment exam guide. To drill a single topic rather than sit a whole paper, start with the free Introduction practice questions.
Looking for official material? Introduction past papers: what actually exists explains what CISI actually publishes and how to combine it with question practice. For more full papers, see the £59 Pass Package.
Independent practice material: PasskeyPrep is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. These questions were written independently against the syllabus. They are not copied from a live CISI exam or official past paper.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Introduction to Securities & Investment mock exam really free?
Yes. All 50 questions are free to sit, with no account, email address or card. Submit the paper and you get your score, a breakdown across the eleven elements and an explanation for every answer.
Does this mock match the real CISI Introduction exam format?
It uses 50 questions, a 60-minute timer, a 70% practice threshold and the published weightings across all eleven syllabus elements. The questions are original PasskeyPrep practice material, not the CISI examination platform or official exam questions.
Is the Introduction exam the same as the International Introduction?
No. CISI runs a UK Introduction to Securities & Investment, listed in the exam shop as the Level 3 Award Introduction to Investment, and a separate International Introduction, often shortened to IISI. There is also a Level 2 award, Fundamentals of Financial Services. This mock is built against the UK Introduction syllabus, so check which paper you are booked for.
What score should I aim for?
The exam pass mark is 70%, so this mock marks 35 out of 50 as meeting the practice threshold. One result cannot predict or guarantee an exam result. Look for consistent scores across timed attempts, and treat any element you keep scoring under half on as the next thing to revise.
Turn the element breakdown into a study plan.
Unlock the full Introduction question bank, more timed mocks, study notes, flashcards and weak-spot tracking as part of the £59 Pass Package.