Investment Management Certificate

IMC FAQs

Exam specific

• Which exam board administers the Investment Management Certificate examinations and can you book me on my exam?
  The CFA Society of the UK administers the examinations. Enrolling on one of our IMC courses does not mean you are registered for your exam. To register for your exam, you need to contact CFA Society of the UK direct on telephone +44 (0)20 7280 9620 or email info@cfauk.org
  

  The CFA Society of the UK
  2nd Floor
  135 Cannon Street
  London
  EC4N 5BP

• Is the exam cost included in your course prices?
  No. The exams are an additional cost. For details of the latest costs for the full IMC and the UK Regulation & Markets Version and Investment Practice Version of the examination, contact CFA Society of the UK direct on telephone +44 (0)20 7280 9620 or email info@cfauk.org
  

• How often do the exams take place?
  The examinations are via Computer Based Testing (CBT) and can be taken at any of Pearson’s numerous examination centres. Please visit the CFAUK website for further information.

• When and how do I get my exam results?
  Results are released to candidates 3 working days after the exam.

• Where can I get a copy of the syllabus?
  The syllabus for the Investment Management Certificate is available on the CFAUK website.

• What are the pass marks for the IMC exams?
  The official pass marks for the IMC examinations vary from 60-75% for each exam.

• What calculators can be used in the exam?
  You will need to be familiar with a Casio FX-83ES calculator for your exam. At the examination centre, UKSIP will provide each candidate with a Casio FX-83MS calculator which must be returned to the invigilator before leaving the examination room. You cannot take your own calculator into the exam.

• How long are the exams?
  The full IMC exam is 3 hours and 30 minutes long, with 167 questions. The UK Regulation & Markets Version of the exam is 1 hour and 25 minutes long with 68 questions. The Investment Practice Version of the exam is 2 hours and 5 minutes long with 99 questions.

• What prior qualifications do I need to have before taking these exams?
  The IMC is open to individuals both inside and outside the financial services industry. No prior qualifications are needed and the UKSIP does not require you to become a student member of the Society before sitting the examination.

• Will my exam fee be returned if I am unable to sit the exam?
  If you are unable to sit the exam for whatever reason, you need to check with the UKSIP to see if your exam fee is returnable.

• What is the history of these qualifications?
  Historically, the Investment Management Certificate has been the benchmark qualificaiton of Fund and Investment Managers.  Although this is still primarily the case, the IMC is taken by professionals in other areas of the banking and investment industry seeking threshold competency status or as a solid grounding for Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) Program.

• What comparable alternatives are there to this qualification?
  The Certificate in Investment Management (Unit 5 - Investment Management) of the Securities Institute & Investment Certificates is an alternative FSA-approved qualification on a similar level to the Investment Management Certificate.

  There is very little difference between the syllabus of the IMC and the Cert IM, although the IMC is the more established of the two qualifications in the industry.  The FSA views both qualifications as approved threshold competency examinations.

  We offer both classroom-based and distance learning courses for both papers of the Certificate in Investment Management.

• Will this designation help my employment prospects?
  Although not an essential requirement, it may look favourable to prospective employers if you have sat and passed the IMC or the SII Certificates in Investments examination.

• How long will this program take to complete?
  We recommend that you should take a period of one to two moths to prepare for each paper. This allows you time to read the material, attend the course (if a classroom option is selected) and practice using the hard copy and online testing tools.

• How often can I take the exam?
  There is no limit on how many times you can take the exams.