Schools & Colleges

Their future, your vision, our focus

We actively promote the advancement of knowledge in the field of securities and investment in schools and colleges by introducing students to the world of financial services and its many career opportunities. We can help you integrate our professionally recognised financial services qualifications into your curriculum and provide support for both teachers and students.

Why work with the CISI?

Our Level 2 qualification can be embedded into your curriculum and aims to develop students’ knowledge of the financial services sector and its functions and challenge them to think about implications for their own personal finance decisions.

 

Level 2

Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services
(Total Qualification Time: 101 hours)

Apprenticeships

A number of CISI qualifications can be taken as part of apprenticeships in Investment Operations, Relationship Management, Paraplanning, Financial Services administration and Financial Services Customer Advice.

Universities

Many universities are accredited to offer CISI qualifications to students studying finance based degrees.

Higher CISI Professional Qualifications

Students can choose to self-study for higher level CISI qualifications using our learning manuals & elearning.

The first step in the CISI qualifications pathway for recent university graduates and new entrants to the financial services sector is the Introduction to Investment. The schools/colleges qualification, Certificate for Introduction to Securities & Investment has been modelled on this exam.

Current centres delivering CISI School and College Qualifications


CISI Qualification

School or College

Location

Level 2 Award

Haybridge High School and Sixth Form

Worcestershire

Solihull School

Solihull

Epsom College

Surrey

Tormead School

Surrey

Brentwood School

Essex

Trinity School

London
Calderstones School Liverpool
Loreto Sixth-Form College
 Manchester

Sutton Valence School

Kent

Ardingly College

Sussex

Victoria College

Jersey

Level 3 Award

The Merchant Taylor’s School

Liverpool

Connect your students to a career in financial services

If your school is interested in joining our network please contact our Education Development team:

+44 20 7645 0714
educationdevelopment@cisi.org

Our team will help you through the registration process and where applicalble, will arrange an accreditation visit. Once your school/college is registered, you will be recognised as a centre accredited to teach and assess CISI qualifications.

CISI Level 2 Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services

View the factsheet

Learning objective

To provide an understanding of financial services and an overview of key concepts and terminology relating to it.

Students will gain a broad insight into the fundamental components of the financial services sector. This would include looking at different types of banks, commonly used financial products, such as shares, bonds and insurance, as well as an introductory understanding of markets and how they work.

Syllabus summary

  • Ethics and integrity in financial services
  • Introduction – saving and borrowing
  • Banking
  • Equities
  • Bonds
  • Derivatives
  • Markets
  • Other areas of financial services
 View the syllabus

Assessment and Cost

  • Total Qualification Time: 101 hours (Total Qualification time is a term that Ofqual require awarding organisations to use. It is an estimate of the total time a candidate might typically take to complete the qualification. It includes Guided Learning Hours and any other time a candidate is likely to spend in studying for the qualification.)
  • Flexible delivery - Can be offered over one academic year or offered as a shorter course
  • Online exam graded pass/fail
  • £70 per candidate (includes workbook, up to two exam sittings and access to the Revision Express e-learning package)

CISI Level 3 Diploma in Finance, Risk & Investment (DipFRI - Final Year of Delivery from September 2018)

(A Level equivalent - Applied General - Total Qualification Time: 364 hours)

Learning objective

To provide an understanding of the key characteristics, mechanisms and influences on financial markets and institutions. Students will gain an insight in to data analysis, investment appraisal and accounting and the role and responsibility of financial services in society.

Declared purpose

The CISI Level 3 Diploma in Finance, Risk & Investment is an Applied General Qualification within the area of financial services (Accounting & Finance). It has been specifically designed to be taught in schools and colleges to equip learners with a broad range of transferable knowledge and skills gained through applied learning to enable progression into Higher Education or employment.

The qualification will give candidates an understanding of the key characteristics, mechanisms and influences on financial markets and institutions, and includes a grounding in data analysis, investment appraisal, accounting and the role and responsibility of financial services in society as a whole.

It supports progression to a range of finance and business related higher education courses when combined with other qualifications.

The Diploma is regulated by Ofqual as a level 3 qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)

Qualification structure

The Diploma is gained by achieving four units:

Unit 1
Money, Economies & Uncertainty** 
Unit 2
Investment Decision Making, Accounting & Governance** 
Unit 3
Financial Products, Markets & Services
Unit 4
Extended Project (Diploma)

** On successful completion of Units 1 and 2, a candidate will achieve the CISI Level 3 Certificate in Finance, Risk and Decision-Making (Total Qualification Time: 163 hours)

Supporting documentation

View full specification
Teacher-Assessor guide

Exemplar project 1
Project evaluation 1
 Marking commentary 1
Exemplar project 2
Project evaluation 2
 Marking commentary 2

 Teaching Resources and Support for Student Learning

For Schools

Classroom resources

  • Complimentary teacher copy of the CISI text books for each qualification
  • Sample exam papers
  • Teaching materials, including slides and activities

Teacher Membership

Financial services practitioner presentations

  • Where possible, we can contact CISI members in your local area to arrange for them to come in and talk to your students about working in the professional sector

For Students

Resources

  • CISI textbook
  • Access to our Revision Express e-learning tool for computer-based tested units
  • Free access to member only areas of the CISI website, as well as free Student membership of the CISI, including member benefits
 

Costs & Funding

Qualification Costs

The CISI is committed to making its courses accessible, we provide students in full-time education with a 50% discount. The breakdown of costs (including the discount) per student is as follows:


Level 2 Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services (for 16-19 year olds) Exam fee Workbook price Total cost
Fundamentals of Financial Services £30.00 £40.00 £70.00
Level 3 Certificate for Introduction to Securities & Investment (CertISI)
 		Exam fee Workbook price Total cost
Financial Products, Markets & Services £40.00 £40.00* £120.00
Extended Project £40.00 n/a
Students benefit from one free exam resit for all modules.

Government Funding

The qualifications are listed as eligible for funding as defined under Section 96 of the Department for Education's (DfE) Learning and Skills Act 2000. Search for these qualifications on the Learning Aim Reference Application:

  • Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services - 60134847
  • Award for Introduction to Investment - 50107823
  • Certificate for Introduction to Securities & Investment - 50062670

CISI Educational Bursary

The CISI's Educational Trust sponsors a bursary scheme for students aged 16-19 studying at schools or colleges undertaking CISI qualifications. An award can be made for a maximum of two pupils at each centre teaching CISI qualifications per academic year, a maximum of 30 weeks at £30 per week, per student, a total of £900.