Q1. How do I access my online membership benefits?
A. All online
membership benefits are available within
My CISI on our website. You will need the email address registered on your CISI account and password to access this.
If you have lost or forgotten your password then follow this
link to request it. When completing the request form you must enter either your email address. The email address must match the one we have on record as your active email address.
Q2. I need to update my contact details - how can I do this?
A. All members of the Institute are able to update their home addresses and email address online, by clicking in
My CISI. It is also possible to choose a more memorable password if desired. You will need your email address and password to access this service. If you have lost or forgotten your password, follow this
link to request it
Q3. What are the 2013/14 subscription prices?
A. The 2013/14 membership subscription fees can be found on our
Membership Fees page.
Q4. How can I pay my membership subscription?
A.For those members whose employers have prior agreement with the CISI, no action needs to be taken as we liaise with your firm. For the remaining members, payment can be made:
- online, using our secure server
- by cheque (made payable to the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment Ltd and crossed 'a/c Payee only')
- by credit/debit card
- by cash
- by BACS
- By Direct Debit (please note, payment by Direct Debit can be accepted only after one year as a member)
Q5. What is CPD?
A. Continuing Professional Development (
CPD) is of key importance to all practitioners in the financial services industry. It can be defined as: "The systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge, experience and skills, and the development of personal qualities helpful in the execution of professional duties throughout a career". The need to remain compliant and be informed of all new industry developments is paramount. At the CISI, we are committed to providing all our members with the tools needed to comply with the regulator's rules.
Annex 3 of Membership Regulations offers a definition of continuing learning.
Examples include:
- attendance at lectures and other Institute events
- the studying for and taking of Institute exams
- attendance at conferences
- the imparting of knowledge in relation to the securities & investment industry by coaching or mentoring
- the preparation of papers for conferences and seminars relating to the securities & investment industry
Q6. What CPD tools does the CISI offer?
A. CPD is the primary focus of our professional benefits package, with a wealth of resources available to our members. The
CISI CPD Scheme unites all of our professional development learning resources and gives members the means to monitor and record their CPD. Please visit
CPD tools for a full list of CISI CPD learning resources.
Q7. Can I still apply for Fellowship by experience?
A. No, this route has been closed. However,there is a new route -
Member (MCSI) Via Experience.
Q8. How can I apply for Member (MCSI) by experience?
A. In addition to being open to ACSI members with a CISI Diploma qualification, MCSI membership may also be applied for based on a combination of seniority and industry experience. For details or to download the
application form, please visit
MCSI Via Experience.
Q9. When is the S&I Review magazine due out?
A. The
Securities and Investment Review is the official magazine of the CISI and is issued free to all CISI members at the beginning of every month (except August and December). It is also available as an online publication.
Q10. When are membership subscriptions due?
A. All CISI membership subscriptions fall due for payment on 1 April every year. All unpaid memberships will be lapsed if subscriptions remain upaid after 31 May of each year. Please note that failure to pay your membership subscription in a timely manner can result in the termination of your membership, and the loss of your membership benefits. Please visit
Professional Benefits and
Personal Benefits for a full list of membership benefits.
Q11. How can I become:
a) an Associate (ACSI)?
A. Associate (ACSI) members have achieved a benchmark qualification such as the
IOC, CISI Level 3
Certificates in Investment, or one paper in the
CISI Diploma course. In addition, we recognise other,
external qualifications.
b) a Member (MCSI)?
A. Full (MCSI) membership is granted to those who hold an Institute
Diploma qualification, or other certain other (usually post-graduate)
recognised qualifications.
c) a Fellow (FCSI)?
A. Fellowship of the CISI is awarded only to
Individually Chartered MCSIs who have achieved three years of successfully-logged CPD under the CPD Scheme and who also hold a CISI Level 6/7 qualification.
Q12. What are Professional Forums?
A. The Forums are discussion groups open to all members of the CISI. Meeting on a regular basis, they enable members to meet and discuss topical issues with others working in their area of the financial services industry.
Forums offered by the CISI:
Q13. Am I eligible for an upgrade from ACSI to MCSI?
A. Applicants looking to upgrade will need to have a relevant level 6 qualification. Full membership of the CISI is normally aimed at those with post-graduate qualifications. It is available to:
Additionally, senior practitioners in senior roles with over fifteen years of industry experience may apply for Membership (MCSI) via a combination of experience, seniority and professional qualifications. Please refer to our MCSI Via Experience page for more information.
You will need to complete the ACSI to MCSI
upgrade form if you are eligible to apply.
Q14. What is the Qualification Registration Fee (QRF) and how does it apply to Membership?
A. The QRF is a one-off registration fee that all CISI exam candidates must pay prior to taking any of our qualifications. Once paid, it covers the candidate for life. The good news for all CISI members is that this fee only applies to non-members. All CISI members are able to study for any CISI exam without paying this fee.
Please note that all exam candidates, both member and non-member, are required to complete a Qualification Registration Form for all CISI exam programmes. For further information on the
QRF, please
contact us.
Q15. Who is eligible for Student membership?
A. For anyone taking CISI qualifications,
Student Membership is completely free and does not even need to be applied for. Anyone booking one of our examinations is automatically given Student membership free of charge for a full 12 months from making their exam booking. Student membership is also open to those studying for other (non-CISI) industry qualifications, or for anyone starting out on a career within the financial services industry.
Q16. What benefits do I get as a Student member?
A. There is a range of benefits, including
Infolink an online library, the
Regulatory Update and the S&I Review publications online, access to the
CISI CPD Scheme to log your CPD, the opportunity to attend four free
CPD events a year (£50 per event for non-members), and a 20% discount on any one CISI conference a year.
Q17. What is 'Annex 3' as per the Membership application form?
A. Annex 3 of our regulations refers to continuing learning, which forms part of the requirement for all members wishing to join the CISI. Please note that the contents of Annex 3 form a guideline as to what might constitute 'continuing learning', and if all the criteria are not met, this does not necessarily preclude one from applying.
Q18. How does the 'pro-rata' system work for application fees?
A. All applications for CISI membership (except Student members, who pay a fixed fee) are subject to a pro-rata payment system. All members must renew their memberships annually every 1 April, so the CISI charges a percentage of the annual fee, according to the time of year that the application was submitted. Please see the
Membership Fees page for up to date prices.
Q19. How do I get a membership card?
A. All new CISI members (except Students) receive their own membership cards upon joining the CISI. All existing non-Student members receive theirs when they renew their annual subscriptions.
Q20. I have received my membership card but I have changed my name
A. If your name has changed and you have received an CISI membership card displaying your old name, please
contact us and quote your membership number. Membership will arrange to have a new card sent to you.
Q21. I have received my membership card but I have since upgraded my membership
A. If your membership card no longer reflects your current grade of membership, you do not need to take any action, as the CISI will automatically arrange to have an updated card issued to you.
Q22. Am I eligible to apply for Individual Charter?
A. You can find more information and a flowchart on
Individual Charter. Alternatively please view the
FAQs.
Q23. How do I find out more about the Retail Distribution Review (RDR)
A. The
RDR will impact anyone who advises or sells any financial services to the retail market, other than packaged products such as general insurance and commercial banking. This includes the sale of securities as well as financial planning. For more information, please visit our
RDR page. If you have any queries concerning the RDR as an individual or for your firm, please email
rdr@cisi.org.
If you have any further questions with reference to your membership please
contact us.