Details of terms and conditions which apply to candidates
entering for exams with the CII are detailed below, these are in
addition to the terms and conditions contained within the
Information For Candidates brochures. As detailed in the
Information For Candidates brochures, in the terms and conditions
on the website and on your acknowledgement of examination entry, by
entering any examination with the CII you agree to be bound by
these terms and conditions.
On this page
In all the processes described below, where deadlines have
passed, exceptional circumstances may still be considered.
Access
arrangements and reasonable adjustments
The CII is committed to creating and maintaining conditions
which give access to its education and assessment provision
regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy,
maternity, marriage/civil partnership, race, religion or belief,
sex or sexual orientation will allow candidates to maximise their
potential to the best of their abilities.
The CII acts at all times to ensure that no unfair barriers
apply to those seeking to gain the qualifications it offers. The
CII is committed to giving all candidates an equal opportunity of
achieving its qualifications in line with current UK and EU
directives.
The CII carries its equal opportunities policy through to cover
all the exams it administers. Provisions are made for candidates
who have different educational requirements or disabilities
including those who are dyslexic, blind, partially sighted or those
with dexterity impediments.
If you have a disability or a condition which you believe should
be taken into consideration in assessing your exam performance, you
should apply in writing, enclosing evidence from a professional,
such as a doctor, confirming your condition, explaining how your
performance could be affected and what steps can be taken to ensure
you are able to perform to your full potential. Applications
without verifiable, appropriate evidence e.g. medical evidence,
will not be considered.
Just a few examples of ways in which we have been able to assist
candidates is shown below:
- Dyslexia - extra time, alternative font, alternative paper
colour
- Vision impairment - large font, reader, scribe, extra time
- Arthritis - extra time for rest/stretch breaks
Your application should preferably accompany your exam entry.
The CII will hold your verified evidence on file, but you must send
in a written request for provision to be made/consideration given
before each subsequent exam you enter.
Special consideration
If at the end of an examination, a candidate considers there are
circumstances that need to be taken into account in assessing their
performance, they should speak to the invigilator immediately to
request that an incident report form is completed and inform
Customer Service at customer.serv@cii.co.uk
within five working days of the examination for paper based and
online examinations.
The grounds acceptable for special consideration include:
- An illness or a special need at the time of the examination
(e.g. vomiting or fainting);
- An irregularity relating to the examination environment (e.g.
excessive noise or disruption).
If you are applying for special consideration on medical grounds
you should include medical evidence from a professional, such as a
doctor, confirming your condition and explaining how your
performance was affected at the time of the examination.
Applications without medical evidence will not be considered.
It is expected that candidates will have made use of all
available support services (i.e. where a special need is known
about prior to the examination) before making a request for special
consideration.
Please note that the CII does not provide aegrotats (which are
awards made to candidates who are unable, through temporary
illness, injury or indisposition, to complete all of the usual
assessment requirements).
Data protection
The CII is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 and
will ensure that in providing products and services to you, it will
process your personal data fairly. Where your employer pays for any
of your tuition including e-learning, exam entries, study texts or
membership fees, the CII will upon the employer's request provide
your employer with details of your membership status and/or exam
record including attempts and results, unless you notify us to the
contrary by contacting Customer Service.
Organizations other than the CII sponsor prizes and awards based
on CII exam performance. If you do not wish any information to be
passed on to these organisations please contact Customer
Service.
We may from time to time wish to draw your attention to other
CII products and services which are likely to be of interest to
you. We may also share your data with third parties who will use
this for similar purposes, but will never sell your personal data
to third parties. The CII will assume that you consent to us using
your data in this way unless you notify us to the contrary by
contacting Customer Service.
Syllabuses
Please note examinations are based on the published syllabuses;
you can find syllabuses in the relevant qualification section on
this website.
CF5 exam technique guide
Candidates taking CF5 obtain their free exam technique guide
here.
Download
CF5 exam technique guide
Deadlines
Important deadlines including closing dates for entries and
examination sitting dates can be found at www.cii.co.uk/deadlines, in the appropriate
'Information for candidates' brochure or from Customer Service.
Changes to entry and
cancellations
If you wish to withdraw completely from the exam, 50% of the
original entry fee will be refunded if you withdraw within the
timescales below. You cannot withdraw after these dates except in
the case of illness.
If you wish to defer your entry, change the unit or centre, your
request, together with a fee of £41, must be received in accordance
with the timescales below. If you apply for more than one change at
the same time, a single fee of £41 will cover all changes. No
changes apart from to your name (which must be supported by
original or certified evidence) or address can be made to your
entry later than the cut-off dates shown below.
Online exams No later than 21 days before the
examination date.
Paper based exams Before the normal fee closing
date for the session for which you were originally booked.
Illness
If you are absent from the exam due to illness, you may apply
either for your entry to be transferred (for paper based exams this
would be to the next available session subject to space being
available) or for a 50% refund of the original entry fee. Refunds
are not available in the case of entries for the Award in Financial
Planning.
You should apply in writing enclosing medical evidence from a
professional, such as a doctor, confirming that you were unable to
attend the exam on the relevant date due to the illness/accident
tor incident. Applications without medical evidence will not
be considered.
Your written application, supported by medical evidence (which
must confirm that you were unable to attend the exam on the
relevant date due to illness/accident) must be received by Customer
Service within two months of the exam from which you were absent.
In your application you must confirm which of the two options you
wish to take and, for online exams, if applying for your entry to
be transferred, indicate when you would like to sit (subject to
available capacity).
Applications will not be considered without medical evidence.
Please note that self certification is not acceptable and the CII
will not reimburse any costs involved in obtaining medical
evidence.
Exam fees will not be refunded or credited for any other reason
after the normal fee closing date for paper based exams, or within
the three weeks prior to the examination date for online exams.
Liability
The CII's liability is limited to a complete refund of the entry
fee paid for the exam concerned. Nothing in these conditions
excludes or limits the liability of CII:
(a) for death or personal injury caused by the negligence of
CII; or
(b) for any matter which it would be illegal or unlawful for CII
to exclude or attempt to exclude its liability.
Proof of
identity
You must show proof of identity to any official who requests it.
This proof of identity is in addition to your Exam Admission
Document for online examinations, or Admission Permit for paper
based examinations. The following are acceptable as
identification:
- a current passport;
- a company identification card containing both your photograph
and signature;
- a driving licence containing both your photograph and
signature;
- a national identity document containing both your photograph
and signature - This excludes UK National Identity Cards.
If you do not hold one of these, you will be expected to obtain
one before the exam. If you fail to bring acceptable identification
to your exam, the CII reserves the right to withhold your
result.
Arrival
You should arrive at the centre at least 30 minutes before the
exam is due to start.
You may not be allowed to take your exam if you arrive late.
Legislation
Candidates should refer to the syllabus and CII update website
www.cii.co.uk/updates for the general
testing position and the latest information on changes to
legislation and industry practice and when they will be
examined.
In all instances the CII employs best endeavours to ensure that
examinations meet the specified criteria.
Technical changes
Exams are based on the published syllabuses which are available
online at www.cii.co.uk. It is important that you keep yourself
informed of any changes which may occur affecting the units you are
studying by using material suggested in the reading lists on the
syllabuses in the relevant qualification section of
this website.
The CII will do all it can to provide students enrolled on a
study programme with updated materials as soon as legislative
changes become known but it cannot guarantee this in time for any
particular exam. Candidates should refer to the CII update website
www.cii.co.uk/updates for the latest
information on changes to law and practice and when they will be
examined .
Rules
Any breach of the following instructions may result in your
disqualification, not only from the examination you are sitting and
any examinations you have already sat, but also from all future
examinations, either for a period of years or indefinitely.
You must submit in all matters to the direction and rulings of
the exam co-ordinator and invigilators.
You must not take into the exam room or consult in any way any
book, paper, document or other written, typed or printed matter
(except your admission permit for paper based exams or your Exam
Admission Document for online exams and items provided by the
invigilators in connection with the unit being examined).
All briefcases, handbags, books, revision notes, mobile phones,
electronic devices and other personal belongings must be left in a
cloakroom or other area as specified by the invigilators.
You are not allowed to bring any tax guides or tables into the
exam. Rates of tax, tax bands, allowances and exemptions for Income
Tax, Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax are provided for all
relevant units. No procedural or background information is
provided, as you are expected to know this.
For online exams rough paper is provided. Before leaving the
exam room you must give any rough paper to the invigilator.
For paper based exams, you must hand the answer book and/or
answer form and question book to the invigilator before you leave
the exam room. If you do not, your book or form will not be marked
and you will be prevented from entering this exam in the
future.
You must not communicate with, or willingly receive
communication from any person during the exam other than an
invigilator. Any attempt on the part of another candidate to
communicate with you must be reported to an invigilator.
You must not read or attempt to read the work of any other
candidate.
You must not temporarily leave the exam room, except in the case
of urgent necessity when you must be accompanied by an
invigilator.
Mobile phones are not allowed in any examination.
Calculators
There are likely to be some questions in exams which require
calculations to be made. We recommend that you bring a silent
battery or solar-operated non-programmable calculator into the exam
room.
The use of electronic equipment capable of being programmed to
hold alphabetic or numerical data and/or formulae is prohibited.
You may use a financial or scientific calculator, provided it meets
these requirements.
Disciplinary action
Disciplinary action may be taken against any candidate found
guilty of dishonourable or unprofessional conduct or committing a
breach of the exam regulations. Penalties may be imposed for
falsification of documents or cheating during an exam. The CII
reserves the right to notify the relevant regulatory body of any
disciplinary action taken.
Publication of results
The CII reserves the right to publish exam results, whether a
pass or failure. Pass lists are published only after results have
been issued to candidates.