CSC Exam 1 FAQ — Common Questions (Prep, Policy, Difficulty)

What is the official exam format and structure?

CSI publishes the CSC exam structure on the official Exam & Credits page:

• Exam format: Proctored (remote or in-person at a test centre)
• Exam duration: 2 hours
• Question format: Multiple Choice
• Questions per exam: 100
• Passing grade: 60% (Per Exam)
• Attempts allowed per exam: 3

Source: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/csc/exam-credits

What are the official topic weightings for Exam 1?

From CSI’s official weighting table (Exam 1 has 100 questions, so % ≈ target questions):

• The Canadian Investment Marketplace — 15%
• The Economy — 13%
• Features and Types of Fixed-Income Securities — 12%
• Pricing and Trading of Fixed-Income Securities — 11%
• Common and Preferred Share — 13%
• Equity Transactions — 10%
• Derivatives — 10%
• Corporations and their Financial Statements — 8%
• Financing and Listing Securities — 8%

Source: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/csc/exam-credits

Do I need the official CSI materials?

Yes. Use this hub as a study map + practice layer, but rely on CSI’s official materials for the canonical reading.

What’s the fastest way to improve my score?

Two habits move scores fastest:

1. Build a miss log (every miss becomes a rule).
2. Do topic drills immediately after finishing a topic, then redo weak areas 48–72 hours later (spaced repetition).

Is CSC Exam 1 mostly memorization?

It’s a mix. You need vocabulary, but questions often test whether you can:

• identify risks quickly
• choose an appropriate product
• apply a small amount of math under time pressure

What calculations should I be comfortable with?

At minimum:

• bond price ↔ yield directionality
• current yield and yield approximations
• simple total return
• basic option breakeven/payoff logic

Use the Cheatsheet as your formula pack and terminology glossary.

How should I use this site’s pages?

Recommended order:

1. Overview
2. Study Plan
3. Syllabus
4. Cheatsheet
5. Practice

Where do I find official policies (fees, timing, retakes)?

Use the official CSI links in Resources. Policies can change, so we avoid hard-coding details beyond what CSI publishes on the Exam & Credits page.