Saudi CME-1 Exam & Certificate (2026): CME-1A & CME-1B Guide

Table of Contents

• - CME-1 Exam Scorecard & Quick Facts
• - Which CME-1 paper should you take first?
• • Who Needs the CME-1 Certificate?
• • What is the CME-1 Exam Like?
• - Format and Structure
• • What Does the CME-1B Exam Cover?
• - How CME-1B differs from CME-1A
• - Time Management and Difficulty
• • Top Learning Resources for the CME-1
• - 1. The Official Financial Academy Curriculum
• - 2. Detailed Preparation Courses
• - 3. Practice Exams and Mock Tests
• • How to Register for the Exam
• • Effective Study Strategies for the First Attempt
• • Career Impact of the CME-1
• • Official CME-1 Sources

The Saudi Capital Market Examination-1 (CME-1) is a foundation qualification for many registrable capital-market roles. It is not one combined exam: candidates complete CME-1A, the international technical paper aligned with the CISI International Introduction to Securities & Investment (IISI), and CME-1B, the Saudi Capital Market Rules and Regulations paper.

Quick answer: To earn the CME-1 certificate, you must pass both CME-1A and CME-1B. Each current paper lasts 60 minutes, carries a passing score of 35 out of 50, and is available in Arabic and English through the Financial Academy.

Official-source check — 16 August 2026: Format, pass score, fee and language were verified against the Financial Academy’s current CME-1A examination page, CME-1B examination page and professional examination policy. Always recheck the booking portal before paying because fees and policies can change.

CME-1 Exam Scorecard & Quick Facts

Feature	CME-1A (Technical)	CME-1B (Regulatory)
Syllabus Focus	International Securities (CISI IISI)	Saudi CMA Rules & AML
Questions	50 multiple-choice questions	50 multiple-choice questions
Duration	60 minutes	60 minutes
Passing Score	35 out of 50 (70%)	35 out of 50 (70%)
Current Exam Fee	SAR 1,100	SAR 1,100
Language Options	English & Arabic	English & Arabic
Exam owner / delivery	CISI with the Financial Academy	Financial Academy in partnership with CISI
Published fixed prep time	None	None

---

Which CME-1 paper should you take first?

The current Financial Academy pages do not list one paper as a prerequisite for booking the other. Choose the order that fits your background and available dates. Candidates new to securities often benefit from CME-1A first because it establishes the product and market vocabulary used around the regulatory material. Candidates already working with Saudi rules may prefer CME-1B first. Passing only one paper does not complete the CME-1 certificate.

[!IMPORTANT] Preparing for CME-1? Start with the official material, then test your readiness with the CME-1A practice course and CME-1B practice course. For a larger practice set, use the CME-1 question-bank and mock-exam guide.

Who Needs the CME-1 Certificate?

The Financial Academy describes CME-1A and CME-1B as requirements for candidates entering many CMA-registered job categories. The precise examination route depends on the function you will perform, so candidates and employers should confirm the current requirement for the intended role rather than treating CME-1 as a blanket requirement for every banking job.

CME-1 is commonly relevant to people moving into securities dealing, investment advice, client service, portfolio or fund operations, risk, custody, clearing and settlement. Passing both papers also provides the complete foundation before progressing to role-specific CME qualifications.

---

What is the CME-1 Exam Like?

The CME-1 (often formally referred to as the General Securities Qualification Examination) is designed to ensure that professionals operating within the Saudi capital market possess a solid understanding of both the technical aspects of securities and the regulatory environment.

Format and Structure

The exam is administered by the official Financial Academy and is divided into two core parts, which candidates sit as separate modules:

1. Technical Knowledge (Part A / CME-1A): This section covers the fundamental concepts of financial markets, investment instruments (equities, bonds, derivatives), financial statement analysis, and portfolio management. It tests your grasp of how the market works. Prepare with our CISI IISI (CME-1A) course.
2. Regulatory Knowledge (Part B / CME-1B): The CME-1B module dives deep into the specific rules, regulations, and ethical standards governed by the Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA). This ensures you understand the legal landscape and compliance expectations. Many candidates search specifically for CME-1B resources because the regulatory language can be particularly dense and challenging to master. Read our dedicated Saudi CME-1B regulations guide or explore the CME-1B course for syllabus-aligned practice.

Both papers are computer-based multiple-choice examinations. The Financial Academy currently lists a 60-minute duration and a passing score of 35 for each paper; the current official learning materials map their syllabus weights to 50 scored questions.

What Does the CME-1B Exam Cover?

CME-1B is officially titled Saudi Capital Market Rules and Regulations (General Chapter). Older material may call it the CISI Saudi Capital Market Regulation or SCMR exam, but candidates should use the current CME-1B syllabus and booking information.

The examination tests whether you can recognise and apply Saudi rules—not whether you can recall general investment theory. Its eight syllabus areas are:

CME-1B syllabus area	Official weighting
Introduction to the Saudi capital market	14%
Securities Business Regulations	12%
Authorisation	4%
Regulatory requirements	26%
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing	10%
Prohibitions	14%
Capital Market Institutions Regulations	12%
Systems and controls	8%

The regulatory requirements chapter has the largest weighting at 26%, but candidates should not ignore smaller chapters. A 50-question examination can still test a low-weight topic through precise definitions, responsibilities, exceptions, or notification requirements.

How CME-1B differs from CME-1A

CME-1A asks how securities, markets and investment products work. CME-1B asks how securities business must be conducted under the Saudi regulatory framework. That distinction changes how you should prepare:

• use comparison tables for regulated activities, client categories and institutional responsibilities;
• practise short compliance scenarios involving market conduct, AML and client protection;
• keep a separate revision list for time limits, approvals, disclosures and exceptions; and
• complete timed 50-question mocks within the 60-minute limit.

Passing CME-1A does not replace CME-1B, and passing CME-1B alone does not complete CME-1. For a deeper treatment of the regulatory syllabus, terminology and practice questions, read the Saudi CME-1B (formerly CISI SCMR) exam guide.

Time Management and Difficulty

With 50 questions in 60 minutes, the average allowance is 72 seconds per question. A practical checkpoint is question 25 by minute 30 and question 40 by minute 48, leaving 12 minutes for the final ten questions and marked items. If calculation or rule scenarios repeatedly break those checkpoints in practice, address that question type before booking.

---

Top Learning Resources for the CME-1

Use resources for a defined purpose: the official material for scope, chapter practice for diagnosis and timed papers for pacing.

1. The Official Financial Academy Curriculum

Your primary and most authoritative source of information must be the official curriculum and study manuals provided by the Financial Academy. These materials are specifically tailored to align with the CMA’s syllabus. Everything tested on the exam is drawn from these official learning objectives, making them indispensable.

2. Detailed Preparation Courses

Many candidates find self-study challenging due to the dense nature of financial regulations. Enrolling in structured preparation courses, like those offered by Exams Academy, provides guided learning. These courses often include:

• Video lectures breaking down complex topics.
• Interactive quizzes mapped to the syllabus.
• Clarification of difficult regulatory terminology.

3. Practice Exams and Mock Tests

Timed practice helps you:

• Familiarize yourself with the formatting of multiple-choice questions.
• Gauge your pacing and time management skills.
• Identify weak areas where further review is needed. After each paper, record the syllabus area and rule or concept behind every error. A raw score without that review does not show what to study next.

---

How to Register for the Exam

Registration must be completed through the Financial Academy’s official booking flow.

1. Create or sign in to your Financial Academy account.
2. Book the two papers separately: select CME-1A and CME-1B in your preferred available language.
3. Check the live price before paying: on 16 August 2026, each official exam page displayed SAR 1,100, making the two-paper total SAR 2,200 before any later changes.
4. Select an available appointment: use the venues or delivery options shown in your booking confirmation rather than relying on an old list of test centres.
5. Read the current policy: rescheduling, cancellation, identification and resit rules are maintained on the Financial Academy professional examination policy page.

---

Effective Study Strategies for the First Attempt

Use a separate readiness decision for each paper:

• Create a plan from diagnostics: Allocate time according to the weak chapters in each paper instead of splitting time evenly by default. Recalculate the plan after each timed mock.
• Focus on Regulations: Do not underestimate the regulatory section. Even seasoned finance professionals can struggle here if they try to rely on general knowledge. Saudi-specific regulations require precise memorization. Our CME-1B/GSCMR preparation course includes flashcards specifically designed for these memorization-heavy topics.
• Use closed-book recall: Use flashcards for definitions and short written explanations for processes, then verify the answer against the official material.
• Review Your Mistakes: When taking mock exams, spend as much time reviewing the questions you got wrong as you did taking the test. Understanding why an option is incorrect is crucial.

---

Career Impact of the CME-1

Holding the CME-1 certificate demonstrates a tested foundation in international investment concepts and Saudi capital-market regulation. It can support applications to banks, brokerage firms, asset managers and other capital-market institutions, but the certificate does not by itself guarantee employment or replace any role-specific registration requirement.

Passing CME-1 requires separate preparation for technical knowledge and Saudi regulation. Use the current official material as the source of truth, practise each paper under its 60-minute limit, and review every incorrect answer before booking the real examination.

Official CME-1 Sources

• Financial Academy: CME-1A examination details
• Financial Academy: CME-1B examination details
• Financial Academy: professional examination policy
• Exams Academy: CME-1A practice course
• Exams Academy: CME-1B practice course