Current CII Exams Pass Rates – as at May 2023
The CII has now released their pass rates for 2022. Here, we discuss the pass rates and what we can learn from them.
The pass rates are correct as at 12 May 2023.
R0 Units
Looking at the R0 exams first, in general, the 2022 figures show similar pass rates to 2021 for most units.
R03 (taxation) and R04 (pensions) continue to have the lowest pass rates and still appear to be giving candidates the most difficulty.
The protection exam (R05) once again has the highest pass rate which is not unexpected as this is the only level 3 R0 exam (the others are all level 4).
| Unit | Annual Pass Rate 2017 | Annual Pass Rate 2018 | Annual Pass Rate 2019 | Annual Pass Rate 2020 | Annual Pass Rate 2021 | Annual Pass Rate 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R01 | 64.46% | 63.77% | 64% | 69% | 69% | 68% |
| R02 | 62.79% | 59.99% | 60% | 64% | 65% | 70% |
| R03 | 48.71% | 52.55% | 56% | 65% | 57% | 54% |
| R04 | 55.04% | 57.89% | 58% | 61% | 57% | 57% |
| R05 | 78.26% | 76.35% | 78% | 79% | 78% | 78% |
| R06 | 73.4% | 77.69% | 67% | 78% | 74% | 71% |
| R07 | 74.26% | 78.32% | 77% | 76% | 74% | 75% |
Other Diploma Level Units
Current figures show a broad range of pass rates from 59% to 92%. J10 (discretionary investment management) has a very impressive rate once again and J05 (Pension income options) now has the highest pass rate at 92%.
In 2020, we saw a huge increase in the numbers of those passing J07 (Supervision in a Regulated Environment) and whilst this has dropped back to 63%, it is still well above pre-2020 levels.
| Unit | Annual Pass Rate 2017 | Annual Pass Rate 2018 | Annual Pass Rate 2019 | Annual Pass Rate 2020 | Annual Pass Rate 2021 | Annual Pass Rate 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J02 | 50.95% | 52.23% | 49% | 67% | 58% | 59% |
| J05 | 69.33% | 69.58% | 79% | 88% | 88% | 92% |
| J07 | 48.51% | 53.26% | 44% | 76% | 68% | 63% |
| J09 | 48.00% | 79% | 76.8% | 78.6% | 79% | |
| J10 | 86.24% | 85.94% | 88% | 90% | 93% | 89% |
| J12 | 73.98% | 74.73% | 74% | 78% | 85% | 79% |
Advanced Diploma Units
With the advanced financial planning subjects, we see a notable rise in the pass rate for the AF7 exam (Pension Transfers) building on the increase we saw last year and now up 18% on pre-2020 levels. It’ll be interesting to see if this level of pass rate is maintained in future years.
AF4 (Investment Planning) and AF5 (Financial Planning Process) have also seen a healthy boost in pass rates for 2022.
AF6 (Senior Management and Supervision) is a coursework module and maintains its high pass rate figures whilst the AF8 (Retirement Income Planning) pass rate holds strong in the mid-seventies.
| Unit | Annual Pass Rate 2017 | Annual Pass Rate 2018 | Annual Pass Rate 2019 | Annual Pass Rate 2020 | Annual Pass Rate 2021 | Annual Pass Rate 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AF1 | 49.10% | 55.58% | 49% | 49% | 43% | 42% |
| AF4 | 48.96% | 47.86% | 49% | 55% | 50% | 57% |
| AF5 | 64.60% | 58.00% | 57% | 72% | 63% | 72% |
| AF6 | n/a | 60.00% | 99% | 98.8% | 97% | 97% |
| AF7 | 43.74% | 44.23% | 43% | 43% | 56% | 61% |
| AF8 | 76% | 71.5% | 75.3% | 75% |
Summary
Following the unsurprising anomalies we saw in the pass rates in 2020, things do seem to be on a more even keel now.
There is however a notable increase, more recently, in the AF7 and J05 pass rates. This, coupled with the changes to the lifetime allowance (which will actually bring about some ‘pension simplification’) may mean these units are now worth a look for those candidates who’ve been looking to dodge the Pensions exams.
