CIRE
CIRE study plan: 30, 60 or 90 days
Three week-by-week plans, 30, 60 or 90 days, to prepare for the CIRE while you work: how to split your time across the nine elements, a typical week and five study habits.
The best study plan is the one you can actually follow. Choose a length that fits your schedule, then spend your time where it counts: on the elements with the most questions, and on your own gaps.
All three plans below follow the same logic:
- take stock of where you stand;
- study element by element, giving more time to the heavily weighted elements and to your gaps;
- practise under exam conditions;
- go back over your weak spots.
Before you start: the free CIRE diagnostic gives you an indication of your strengths and the areas to review, element by element, and a study plan based on your results.
Which plan should you choose?
| Plan | For whom | Time per week (suggested) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | You already know much of the syllabus and can sustain an intensive review schedule | 10 to 12 hours |
| 60 days | You work full time and have some basics | 6 to 8 hours |
| 90 days | You're new to finance, or your schedule is busy | 4 to 5 hours |
These are sample schedules, not estimates of the time every candidate needs. Increase the weekly hours or extend the plan if you need more time to understand and practise the material.
The weekly schedules approximate 30, 60 and 90 days. Fit the final review and rest day to your actual exam date.
How to split your time
The CIRE has 110 questions across 9 elements. A good starting point is to give each element time in proportion to its indicative weighting.
| Element | Questions (indicative) | Share of your time |
|---|---|---|
| 7: Securities, managed products, mutual funds and other investments | 21 | ≈ 19% |
| 3: Scope of client relationships | 17 | ≈ 15% |
| 9: Conflicts of interest and ethics | 16 | ≈ 15% |
| 6: Market integrity, trade execution and settlement | 13 | ≈ 12% |
| 1: Overview of Canadian securities regulatory framework | 11 | ≈ 10% |
| 2: Prospective client relationships | 11 | ≈ 10% |
| 5: Market and company analysis | 9 | ≈ 8% |
| 4: Client complaint handling and reporting | 6 | ≈ 5% |
| 8: Derivatives | 6 | ≈ 5% |
Source: CIRE syllabus, CIRO, January 2025. Percentages are rounded.
Simple rule: if your diagnostic shows a gap in a heavily weighted element, give it more time. If you already know an element well, give it less, but don't skip the smaller elements: together, Elements 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 still represent 43 questions.
90-day plan (about 4 to 5 hours a week)
| Weeks | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic. Read the exam syllabus. Element 1, to understand who regulates what. |
| 2–3 | Element 7: equities, fixed income and market indices. |
| 4 | Element 7: managed products, mutual funds, ETFs and other investments. A timed set of questions on Element 7. |
| 5–6 | Element 3: the representatives' roles, know-your-client, account appropriateness and suitability. |
| 7 | Element 2 (prospective clients) and Element 4 (complaints). |
| 8–9 | Element 9: conflicts of interest, ethics, confidentiality. |
| 10 | Element 6: orders, settlement, accounts, market integrity rules. |
| 11 | Element 5 (analysis) and Element 8 (derivatives). Then, with all nine elements covered, CIRO's practice exam, timed. |
| 12 | Targeted review of your 3 weakest elements. |
| 13 | A second timed session of mixed practice questions. Light review. Rest the day before the exam. |
60-day plan (about 6 to 8 hours a week)
| Weeks | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic. Element 1. Start Element 7. |
| 2 | Finish Element 7. A timed set of questions. |
| 3 | Element 3. |
| 4 | Elements 2 and 4. |
| 5 | Element 9. |
| 6 | Element 6. |
| 7 | Elements 5 and 8. Then, with all nine elements covered, CIRO's practice exam, timed. |
| 8 | Targeted review. A second timed session of mixed practice questions. Rest the day before. |
30-day plan (about 10 to 12 hours a week)
| Week | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic. Elements 7 and 1. |
| 2 | Elements 3, 2 and 4. |
| 3 | Elements 9 and 6. |
| 4 | Elements 5 and 8. Then, with all nine elements covered, CIRO's practice exam, timed. Targeted review of your mistakes. Rest the day before. |
Watch out: the 30-day plan leaves little room. If your diagnostic shows several significant gaps, consider 60 days.
A typical week
On the 60-day plan, a week might look like this:
- Monday and Wednesday (1 hour each): study one topic, then review it with flashcards.
- Tuesday and Thursday (1 hour each): 20 to 30 practice questions, then go over every mistake.
- Saturday (2 to 3 hours): a timed set of questions on the week's element, then review.
- Sunday: a break.
5 habits that make a difference
- Time yourself early. You'll have about 65 seconds per question. Get used to that pace from the first weeks.
- Go over every mistake. Understand why you got a question wrong before you move on to new questions.
- Learn the official terms. Study with the terms CIRO's syllabus uses, and learn what separates the ones that look alike. For example, "account appropriateness" and "suitability" don't mean the same thing.
- Think about the client. In a scenario question, identify who the client is, what they need and what the rules require before you look at the options.
- Don't stay stuck. When an idea won't click, go back to the syllabus wording for that learning outcome, then try a few questions on it.
Adjusting the plan if you're retaking the exam
If you've already written the CIRE:
- take the diagnostic again to see where you stand now;
- focus on the elements where you felt least prepared and the gaps your diagnostic shows;
- practise under timed conditions before you write again.
Retake fees and waiting-period rules apply: see CIRO's page for new candidates.
Next step
Start with the diagnostic. Take the free CIRE diagnostic: 27 questions, about 25 minutes, with a study plan based on your results.
Want lessons and practice questions for each element? See the modules and prices.
Read next: the CIRE exam guide.
