IATI Diploma
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Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The IATI Diploma is a professional qualification in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, aimed at practitioners who need working command of compliance rather than a purely academic overview. Candidates typically come from banks, payment and fintech firms, insurers, asset managers, law and accounting practices, and the compliance functions that support them. The syllabus is organised around eight domains: AML/CTF fundamentals; international standards and frameworks; risk assessment and the risk-based approach; customer due diligence and KYC; enhanced due diligence and high-risk relationships; transaction monitoring and suspicious activity reporting; sanctions and targeted financial sanctions; and governance, programme design and internal controls. The exam is multiple choice, so success depends less on memorising definitions than on recognising which control, threshold or reporting obligation applies to a described scenario. Preparation should start with the fundamentals and the international standards, because later domains assume that vocabulary, then move to CDD, EDD and monitoring, which carry the most scenario-style weight. Working through the risk-based approach early also helps, since it underpins decisions across every other domain. Most candidates benefit from combining structured reading with practice questions and reviewing the explanations for wrong answers. The awarding body publishes current administrative details, including format specifics and any published results information, on its official site.
What you'll study
About IATI Diploma preparation
What is the exam format?
It is a multiple-choice examination. The awarding body publishes the current number of questions, time allowed and any structure by domain in its candidate handbook and on its official website; check there before booking, as administrative details can change between sessions.
How difficult is the IATI Diploma?
It is a professional-level exam that assumes comfort with compliance terminology. The difficulty comes from applying rules to scenarios rather than recalling definitions. Candidates with day-to-day AML exposure usually find it manageable; career changers should budget extra time for CDD and monitoring topics.
What happens if I fail - can I retake?
Retake arrangements, waiting periods and any additional fees are set by the awarding body and are not fixed here. Consult the official site or your candidate handbook for the current retake policy before you sit the exam, so you can plan a second attempt if needed.
How much time should I allow for preparation?
Most candidates need several weeks of consistent study rather than a few crammed days. Aim to cover the fundamentals and international standards first, then CDD, EDD and monitoring, leaving governance and sanctions for later. Practice questions with reviewed explanations are the highest-value use of your final week.
In what order should I study the domains?
Start with AML/CTF fundamentals and international standards to build vocabulary. Move to the risk-based approach, then customer due diligence, enhanced due diligence and transaction monitoring, which build on each other. Finish with sanctions and governance, which draw on everything before them.
What are the most common reasons candidates fail?
Weak grasp of the risk-based approach, confusing CDD with EDD triggers, and muddling suspicious activity reporting duties with sanctions reporting. Another frequent issue is skimming definitions without practising scenario questions, which leaves candidates unable to choose between two plausible answers.
Do I need to memorise thresholds and figures?
You should understand where thresholds exist and what they govern, but the exam tests judgement more than recall of exact numbers. Know the purpose of each requirement and which obligation it triggers; that reasoning is what scenario questions reward.
Is the diploma suitable for someone new to compliance?
It is accessible to newcomers but assumes some familiarity with financial services. If you are new, allow extra time for the fundamentals and international standards domains before attempting practice questions, and read the explanatory answers carefully rather than just checking your score.
Where do I find current fees, dates and results information?
The awarding body publishes current fees, examination dates, format details and any published results information on its official website. This page does not state those figures because they are set and updated by the awarding body, not by us.