Is CeMAP hard to pass?

It's a Level 3 qualification, the same level as an A-level, so it's manageable with steady study, but not something to sit cold. The pass mark is 70% on every unit, 28 of 40 in FRE1, and the case-study questions punish misreading.

What is the CeMAP pass rate?

Walbrook doesn’t publish pass rates for the new CeMAP units on its CeMAP pages, so any figure you see quoted is an estimate. The best measure for you is a timed mock in the real format, scored against the 70% pass mark.

Which CeMAP unit is the hardest?

The final unit (ASEW or ASSC) is the longest and leans hardest on case studies: two hours, 6 case studies with 10 linked questions each, drawing on everything else. Of the first four, FRE1 and FRE2 each end with 3 case studies, while MRT1 and MRT2 are standalone questions only.

How many hours should I study for FRE1?

Walbrook puts each unit at about 50 hours of study. Sit a timed mock before you book your real attempt: if you are scoring comfortably above 28 of 40, you are ready.

Is CeMAP hard?

CeMAP is a Level 3 qualification, the same level as an A-level. What makes it hard isn't any single topic: it's the 70% pass mark, the pace, and case-study questions where one misread fact costs you marks.

Format and study hours from the FSRE and CeMAP specifications. Checked 6 November 2026.

What makes it hard

The pass mark is 70%

In FRE1 that's 28 of 40, so you can drop only 12 marks. There's no negative marking, so answer every question, but there's also little room for a weak topic.

About 90 seconds a question

One hour for 40 questions, and the case studies at the end take longer because you read the scenario first. Candidates who know the material still run short if they linger over part 1.

Case studies carry more marks than they used to

Since 2025, 15 of the 40 marks in FRE1 and FRE2 come from linked case-study questions, and the final unit is all case studies. They test whether you can apply a rule to one client's facts, and a question that quietly changes a fact catches people out. The case-study guide has a worked example.

A wide syllabus

FRE1 alone runs from financial markets and asset classes to trusts, intestacy, financial crime and the FCA Handbook: eleven assessment criteria in all. The FRE1 exam guide lists them.

How to make it easier

Give each unit around 50 hours, spread over weeks rather than crammed. The study planner turns your hours a week into dates.
Sit a timed mock in the real format before your exam, and practise finishing part 1 with time to spare.
Use the results to find your weak criteria, then drill them one at a time.
Learn the rules case studies turn on, such as who inherits without a will, as well as the facts.

We'll add the average score and the most-missed criteria from our own FRE1 mock here once enough people have sat it to make the numbers worth quoting.

Questions

Is CeMAP hard to pass?: It's a Level 3 qualification, the same level as an A-level, so it's manageable with steady study, but not something to sit cold. The pass mark is 70% on every unit, 28 of 40 in FRE1, and the case-study questions punish misreading.
What is the CeMAP pass rate?: Walbrook doesn’t publish pass rates for the new CeMAP units on its CeMAP pages, so any figure you see quoted is an estimate. The best measure for you is a timed mock in the real format, scored against the 70% pass mark.
Which CeMAP unit is the hardest?: The final unit (ASEW or ASSC) is the longest and leans hardest on case studies: two hours, 6 case studies with 10 linked questions each, drawing on everything else. Of the first four, FRE1 and FRE2 each end with 3 case studies, while MRT1 and MRT2 are standalone questions only.
How many hours should I study for FRE1?: Walbrook puts each unit at about 50 hours of study. Sit a timed mock before you book your real attempt: if you are scoring comfortably above 28 of 40, you are ready.

See where you stand

The free FRE1 mock is laid out like the real paper: 40 questions, 3 case studies, one hour, and your marks by learning outcome at the end.

Start the mock

FRE1 mock, paper 2Forty different questions in the same layout, for a second timed sitting once you have done the first.
CeMAP study plannerYour start date and hours a week in; a plan for every unit and the date to sit each one out.
Who inherits without a will?Answer a few questions about the family and see who inherits under the intestacy rules, and how much.
Drill one learning outcomePick the criterion that cost you marks and answer only its questions, with each answer explained.
The FRE1 exam: format, pass mark and what it testsHow the paper is laid out, the marks you need, and every assessment criterion in the syllabus.
CeMAP changed in 2025: the five new unitsHow the old CeMAP 1, 2 and 3 map onto FRE1, FRE2, MRT1, MRT2 and the final unit.
Remote exam checklist for CeMAPYour computer, room, ID and the day itself, as a list you can print and tick off.
How to answer CeMAP case-study questionsHow linked questions work, and a way through five of them without losing marks to one misread fact.
CeMAP or the CII route?The two main ways to qualify as a mortgage adviser in the UK, side by side.
Can you do CeMAP with no experience?Who can sit it, how long it takes from a standing start, and what comes after you pass.