RE1 Self-Study Material

What RE1 actually tests

RE1 is the regulatory examination for key individuals: the people who manage and oversee the rendering of financial services by an FSP. The paper is 80 questions over 2 hours 30 minutes, and it is written from a management seat. You are not asked what to tell a client — you are asked what you must approve, monitor, record and report so that the FSP stays licensed and compliant.

That is why RE5 material on its own is not enough preparation. The legislation overlaps heavily, but the questions come at it from the oversight side, and the RE1 paper is a third longer.

• The FAIS Act as it applies to FSPs, key individuals and the licensing framework
• Fit and proper requirements, competence, honesty and integrity, and continuous professional development
• Licence categories and subcategories, and what the FSP may render under each
• Appointing, supervising and debarring representatives, and keeping competence records
• Governance, risk management and internal controls, including the compliance function
• Reporting duties and time frames, the General Code of Conduct, the FIC Act and the FAIS Ombud

A four-week RE1 study plan using this pack

The plan is simple: four tasks a week, every week, for four weeks. The RE1 qualifying criteria are broken into 16 tasks, and the study guide follows them in order, so each week you work through the next four tasks in the guide and make sure you understand them before moving on.

At the end of the four weeks, write the full mock exam under exam conditions — closed book, 2 hours 30 minutes, no phone. If you fail it, do not book the real exam yet: go back to the tasks you struggled with, rework the summary document and reference guides, and rewrite the mock until you pass.

You also get WhatsApp mentorship for as long as you are studying, so when a section will not make sense you can send us the exact question rather than lose an evening to it.

• Week 1: study Task 1, Task 2, Task 3 and Task 4 in the guide
• Week 2: study Task 5, Task 6, Task 7 and Task 8 in the guide
• Week 3: study Task 9, Task 10, Task 11 and Task 12 in the guide
• Week 4: study Task 13, Task 14, Task 15 and Task 16 in the guide
• End of week 4: write the full mock exam — failed? Repeat the weak tasks and rewrite until you pass, then book your RE1 exam

Who writes RE1

You need RE1 if you are, or are being appointed as, a key individual of an FSP — typically directors, members, trustees, partners or managers responsible for managing or overseeing financial services. Many candidates are already qualified representatives who have written RE5 and are now stepping into a management role.

If you only advise or render financial services to clients, RE5 is your exam, not RE1. If you are unsure which one applies to your appointment, message us on WhatsApp before you buy and we will point you to the right pack.