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CSI CSC Exam 2 Study Guide

CSI CSC Exam 2 study guide with topic lessons, portfolio review, cheat sheet, study plan, FAQ, resources, and matching practice.

Use this page as the main CSI Canadian Securities Course Exam 2 guide. This is the second half of the regular CSC route: investment analysis, portfolio construction, mutual funds, ETFs, alternatives, tax concepts, and client workflow matter more than isolated product facts.

Use matching web practice when you want timed mixed review, current progress tracking on Web, and a cleaner handoff from reading into exam-mode repetition.

Exam snapshot

ItemValue
ProviderCSI
Official course nameCanadian Securities Course (CSC)
Current official exam structureProctored multiple-choice exam, 100 questions, 2 hours, 60% passing grade per exam, 3 attempts
Highest-weight areasInvestment Analysis at 18% and Portfolio Analysis at 18%
Practice statusfull exam-specific web practice is live
Current route noteas of April 13, 2026, CSI says that effective January 1, 2026 CSC is no longer acceptable for CIRO approval with an Investment Dealer

Where CSC Exam 2 fits

If the candidate mainly needs…Better first instinct
the second analysis-and-portfolio half of the regular CSC routeCSC Exam 2
the first market-and-product half of the regular CSC routeCSC Exam 1
a shorter mutual-fund focused foundationIFC
the next wealth-management development step after CSCWME Exam 1 and WME Exam 2

CSC Exam 2 topic and lesson guide

TopicWeightSection lessons
Investment Analysis18%Fundamental and Technical Analysis
Company Analysis
Portfolio Analysis18%Introduction to the Portfolio Approach
The Portfolio Management Process
Mutual Funds14%Mutual Funds: Structure and Regulation
Mutual Funds: Types and Features
Exchange-Traded Funds10%Exchange-Traded Funds
Alternative Investments, Other Managed, and Structured Products16%Alternative Investments: Benefits, Risks, and Structure
Alternative Investments: Strategies and Performance
Other Managed Products
Structured Products
Canadian Taxation6%Canadian Taxation
Fee-Based Accounts and Working with the Retail Client8%Fee-Based Accounts
Working with the Retail Client
Working with the Institutional Client10%Working with the Institutional Client

How to use this guide well

  • Treat analysis and portfolio construction as the spine of the exam rather than side topics.
  • Keep product comparisons tied to client constraints, not just product labels.
  • Use the section lessons for chapter-level review, then use practice questions to train speed on the 100-question format.
  • If your real need is the first half of the CSC route, compare with CSC Exam 1.

What stronger CSC Exam 2 answers usually do

  • identify the client objective and dominant constraint before naming a product
  • keep analysis, allocation, taxation, and account type inside the same recommendation frame
  • treat mutual funds, ETFs, alternatives, and structured products as portfolio tools with fit constraints
  • choose the answer with the stronger portfolio logic, not just the most impressive product feature

Practice this exam

Use this free guide for review, then Start CSC Exam 2 Practice on Finance Prep for timed questions, topic drills, and detailed explanations.

In this section

Revised on Friday, May 29, 2026
CSC Exam 1
PFSA