Frequently asked questions for Certified Private Wealth Professional (CPWP) Bridging Programme

The CPWP Bridging Programme requires applicants to meet one of the following requirements:

• Valid Certification holder of Certified Retail Wealth Professional (CRWP) awarded by The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers (HKIB); or
• Completed the training and examination of Enhanced Competency Framework on Retail Wealth Management (ECF-RWM) Module 1 to Module 7 and/or exempted on specific modules (i.e. ECF-RWM Module 1, 2, 4).

The HKSI Institute will arrange withdrawal for the individuals who enrolled in the programme but DO NOT fulfil any of the above entry requirements and charge a withdrawal administration fee of HK$500.

The CPWP Bridging Programme aims to bridge the gap between the syllabus of traditional CPWP Module 1 (Paper 1) and Module 2 and ECF-RWM by providing a trimmed version of training with an assessment that avoids content duplication. 

The CPWP Bridging Programme is a cohort-based programme consisting of two training modules plus one post-training examination. The first training module (Module 1: Technical and Product Knowledge) will be delivered by the HKSI Institute in eCourse format while the second training module (Module 2: Ethics and Compliance) will be delivered via face-to-face/Zoom by the HKIB. Candidates must first complete both training modules before proceeding to the post-training examination.

Upon successful completion of the CPWP Bridging Programme (i.e. completing the training modules and passing the post-training examination), the candidates will obtain a certificate of completion which will be equivalent to passing the existing CPWP Examinations of Module 1 (Paper 1) and Module 2. They only need to pass the CPWP Module 1 (Paper 2) Examination to fulfil the examination requirement of applying for CPWP / CPWP Associate (CPWPA) Certification.

In addition to the examination requirement, the candidates should be currently employed by a Private Wealth Management Association (PWMA) member institution, a valid holder of CRWP and fulfil the prerequisite work experience requirement in order to be eligible to apply for CPWP Certification. The candidate who is not employed by a PWMA member institution and/or has not met the experience requirement is eligible to apply for CPWPA certification.

The examination result of the CPWP Bridging Programme is valid for 5 years (counting from the date of the post-training examination) for the purpose of applying for CPWP/CPWPA Certification.

The HKSI Institute and HKIB are the training providers for the CPWP Bridging Programme. Information on the training schedules and fees for the CPWP Bridging Programme can be obtained from their respective websites.

Individuals who are interested in and eligible for the CPWP Bridging Programme can enrol via the HKSI Institute's Online Portal. Creating a free online account is required for enrolment, and the training and examination records, as well as the receipt can be easily retrieved through the account.

Two cohorts will be conducted per year. Enrolments usually start in January and July every year.

Once payment is made and successfully enroled, the HKSI Institute will send the enrolee a confirmation email. Enrolee will then be able to access the training materials through the HKSI Institute Online Portal.

Please note that HKIB will verify the enrolee’s eligibility for the programme based on the information provided by the enrolee. The HKSI Institute will arrange for refund for enrolee who are NOT eligible for the programme (i.e. not meeting any of the requirements mentioned in Question 1 above) and charge a withdrawal administration fee of HKD500.

The training materials (including the Module 1 eCourses and the Module 2 study notes and course presentation slides) are accessible through the HKSI Institute Online Portal once enroled.

There is no specified sequence for the candidates to take the training modules under the CPWP Bridging Programme.

Module 1 is a self-paced eCourse. Candidates can take the Module 1 eCourse once enroled and should complete the module 5 working days before the examination date. Failing to complete the module will not be allowed to attend the post-training examination. All fees paid are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

There will be no remedial or rescheduling arrangement for absentee of Module 2 training session. Candidates failing to complete the module is not allowed to attend the post-training examination. All fees paid are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

The candidates who have completed the training for Module 1 are entitled for 7 Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) CPT and PWMA On-going Professional Training (OPT) hours while the candidates who have completed the training for Module 2 are entitled for 6 SFC CPT hours and 6 HKIB Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours.

Candidates failing to complete both training modules are not allowed to attend the post-training examination. For Module 1, candidates should complete the eCourse 5 working days before the post-training examination date. For Module 2, candidates should attend the training as scheduled. All fees paid are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

The post-training examination consists of 40 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to be completed within 60 minutes and it is conducted in paper-based mode. The pass mark is 70% and the examination questions between Module 1 and Module 2 are equally weighted (i.e. 20 MCQs from Module 1 and 20 MCQs from Module 2).

Candidates can obtain their examination results through the HKSI Institute Online Portal approximately 1 month after the date of the examination.

Candidates will be graded ABSENT if they do not attend the examination on the examination date. Absentees will not be re-scheduled to another examination session and all fees paid are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

Candidates who failed the post-training examination are allowed to retake within 3 years (counting from the date of his/her first examination) and are NOT required to go through the training modules again.

As the training materials are accessible via the HKSI Institute Online Portal until 30 days after the first examination date, candidates who decided to retake the examination are encouraged to download the materials for revision purposes.