Revealing the Pass Rate and Difficulty Level of the HKSI LE Exam

May 17, 2023

Many candidates who want to take the HKSI LE securities exam will be shocked after seeing the pass rate statistics released by HKSI, and hold back from taking the exam. Below, let’s reveal the relationship between the pass rate and difficulty of the LE exam!

HKSI LE can be divided into three types of test papers:

Paper 1 – a compulsory test for almost everyone

Papers 2-6 – papers required to be taken as an RO

Papers 7-12 – papers to be taken before becoming a Representative (entry to the industry)

**Note: Although there are 14 different papers for the LE, in general you don’t need to finish all 14 papers.

If you compare the pass rate of the HKSI LE papers in the past 12 months, you will find

  1. Paper 9 has the lowest pass rate, and the pass rates each month can be very different. For example, paper 9’s pass rate in April 2021 is 27.03%, but the pass rate in October 2020 was 88%
  2. The pass rate of paper 1 is about 50%
  3. paper 7, 8, 12 about 60-70%
  4. The pass rate of RO papers are relatively high, about 70-80%

So the difficulty level should be ranked from high to low in this order: paper 9 > paper 1 > papers 7, 8, 12 > papers 2-6? Is that true?

Of course it’s not that simple.

It is a recognized fact that paper 9 is difficult for most people. Many people think that paper 9 is the Killer Paper. We think it depends on luck. Because the number of exam sessions in Paper 9 is relatively less frequent, and questions in each session are randomly selected, it can be extremely difficult sometimes, and easier sometimes. Students who don’t want to try their luck have to work harder. 

The reason why the pass rate of Paper 1 is relatively low is not because of its difficulty, but because there are different kinds of people who have to take the test of Paper 1. Some of them may be relatively weak at taking exams, lowering the pass rate as a result. In fact, paper 1 just needs a lot of memorisation of concepts, and it is not particularly difficult. On the contrary, Papers 7, 8, 12 need calculation in some questions, which should be more difficult for some students with poor mathematics skills compared to paper 1. However, the silver lining is that mathematical questions are more direct, and at least the answer can be obtained by calculation, without guessing the logic of the exam question writer.

As for the RO papers, the higher pass rates of papers 2-6 are actually due to the fact that most of the exam takers already have a certain foundation in the industry. Thus, they have a deep understanding of the products, regulatory framework, and most of the contents that will be tested on the exam. Therefore, these papers are not particularly difficult. 

However, hurdles are inevitable. What you have to do is to try your best to meet the standard, and don’t be deterred by fear of difficulties! Go for it! 

HKSI official pass rate figures can refer to:

https://www.hksi.org/en/qualification/practising-qualifications/licensing-examination-for-securities-and-futures-intermediaries/pass-rate-for-le-in-hong-kong/

Suggested Study Method

We suggest the candidate prepare for the examination by the following steps:

1. Study 1 chapter in the study manual

2. Finish the relevant topic in the Pass Paper Question Bank

By spending 20-25 hours doing the revision, about 80% of our candidates can pass the exam in their first attempt.

Reference

HKSI LE Exam Registration

https://oes.hksi.org/enrol/listActivity?activity_type=X&category=Licensing%20Examination%20for%20Securities%20and%20Futures%20Intermediaries

HKSI Portal Login:

https://login.hksi.org/login

Study Materials:

www.2cexam.com.hk

www.hksiiiqepasspaper.online

Video Classes:

https://www.youtube.com/c/2cexam/playlists
https://www.youtube.com/c/ConradKo/playlists

How can we help?

2CExam provides HKSI LE, IIQE, EAQE and SQE related exam preparation materials. We sell mock question banks for HKSI LE Papers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 in Chinese and English; and bibles for HKSI LE Papers 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 in Chinese. We also offer 1 on 1 tutorial services. Besides, we have also made free tutorial videos for HKSI LE Papers 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and posted them on public channels such as Youtube/ Bilibili/ Tencent/ Iqiyi. 2CExam has been an exam training expert for years. Should you need any help please visit www.2cexam.com.hk or contact us through:

Phone +852 2110 9644 Email: [email protected] Wechat: hk2cexam WhatsApp: +852 9347 2064

Please support us by leaving comments and likes if you think this article helps you!

You can scan or click on the QR codes to visit our social media.

Latest Article

Categories

過往文章

Contact US

Interesting Articles

What is an IIQE license?

May 11, 2021

How to register for the exam? How to prepare? Isn’t the IIQE test score a license?! Obtaining a passing score in the IIQE (Insurance Intermediaries Qualifying Examination) held by the Institute of Professional Education and Knowledge (VTC PEAK) is one of the requirements for applying for an insurance practitioner license. Since PEAK is a statutory…

What is the HKSI license?

May 11, 2021

How to register for the exam? How to prepare? What?! The HKSI exam result is not a license? HKSI, Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute’s designated LE’s (Licensing Examination, Qualifying Examination) passing result is one of the competency requirements for applying for a license to become a representative and/or responsible officer. However, HKSI is a…

What exactly is a Hong Kong securities license?

May 11, 2021

Is it an HKSI license or an SFC license or an HKMA license? What is the 178 license?  We often hear people mention the 178 license, what does that mean exactly? In fact “178 license” is a common misnomer. 178 does not refer to a license, but a combination of exam papers that need to…

Insurance Intermediary Qualification Examination (IIQE) Exemptions

May 4, 2021

Type A & B of exempted applicants According to Insurance Authority’s Insurance Intermediaries Quality Assurance Scheme (IIQAS), There are 5 types (A, B, C, D, E) of individuals who could be exempted from the IIQE requirement. Type A individuals could be exempted from IIQE Paper 1 (Principles and Practice of Insurance), IIQE Paper 2 (General…

What Is the Difference Between SFC License And HKMA License?

May 4, 2021

Which license should a bank employee apply for? Will it be supervised by the SFC or HKMA? What is a SFC license? The full name of SFC is the Securities and Futures Commission, and it is the statutory regulator of the securities industry in Hong Kong. The Securities and Futures Commission was established in accordance…

What is the validity period of the HKSI LE Hong Kong Securities Examination results?

May 4, 2021

If you ever asked the questions above, then this article is specially written for you! In order to better comprehend the specification of HKSI’s licensing details, we must first clarify the relationship between the various institutions. HKSI is the abbreviation for Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute. If you ever considered obtaining license(s) for securities-related…

HKSI LE Exemption

May 4, 2021

Let’s talk about Exemptions: Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute (HKSI) Licensing Examination Paper 7,8,9,11,12 – Common Misunderstandings we all have when it comes to comprehending the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute’s (HKSI) exemption methods and requirements.  Able to Have Exemptions from HKSI Examination Papers 7 to 12 By fulfilling any of the following…

What is the validity period of the EAQE/SQE exam?

April 28, 2021

As a city with a dense population, Hong Kong’s property prices continue to be extremely lucrative. With each buying and selling transaction involves several million, being a real estate agent is a way for many people to make a fortune. Imagine how selling only one deal monthly can already enable you to have a comfortable…

What is the validity period of IIQE test results?

April 28, 2021

“If you have money, buy insurance, if you don’t have money, you can sell insurance.” I wonder if you have heard of this saying. Many people rely on insurance to support themselves and their families. Before entering the industry to sell insurance, you need to take at least 2 Insurance Intermediaries Qualifying Examination (IIQE) exam…