Study plans

SIE Study Schedule

Four complete study plans for the FINRA SIE — a 2-week intensive, a 4-week balanced plan, a 6-week plan for working adults, and an 8-week plan for complete beginners. Day by day, no signup.

No signup. No email. The full plans are below.

Jump to 2-week plan Jump to 4-week plan Jump to 6-week plan Jump to 8-week plan

Which plan should you choose?

Intensive

2-week plan

✓Best for: finance backgrounds, retakers, anyone with a fixed test date in ~2 weeks
✓Daily commitment: 90–120 minutes
✓Includes: 2 full-length practice exams
!Risk: less margin for missed days

Balanced

4-week plan

✓Best for: some prior finance exposure; steady learners with about a month to give it
✓Daily commitment: 30–45 minutes
✓Includes: 3 full-length practice exams
✓Risk: lower — built-in review days

Working adults

6-week plan

✓Best for: a full-time job and little or no finance background
✓Weekly commitment: about 8 hours (45-minute weeknights plus weekend sessions)
✓Includes: 2 full-length practice exams, plus an optional third
!Risk: moderate — weekends carry the practice load

Beginners

8-week plan

✓Best for: no finance background, with eight weeks before your test date
✓Weekly commitment: about 6–7 hours
✓Includes: 3 full-length practice exams, plus an optional fourth
✓Risk: lowest — vocabulary first, with slack built in

When in doubt, choose the longer plan your calendar allows. If you're starting with no finance background, use the 6-week or 8-week plan rather than the 2- or 4-week.

College students

Run the 6-week plan over seven weeks: add one slack week where your midterms fall, and just do the weekend practice questions that week. Starting from zero finance knowledge? Use the 8-week plan the same way.

•Best windows: mid-semester, the weeks right after finals, or summer. Avoid finals and the three weeks before a major recruiting deadline.
•Work backward from applications. For fall internship recruiting, take the SIE the spring or summer before. For full-time recruiting, take it the summer before senior year or early in the fall.
•On a 2–3 week break with a finance background, the 2-week plan fits. Without one, don't compress; the absorption time matters.

Career changers

Use the 6-week plan. If you have no finance background and only 4–5 hours a week, use the 8-week plan instead.

•Book the exam 6–8 weeks out once you're fairly sure you want to make the move. If you're undecided, read who should take the SIE first.
•Don't wait for the pass to start networking. The prep weeks are part of the transition, and informational interviews are a good place to ask what comes after the SIE: Series 7, Series 79, day-to-day work.
•Once you pass, tell the contacts you've been talking to and submit any applications you were holding back.

The 2-week SIE study plan

Designed for ~90 minutes per day. Skip a day at your own risk.

Week 1

Foundation and high-weight domains

Day 1

Capital Markets foundation
- ✓ Primary vs secondary market, business cycle, Federal Reserve role
- ✓ Key agencies — SEC, FINRA, MSRB, SIPC
- ✓ Take notes on what each of the four agencies actually does
90 min
Day 2

Equities and offerings
- ✓ Common stock — rights, voting, dividends
- ✓ Preferred stock variations — cumulative, convertible, callable
- ✓ IPOs, APOs, underwriting syndicates
90 min
Day 3

Debt securities
- ✓ Bond basics — par, coupon, maturity, accrued interest
- ✓ Yield calculations — current yield, YTM, YTC
- ✓ Municipal bonds (GO vs revenue) and Treasury securities
100 min
Day 4

Packaged products
- ✓ Mutual funds — share classes, loads, NAV
- ✓ ETFs, UITs — structural differences
- ✓ REITs and DPPs — pass-through tax treatment
90 min
Day 5

Options basics
- ✓ Calls vs puts — buyer rights vs writer obligations
- ✓ Breakeven formulas for long call, long put, covered call, protective put
- ✓ Basic strategies — covered calls and protective puts
90 min
Day 6

Practice — capital markets and products
- ✓ 50 practice questions across capital markets and products
- ✓ Review every wrong answer — read the rationale for each distractor
- ✓ Note which sub-topics produced the most misses
120 min
Day 7

Light review and rest
- ✓ Re-read your notes on the SEC, FINRA, MSRB, and SIPC
- ✓ Re-read your yield-formula notes
- ✓ No new material — let the week consolidate
45 min

Week 2

Trading, regulation, and mock exams

Day 8

Trading mechanics
- ✓ Order types — market, limit, stop, stop-limit
- ✓ T+1 settlement and the modern ex-dividend date logic
- ✓ Market participants — broker-dealers, market makers, specialists
90 min
Day 9

Customer accounts
- ✓ Cash vs margin accounts — Regulation T 50% initial margin
- ✓ Account types — individual, joint, custodial, retirement
- ✓ Customer information requirements (Rule 4512) and CIP/KYC
90 min
Day 10

Regulatory framework
- ✓ Reg BI vs the old suitability standard — when each applies
- ✓ AML basics, SAR thresholds, structuring red flags
- ✓ FINRA rules — Rule 3220 ($300 gifts limit) and prohibited activities
90 min
Day 11

First full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, no breaks beyond the real exam allowance
- ✓ Score by domain — write down each domain percentage
- ✓ Same day: review every wrong answer with the rationale
150 min
Day 12

Targeted weakness review
- ✓ Re-study the two domains where you scored lowest on Day 11
- ✓ Re-do 20 questions from those domains
- ✓ Update your "trap list" — the specific concepts you keep missing
100 min
Day 13

Second full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, fresh question pool
- ✓ Aim for 75%+ in every domain — not just overall
- ✓ Same day: review wrong answers, compare domain scores to Day 11
150 min
Day 14

Light review and rest
- ✓ Read the cheat sheet end to end
- ✓ Re-write your trap list from memory
- ✓ Do NOT take another full mock exam — rest matters now
30 min

The 4-week SIE study plan

Designed for ~30–45 minutes per day. Built for steady learners and working schedules.

Week 1

Capital markets and intro to products

Day 1

Why the SIE exists and how it works
- ✓ Read the FINRA SIE outline overview
- ✓ Memorize the four domain weights (16 / 44 / 31 / 9)
- ✓ Understand exam format — 75 scored, 5 unscored, 105 minutes
30 min
Day 2

SEC, FINRA, MSRB, SIPC
- ✓ SEC, FINRA, MSRB, SIPC — what each one does
- ✓ Memorize the distinction: regulator vs SRO
- ✓ SIPC isn't a regulator — it protects customer assets if a broker-dealer fails
- ✓ Note which act created the SEC (the 1934 Act, not 1933)
40 min
Day 3

Primary vs secondary markets
- ✓ IPOs vs APOs vs secondary trading
- ✓ Underwriter roles and syndicate structure
- ✓ Tombstone ads and the prospectus rules
40 min
Day 4

Macro environment
- ✓ Business cycle phases
- ✓ Monetary vs fiscal policy
- ✓ Role of the Federal Reserve and the FOMC
35 min
Day 5

Equity securities
- ✓ Common stock — rights, dividends, voting
- ✓ Preferred stock — cumulative, convertible, callable
- ✓ ADRs and the currency-risk wrinkle
40 min
Day 6

Practice — capital markets
- ✓ 30 practice questions, capital markets only
- ✓ Review every wrong answer with its rationale
- ✓ Mark any concept you missed twice
45 min
Day 7

Catch-up or rest
- ✓ If you skipped a day, finish those tasks now
- ✓ Otherwise rest — spaced learning needs gaps
0 min

Week 2

Products and risks (the biggest domain)

Day 8

Bond basics
- ✓ Face value, coupon, maturity, accrued interest
- ✓ Bond types — corporate, municipal, government, agency
- ✓ Credit ratings and what they signal
40 min
Day 9

Yield calculations
- ✓ Current yield = annual coupon / market price
- ✓ YTM vs YTC vs nominal yield
- ✓ For premium bonds, YTC is the most conservative figure
45 min
Day 10

Municipal bonds
- ✓ General obligation vs revenue bonds
- ✓ Federal tax exemption and state-specific treatment
- ✓ Suitability — when munis fit (high tax bracket) vs do not (IRA)
40 min
Day 11

Treasury securities
- ✓ Bills, notes, bonds, TIPS, STRIPS — differences
- ✓ TIPS phantom income — taxable inflation adjustment
- ✓ Why Treasuries are the federal benchmark
35 min
Day 12

Mutual funds, ETFs, UITs
- ✓ Open-end vs closed-end vs UIT structure
- ✓ NAV vs market price (closed-ends trade at premium/discount)
- ✓ Mutual fund share classes — A, B, C, breakpoints
40 min
Day 13

REITs, DPPs, options basics
- ✓ REIT 90% distribution rule
- ✓ DPPs — pass-through K-1 tax treatment
- ✓ Options — call buyers bullish, put buyers bearish
45 min
Day 14

Practice — products
- ✓ 50 practice questions on products and risks
- ✓ Review every wrong answer carefully
- ✓ Identify your weakest product type for week 4 review
60 min

Week 3

Trading, accounts, and regulation

Day 15

Order types
- ✓ Market, limit, stop, stop-limit — when each is used
- ✓ GTC vs day orders
- ✓ How stops trigger and the gap-down risk on plain stops
35 min
Day 16

Settlement and dividends
- ✓ T+1 settlement rule (effective May 2024)
- ✓ Ex-dividend date now equals the record date under T+1
- ✓ DERP order — Declaration, Ex-date, Record, Payable
40 min
Day 17

Cash vs margin accounts
- ✓ Reg T 50% initial margin for equities
- ✓ FINRA 25% maintenance margin (a separate, ongoing test)
- ✓ Account-opening requirements and the margin agreement
45 min
Day 18

Account types
- ✓ Individual, joint (JTWROS vs TIC), custodial (UGMA/UTMA)
- ✓ Retirement — Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), 529
- ✓ Discretionary accounts — written authority required
40 min
Day 19

Reg BI vs suitability
- ✓ When Reg BI applies (recommendations to retail customers)
- ✓ The four obligations — disclosure, care, conflict of interest, compliance
- ✓ How Reg BI differs from the old FINRA suitability standard
45 min
Day 20

AML, prohibited activities, FINRA rules
- ✓ AML basics, the SAR $5,000 threshold, structuring red flags
- ✓ Churning, front-running, insider trading definitions
- ✓ FINRA Rule 3220 — $300 gifts limit (post-2026 update)
45 min
Day 21

Practice — trading, accounts, regulation
- ✓ 40 practice questions across the week 3 material
- ✓ Review wrong answers with the rationale
- ✓ Update your trap list with any new concepts you missed
50 min

Week 4

Practice, mock exams, and final review

Day 22

First full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, no breaks beyond the real exam allowance
- ✓ Score by domain — write down each percentage
- ✓ Save the review for Day 23
120 min
Day 23

Review and diagnose
- ✓ Re-read the rationale for every wrong answer from Day 22
- ✓ Identify your single weakest domain
- ✓ List the specific concepts to re-study tomorrow
60 min
Day 24

Targeted domain review
- ✓ Re-study the concepts flagged on Day 23
- ✓ Re-do 20 questions in that weakest domain
- ✓ Add to your trap list as needed
60 min
Day 25

Second full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, fresh question pool
- ✓ Score by domain again
- ✓ No same-day review — wait for Day 26
120 min
Day 26

Review and compare
- ✓ Review every wrong answer from Day 25
- ✓ Compare domain scores to Day 22 — confirm the weak domain improved
- ✓ If a different domain is now weakest, flag it for Day 27 attention
60 min
Day 27

Third full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed
- ✓ Target 80%+ overall with no domain below 75%
- ✓ Spend any remaining time on a final pass through your trap list
120 min
Day 28

Light review only
- ✓ Read the cheat sheet end to end
- ✓ Review your SEC / FINRA / MSRB / SIPC notes and the yield formulas
- ✓ No new material — sleep matters more than one more concept
30 min

The 6-week SIE study plan

Built for a full-time job and little or no finance background: 45-minute weeknights for new material, longer weekend sessions for practice. About 8 hours a week.

Week 1

Foundation and capital markets

Mon–Fri · 45 min each

Exam orientation and market structure
- ✓ Mon: exam format and the four domain weights (16 / 44 / 31 / 9)
- ✓ Tue: primary vs secondary markets; exchanges vs OTC
- ✓ Wed: SEC, FINRA, MSRB, SIPC — who does what
- ✓ Thu: Securities Act of 1933 vs Exchange Act of 1934
- ✓ Fri: underwriting, IPO mechanics, syndicates
Saturday

Capital markets read-through
- ✓ Read all capital markets material end to end
- ✓ Note the differences between the SEC, FINRA, MSRB, and SIPC
150 min
Sunday

Practice — capital markets
- ✓ 30 practice questions on capital markets
- ✓ Start a miss log: for every wrong answer, write the concept in plain language
120 min

Week 2

Products and risks: equities and risk types

Mon–Fri · 45 min each

Equities and risk
- ✓ Mon: common stock — rights, dividends, voting
- ✓ Tue: preferred stock — cumulative, callable, convertible
- ✓ Wed: stock splits and the dividend dates (declaration, ex-date, record, payable)
- ✓ Thu: risk types — market, credit, liquidity
- ✓ Fri: risk types — inflation, currency, interest rate
Saturday

Equities read-through
- ✓ Read all equities material
- ✓ Compare the preferred stock variants side by side
150 min
Sunday

Practice — equities and risk
- ✓ 30 practice questions on equities and risk
- ✓ Update your miss log
120 min

Week 3

Products and risks: bonds, packaged products, options

Mon–Fri · 45 min each

The rest of the biggest domain
- ✓ Mon: bond basics — par, coupon, maturity, premium and discount
- ✓ Tue: yield math — current yield, YTM, YTC, worked by hand
- ✓ Wed: municipal bonds (GO vs revenue) and Treasury securities
- ✓ Thu: mutual funds, ETFs, UITs, REITs, DPPs
- ✓ Fri: options basics — calls vs puts, breakevens
Saturday

Bonds, packaged products, and options read-through
- ✓ Read all bond, packaged-product, and options material
- ✓ Solve five yield problems by hand
150 min
Sunday

Practice — bonds, packaged products, options
- ✓ 40 practice questions
- ✓ Update your miss log
120 min

Week 4

Trading, accounts, and the first mock exam

Mon–Fri · 45 min each

Trading and customer accounts
- ✓ Mon: order types — market, limit, stop, stop-limit
- ✓ Tue: T+1 settlement and ex-dividend timing
- ✓ Wed: cash vs margin accounts; Reg T initial margin
- ✓ Thu: account types — individual, joint, custodial, retirement
- ✓ Fri: customer information requirements and CIP
Saturday

First full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, 105 minutes
- ✓ Score by domain — write down each percentage
120 min
Sunday

Review and diagnose
- ✓ Review every wrong answer from Saturday
- ✓ Identify your two weakest domains
120 min

Week 5

Regulation and weak-domain catch-up

Mon–Fri · 45 min each

The regulatory framework
- ✓ Mon: Reg BI — the four obligations
- ✓ Tue: Reg BI vs the FINRA suitability standard
- ✓ Wed: AML basics; prohibited activities (churning, front-running, insider trading)
- ✓ Thu: FINRA Rule 3220 — the $300 gift limit
- ✓ Fri: communications with the public; books and records
Saturday

Second full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, fresh question pool
- ✓ Compare domain scores to week 4
120 min
Sunday

Weak-domain review
- ✓ Review every wrong answer
- ✓ Spend extra time on any domain that didn't improve
120 min

Week 6

Final review and test day

Mon–Wed · 45 min each

Consolidate
- ✓ Mon: cheat sheet pass — flag anything you don't recognize
- ✓ Tue: re-attempt your miss log
- ✓ Wed: flashcards — regulatory and trading terminology
Thursday (optional)

Third full-length mock exam
- ✓ Only if either earlier mock was below 75% in any domain
120 min
Friday

Light review only
- ✓ Your SEC / FINRA / MSRB / SIPC notes and the yield formulas
- ✓ No new material
30 min
Test day

Sit the exam
- ✓ Don't cram. Eat, hydrate, arrive early.

The 8-week SIE study plan

For complete beginners. Week 1 builds vocabulary before any concepts; after that, short content sessions three nights a week, flashcards on two, and practice at the weekend. About 6–7 hours a week, with three full-length mocks.

Week 1

Vocabulary and exam orientation

Mon · Wed · Fri · 30 min each

Orientation
- ✓ Mon: exam format and the four domains — list every unfamiliar term you see
- ✓ Wed: what securities markets are for and who participates
- ✓ Fri: SEC, FINRA, MSRB, SIPC — what each does
Tue · Thu · 20 min each

Vocabulary
- ✓ Look up every new term and start a vocabulary list
- ✓ Quiz yourself on the definitions
Saturday

Slow read-through
- ✓ Read an SIE overview end to end — exposure only, no quizzing yet
120 min
Sunday

Definitions in your own words
- ✓ Write a plain-language definition for each new term from the week
60 min

Week 2

Capital markets

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

How markets work
- ✓ Mon: primary vs secondary markets; exchanges vs OTC
- ✓ Wed: underwriting and IPOs — what an underwriter and a syndicate do
- ✓ Fri: business cycle, monetary policy, and the Fed
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

Flashcards
- ✓ Week 1 and week 2 terminology
Saturday

Capital markets read-through
- ✓ Re-read the week's material end to end
- ✓ Note what is still hazy
120 min
Sunday

Practice — capital markets
- ✓ 25 practice questions
- ✓ Start a miss log: for every wrong answer, write the concept in plain language
90 min

Week 3

Products and risks: equities

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

Stocks
- ✓ Mon: common stock — rights, dividends, voting
- ✓ Wed: preferred stock — cumulative, callable, convertible
- ✓ Fri: stock splits and the dividend dates
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

Flashcards
- ✓ Equities terminology plus earlier weeks
Saturday

Equities read-through
- ✓ Read all equities material; give the preferred stock variants extra time
120 min
Sunday

Practice — equities
- ✓ 25 practice questions
- ✓ Update your miss log
90 min

Week 4

Bonds and the first mock exam

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

Debt securities
- ✓ Mon: bond basics — par, coupon, maturity, premium vs discount
- ✓ Wed: municipal bonds — GO vs revenue, tax treatment
- ✓ Fri: bond ratings; investment grade vs high yield
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

Bond math and Treasuries
- ✓ Tue: current yield, YTM, YTC — practice the math
- ✓ Thu: Treasury bills, notes, bonds, TIPS, STRIPS
Saturday

First full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed, 105 minutes
- ✓ Score by domain
120 min
Sunday

Review
- ✓ Review every wrong answer, especially the bond questions
90 min

Week 5

Packaged products and options

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

Pooled products and options
- ✓ Mon: mutual funds vs ETFs vs UITs
- ✓ Wed: REITs, DPPs, and other pooled products
- ✓ Fri: long call and long put breakevens; what "in the money" means
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

Share classes and options basics
- ✓ Tue: mutual fund share classes and sales charges
- ✓ Thu: options basics — calls vs puts
Saturday

Read-through
- ✓ Read all packaged-product and options material
- ✓ Recite the breakeven formulas without notes
120 min
Sunday

Practice — packaged products and options
- ✓ 30 practice questions
- ✓ Update your miss log
90 min

Week 6

Trading, accounts, and the second mock exam

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

Trading and accounts
- ✓ Mon: order types — market, limit, stop, stop-limit
- ✓ Wed: cash vs margin accounts; Reg T initial margin
- ✓ Fri: customer information requirements and CIP
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

Settlement and account types
- ✓ Tue: T+1 settlement and ex-dividend timing
- ✓ Thu: account types — individual, joint, custodial, retirement
Saturday

Second full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed
- ✓ Compare domain scores to week 4
120 min
Sunday

Review
- ✓ Review every wrong answer
- ✓ Pick your two weakest domains for week 7
90 min

Week 7

Regulation, weak domains, and the third mock exam

Mon · Wed · Fri · 40 min each

Regulation and weak domains
- ✓ Mon: Reg BI — the four obligations
- ✓ Wed: FINRA Rule 3220 ($300 gift limit); communications with the public
- ✓ Fri: your weakest domain, continued
Tue · Thu · 30 min each

AML and weak domains
- ✓ Tue: AML basics; prohibited activities
- ✓ Thu: your weakest domain from the week 6 mock
Saturday

Third full-length mock exam
- ✓ 75 questions, timed
- ✓ Target 75%+ in every domain
120 min
Sunday

Review
- ✓ Review every wrong answer against your miss log
90 min

Week 8

Final review and test day

Mon–Wed · 30 min each

Consolidate
- ✓ Mon: cheat sheet pass — flag anything still unfamiliar
- ✓ Tue: re-attempt your miss log
- ✓ Wed: flashcards — regulatory and trading terminology
Thursday (optional)

Fourth full-length mock exam
- ✓ Only if the week 7 mock was below 75% in any domain
120 min
Friday

Light review only
- ✓ Your SEC / FINRA / MSRB / SIPC notes and the yield formulas
15 min
Test day

Sit the exam
- ✓ Don't cram. Eat, hydrate, arrive early.

How to use these plans

•Don't try to memorize the schedule. Just do today's task.
•If you fall behind, do not skip the mock exams — drop a content day instead.
•Score yourself by domain on every practice exam. Weak domains tell you what to review next, not the overall score.
•Treat the cheat sheet as a review tool, not a study tool. Use it in the final week.
•Book the exam before you start, and put study sessions on your calendar like meetings.
•Keep a miss log: for every wrong answer, write the concept behind it in plain language. It becomes your review list for the final week.
•Keep the final week free of new material. If you're a week behind at the halfway point, move the exam date rather than compressing what's left.

Frequently asked questions

Which plan should I choose?

Finance background or a fixed test date in two weeks: the 2-week plan. Some prior finance exposure: the 4-week plan. A full-time job and little or no finance background: the 6-week plan. Starting from zero with eight weeks available: the 8-week plan.

What if I can't finish a day's tasks?

Continue to the next day on schedule. Do not double up — that's how candidates burn out. The mock exams are the most important sessions; drop a content day before you drop a practice exam.

Can I do both plans back to back?

If you have six weeks, the 6-week plan is the simpler choice. If you've already finished the 4-week plan and your test is two weeks out, follow it with a modified 2-week plan focused on mock exams and weak-domain review.

Do I really need three mock exams in the 4-week plan?

Yes. Mock exam performance is the single best predictor of test-day performance, and your domain scores tell you exactly where to study next.

When can I stop studying?

When you score 75%+ in every domain on two consecutive full-length mock exams. Below that threshold in any single domain, keep reviewing that domain.

How many hours a week does each plan take?

The 2-week plan is about 10–12 hours a week. The 4-week plan is 4–5 hours a week for three weeks, then about 9 in the mock-exam week. The 6-week plan is about 8 hours a week, and the 8-week plan about 6–7.

Can I study for the SIE with a full-time job?

Yes. The 6-week plan is built around one: 45-minute weeknight sessions for new material, and longer weekend sessions for practice questions and mock exams.

When should college students take the SIE?

Mid-semester, right after finals, or over the summer — not during finals or the three weeks before a major recruiting deadline. Work backward from your applications: for fall internship recruiting, take it the spring or summer before.

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