CDCS (Certificate for Credit Documentary Specialists)

As a trade finance professional, you understand the importance of documentary credits and the need to ensure that all parties adhere to the international guidelines.
CDCS will improve your knowledge and understanding of the complex issues associated with documentary credit best practice. You’ll learn to:
•Understand documentary credits – the products, parties, processes and rules that underpin documentary credit transactions
•Identify documentary credit risks, breaches and irregularities
•Manage documentary credit transactions
•Apply knowledge of processes, ICC rules and trade terms.
CDCS is a globally recognized standard of competence, which we created with industry experts and manage in partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Who needs this course:
It is the best certification for Trade Finance Practitioners and it is considered to be the benchmark for them. It will help to track the complex issues of the world of Documentary credits.
It is highly recommended for professionals working in-
1.Import Export documentation
2.Different types of LC
3.Methods of payments in international trading
4.Banks
5.Trade Finance Professionals
6.International trade
7.Letter of Credit
8.Inco terms
9.Standby LC
10.Bank to bank reimbursement

Course content
Principles and Practices of Documentary Credit Transactions (PDT)
1.Documentary credits -types, characteristics and uses, including standby credits
2.Rules and trade terms, including UCP 600, ISP98, ISBP745, Incoterms 2020 and URR 725
3.Parties to document credit transactions and their roles and obligations
4.Types and methods of payment and credit used in documentary credit transactions, including the concept of autonomy
5.Types of transport, commercial and financial documents used in documentary credit transactions
6.Risk issues including types of risks, control and possible mitigations
7.Related products, including letters of indemnity, airway releases and steamship guarantees

Entry Requirements
There are no entry requirements to undertake the CDCS examination. However, it is strongly recommended that candidates have a minimum of three years of documentary credit experience. Membership in BAFT, The London Institute of Banking & Finance, or any other organization is not required.

Exam fee

• Registration Fee: £615
• Exam Re-sit Fee: £350
• Recertification fee: £200

Exam Format:
You’ll be assessed in an exam that lasts three hours and 15 minutes. The examination is split into two sections:
•Section A – 60 multiple-choice questions
•Section B – ten multiple-choice questions and three document checking exercises
•You can book your exam at any designated test center around the world and will get your results within 24 hours.
•A total of 100 marks are available. The pass mark for the examination is 70% of the available marks; you must also achieve 60% of the marks available in section B to pass the qualification. The structure of the assessment ensures that all aspects of the course content are subject to external examination under strict examination conditions. Qualification grading the overall qualification will be graded Pass/ Distinction.

You must achieve a mark of 70% overall (and 60% for Section B). The qualification grade boundaries are as follows:

• Pass: 70-94
• Distinction 95-100

Exam body:

• The London Institute of Banking and Finance
• The certification will be endorsed by ICC and BAFT.