KYC course online

KYC, CDD, EDD and customer-onboarding training.

Develop the judgement used in customer identification, verification, beneficial-ownership review, PEP handling, risk rating, enhanced due diligence, periodic review and digital onboarding. EduDelphi provides live online KYC training for professionals and teams worldwide, with an optional GCI KYCS certification-preparation route.

Clear role boundary: EduDelphi delivers live training, applied cases, revision support and preparation guidance. Global Compliance Institute controls KYCS registration, official examination, results, digital badge and certificate issuance.
Get KYC Course Options & FeesExplore the KYC Syllabus
Delivery Live online teaching, recordings and self-paced reinforcement
Guided learning 36+ hours of structured KYC, CDD and onboarding training
Study support AI-supported LMS, notes, mindmaps, templates, cases, original practice and mocks
Official route GCI KYCS – Know Your Customer Specialist preparation available
Best for KYC, CDD, EDD, onboarding, AML/KYC operations, risk and compliance roles
Learning language English
36+guided live hours
500+revision and practice resources
Live + recordedflexible global access
GCI KYCSoptional preparation route
Start with the work

What do KYC, CDD and EDD mean in practice?

KYC is the ongoing process of understanding a customer and the relationship risk. Customer due diligence establishes reliable customer information and risk context; enhanced due diligence applies deeper evidence, review and escalation where the relationship presents higher risk.

KYC

Customer identity, profile, ownership, purpose and lifecycle understanding.

CDD

Verification, beneficial ownership, risk assessment, supporting evidence and onboarding decisions.

EDD

Additional evidence, source-of-funds or wealth context, higher-risk approval and ongoing review.

Scope control: the course includes PEP and screening escalation within onboarding workflows. It does not replace specialised sanctions or AML investigation training, which are addressed through EduDelphi’s dedicated routes.

Global KYC context

KYC is part of a wider, risk-based customer due-diligence process.

In financial-crime compliance, KYC typically forms part of the wider CDD process used to identify and verify a customer, understand beneficial ownership and relationship purpose, assess risk and maintain an appropriate understanding of the relationship over time. Exact requirements differ by jurisdiction and institution.

Make the evidence proportionate to the risk.

Current learning follows the practical sequence: risk identification → proportionate due diligence → evidence → approval → monitoring. It avoids both endless document collection without a reason and superficial, box-ticking review.

Work within the applicable local framework.

FATF standards provide an international framework, but countries and institutions implement them through their own legal, regulatory and policy environments. The course teaches decision logic, not a universal legal rulebook.

Reference: FATF’s 2025 risk-based and proportionality update.

Live KYC and customer due diligence training workshop for professionals
Live learning

Live KYC training with guided explanations, cases and revision.

Self-study can suit disciplined learners. EduDelphi is designed for people who want live explanation, faculty questions, practical files, scheduled accountability and a clear revision path through KYC operations.

  • Instructor-led explanation of KYC, CDD, EDD and onboarding controls
  • Recordings for missed-session recovery and deliberate revision
  • AI-supported LMS, notes, mindmaps and reusable workflow templates
  • Original questions, mock checkpoints and error debriefs
Request a KYC Study Recommendation
Official GCI route

KYCS: official exam facts and the accredited training relationship.

EduDelphi operates through Delphi Star Training Center, listed in GCI’s partner directory. GCI separately controls the KYCS qualification, registration, assessment, result and certificate.

  • 50 multiple-choice questions in a 60-minute online-proctored assessment.
  • Current pass standard: 75/100 overall, with at least 50% in each chapter.
  • Exam languages: English, Arabic, Turkish and French.
  • Result: displayed after submission under the current GCI process.
View Official GCI KYCS DetailsVerify GCI Partner Listing
Verify the partner relationship

GCI training partners directory

Review the official partner directory and KYCS qualification page before registration. Official availability, candidate terms and fees should always be confirmed with GCI before payment.

Curriculum

KYC course syllabus: onboarding, due diligence, ownership and digital identity.

The first six modules visibly map to the current GCI KYCS learning areas. The applied EduDelphi layer then turns those concepts into practical file-review, documentation and escalation capability.

Module 1: KYC fundamentals and international context
KYC purpose, relationship to AML/CFT, risk-based thinking, customer lifecycle, international standards awareness and the role of customer understanding in a defensible control environment.
Module 2: Customer onboarding for individuals, corporates and complex structures
Identification and verification, individual and corporate requirements, account purpose, signatories, charities and NPOs, ownership changes, real-beneficiary review and supporting evidence.
Module 3: FATCA, CRS, tax residency and self-certification checks
Customer tax-status context, self-certification, tax residency, reasonableness checks, change in circumstances and operational hand-offs. Specialist FATCA/CRS work is signposted to the dedicated FCS route.
Module 4: Risk-based CDD, EDD and customer risk rating
Risk factors, customer and account risk scoring, PEP and higher-risk relationships, EDD triggers, source-of-funds or wealth awareness, approval pathways and review frequency.
Module 5: Account opening, periodic review and KYC remediation
Centralised and decentralised workflows, incomplete files, non-face-to-face accounts, KYC updates, refresh events, dormant accounts, closure decisions and remediation planning.
Module 6: Digital identity, eKYC and online onboarding controls
Digital identity, verification mechanisms, online-onboarding benefits and threats, evidence retention, workflow controls, customer friction, exception handling and governance.
Module 7: Beneficial ownership, control, signatories and corporate-file review
Work through fictional ownership diagrams, controlling-person decisions, signing authority, documentation gaps, evidence hierarchy and clear file narratives.
Module 8: Screening context, escalation and defensible documentation
PEP, adverse-media and screening workflow awareness; false-positive discipline; what to record; when to pause, seek further evidence or escalate. This module does not substitute for specialist sanctions training.
Module 9: KYC quality assurance, metrics and operating discipline
File QA, checklists, common error patterns, turnaround versus quality, exception themes, periodic-review tracking, management information and practical remediation controls.
Module 10: Applied cases, original mocks and GCI KYCS preparation
Retail onboarding, corporate UBO, higher-risk escalation, FATCA/CRS reasonableness and digital-onboarding scenarios, followed by original question practice, mock review and exam-readiness planning.

Corporate KYC and UBO review

Corporate KYC and beneficial ownership review.

Corporate KYC needs a defensible view of the natural persons, legal persons, ownership percentages and control relationships behind a customer. Learners practise documenting what is verified, what remains unclear and when a file needs further evidence or escalation.

Fictional ownership-chart exercise

Northstar Trading Ltd
60% held by Meridian Holdings
40% held by Orion Ventures
Meridian is owned by two individuals; Orion is held through a family trust.

Learners map ownership, controllers, signatories, intermediaries and evidence gaps before writing a clear case note. The exercise is fictional and does not prescribe a universal threshold.

What the review can consider

  • Natural persons, legal persons and intermediate entities
  • Ownership and control other than ownership
  • Trust or legal-arrangement awareness, nominees and authorised signatories
  • Listed-entity and state-owned-enterprise context where relevant
  • Complex ownership chains, evidence quality and change events

FATF beneficial-ownership standards emphasize adequate, accurate and up-to-date information about true owners. Read FATF beneficial-ownership guidance.

Applied risk assessment

Customer risk rating: factors, evidence and review.

The course teaches the logic behind customer-risk-rating models. It does not prescribe one universal scorecard, because firms and jurisdictions use different methodologies, approved factors and escalation thresholds.

Customer type and business activityGeography and delivery channelProducts, services and expected activityOwnership complexity and controllersPEP exposure and higher-risk indicatorsOther institution-specific risk signals
Decision discipline: capture the input, explain the risk conclusion, retain relevant evidence, obtain the right approval and set a review rhythm that fits the relationship.

Higher-risk relationships

PEP, adverse-media and EDD: review and escalation.

PEP identification and EDD

Explore domestic, foreign and international-organisation PEP concepts; family and close-associate context where applicable; source-of-wealth or funds context; senior approval; ongoing monitoring and declassification-policy considerations.

Adverse media in KYC

Assess source credibility, recency, relevance, identity confirmation, allegation versus established fact, risk linkage, documentation and escalation. Negative media is an input to judgement, not an automatic rejection.

What EDD can involve

Depending on policy and applicable rules: deeper ownership evidence, account purpose, business-activity validation, counterparty context, source-of-funds or wealth review, senior approval and enhanced monitoring.

Tooling is not the decision: a screening or commercial PEP database can be useful evidence, but it does not replace a firm’s CDD process or accountable judgement.
Digital onboarding

Digital KYC: evidence, assurance and exceptions.

Digital identity can support customer identification, verification and ongoing due diligence, but it changes the questions a team must ask about evidence quality, control design and exceptions.

  • Identity proofing, verification and authentication
  • Liveness and biometric awareness without turning the course into a biometrics programme
  • Device or context data, fraud and identity-risk signals
  • Non-face-to-face onboarding and third-party ID-provider oversight
  • Evidence retention, data-quality controls and exception handling

Digital-file review scenario

A customer completes a remote onboarding flow, but the identity evidence, device context and declared business activity create conflicting signals. Learners decide which facts need confirmation, what can be recorded and when an accountable reviewer should be involved.

FATF describes Recommendation 10 as technology neutral and frames reliability and independence of evidence within the applicable national framework.

Applied learning

KYC case review: evidence, risk and escalation.

A corporate customer has a layered ownership structure, an unclear controlling-person declaration and a PEP-screening result that needs review. Learners separate verified facts from assumptions, map the missing evidence, assess the relationship risk and document a proportionate escalation.

IdentifyWhat customer, ownership and authority evidence is already verified?
AssessWhich risk factors change the depth of due diligence?
DocumentWhat decision rationale and evidence trail should the file contain?
EscalateWhen must an accountable owner approve the next action?
Compliance team reviewing a practical customer onboarding workflow
Who this course is for

KYC analyst training for customer-facing, control and financial-crime roles.

The course supports early-career learners building foundational capability and working professionals strengthening the operational judgement used in onboarding and periodic-review teams.

KYC, CDD and EDD analystsClient onboarding and account-opening teamsAML/KYC operations and financial-crime associatesCompliance and risk professionalsFintech, payments and regulated virtual-asset teamsBanking, insurance, brokerage, lending and exchange-house staffQuality assurance and remediation teamsGraduates targeting KYC and financial-services careers

KYC analyst training

KYC analyst training: skills for operational roles.

For people moving into KYC, CDD, EDD, onboarding, remediation or QA work, the course makes the operational sequence visible: receive the file, validate evidence, understand ownership, assess risk, write the case note, resolve gaps and escalate appropriately.

File review and document validationUBO analysis and ownership mappingCustomer-risk-rating rationalePEP and adverse-media review contextEDD evidence and case notesQA, periodic review and remediation
Study support

KYC revision resources, practice and mock support.

Revisit the control logic around identity, ownership, risk, evidence, review and escalation through recordings, visual resources, templates, original questions and mock review.

  • KYC-file review and customer-risk templates
  • Mindmaps for CDD, EDD, onboarding and lifecycle controls
  • Original question practice and timed mock checkpoints
  • AI-supported revision prompts around weak areas and study planning
Get the KYCS Syllabus & Fees
Professional using online KYC study resources and revision materials
Compare routes

KYCS vs ACAMS KYC Foundations vs ICA KYC/CDD: which route fits?

Choose the route that matches the role, employer expectation, desired depth, study style and timeline rather than treating every KYC qualification as interchangeable.

Route Main emphasis Better fit when
GCI KYCS KYC, customer onboarding, CDD, risk rating and digital identity You want a focused KYC credential route with a practical operations orientation.
ACAMS KYC Foundations Financial-crime and KYC foundations You want an ACAMS-branded foundation credential.
ICA Certificate in KYC and CDD KYC/CDD foundation You want an ICA entry-level KYC/CDD route.
ICA Advanced Certificate in Practical CDD Applying CDD in analyst and manager work You need a deeper ICA CDD pathway.
EduDelphi live training Live explanation, casework, templates and revision support You value faculty access, structured practice and a flexible global learning schedule.
Explore specialist routes: AMLS for AML/CFT, SCS for sanctions, FCS for FATCA/CRS and CCM for broader compliance management.
Meet your faculty

KYC faculty with compliance and financial-crime experience.

Shyam Sarrof, KYC and compliance facultyCompliance and finance faculty

Shyam Sarrof

CPA (USA), CMA (USA), ACA, ACMA, CS, CFA, ACTM, MBA, B.Com (H)

With 22+ years of professional experience, Shyam connects KYC concepts to controls, reporting, risk and business decision-making. His teaching focuses on the reasoning behind a defensible customer-onboarding decision.

View Shyam Sarrof’s LinkedIn profile

Practitioner faculty

KYC and Financial Crime Practitioner Faculty

Customer onboarding, CDD, EDD, high-risk escalation and KYC quality assurance

Practitioner input brings scenario-based coaching around customer risk, beneficial ownership, PEP handling, digital onboarding, evidence gaps and KYCS exam preparation.

Faculty allocation can reflect the cohort’s role mix, operating context and learning objectives.

Career capability

KYC career skills for analyst, onboarding and QA roles.

Build the confidence to explain why evidence is sufficient, what changes risk, what needs escalation and how the decision should be recorded.

For your next role

Strengthen the practical language used in KYC analyst, CDD, EDD, onboarding, remediation and quality-assurance roles.

For your organisation

Bring better consistency to onboarding, risk rating, documentation quality, exception handling and periodic-review conversations.

Financial services professional developing a KYC and compliance career
Corporate cohorts

Corporate KYC training for onboarding and financial-crime teams.

Private cohorts can be shaped around roles, customer types, current workflow, time zones and approved anonymised scenarios. The separate GCI route remains clear while the cohort focuses on operational capability.

1. Needs mapping

Review roles, baseline knowledge, customer types, operating-model context and KYC risk priorities.

2. Cohort design

Plan live delivery, time zones, recordings where agreed, pacing and case emphasis.

3. Practice and visibility

Use file-review activities, mock planning and attendance or progress reporting where agreed.

Request Corporate KYC Training Options
Frequently asked questions

KYC course, KYCS and customer due diligence FAQs.

What is KYC?
KYC, or Know Your Customer, is the process of understanding and verifying a customer, the relationship, relevant ownership or control, and the risk presented to an organisation.
What is the difference between KYC, CDD and EDD?
KYC is the broader customer-understanding process. CDD establishes identity and risk context. EDD adds deeper enquiry, evidence and approval where the relationship is higher risk.
What does the GCI KYCS course cover?
GCI currently covers KYC context, customer onboarding, FATCA/CRS customer tax status, risk-based CDD, account opening and digital identity. EduDelphi adds applied casework, templates and revision support.
What is the current GCI KYCS exam format?
GCI currently states that KYCS is a 60-minute assessment with 50 multiple-choice questions. GCI lists a 75/100 pass standard and a 50% minimum in each chapter. Verify the live official page before registration.
Is the KYCS exam online?
GCI describes an online-proctored self-study route and instructor-led routes through accredited trainers and centres. GCI controls current candidate policies and scheduling.
Which languages does GCI currently list for KYCS?
GCI currently lists English, Arabic, Turkish and French. EduDelphi’s live training is delivered in English.
Does EduDelphi issue the KYCS certificate?
No. EduDelphi provides training and preparation support. GCI issues the KYCS certificate, digital badge and results under its current process.
Are official GCI fees included in EduDelphi tuition?
EduDelphi tuition is enquiry-led and the official GCI registration route is separate. We can explain the available training and preparation options for your timeline.
Does the course cover beneficial ownership?
Yes. The applied course layer covers ownership structures, controlling-person decisions, signatories, evidence gaps and corporate-file review.
Does the course cover PEP or sanctions screening?
It covers screening context, documentation and escalation during onboarding. For sanctions-screening systems, ownership/control and sanctions-policy depth, use the dedicated SCS route.
Does the course cover FATCA and CRS?
It covers tax-status checks, self-certification and reasonableness testing during onboarding. For FATCA/CRS reporting and specialist tax-transparency work, consider FCS.
Can beginners take this KYC course?
Yes. It is structured for graduates and professionals entering KYC or financial-services operations, while still providing practical depth for experienced onboarding and compliance teams.
Can my company arrange a private KYC cohort?
Yes. Organisations can request a private cohort tailored to role mix, customer types, approved scenarios, time zones and reporting needs.
Do I need a KYC certification?
Not necessarily. Employers can value experience, practical KYC/CDD capability, sector knowledge and recognised qualifications differently. Live training can build operational skill; an external credential such as GCI KYCS, ACAMS CKYCA or an ICA KYC/CDD route provides a separate qualification signal. Choose based on the role and employer expectations.
Is this legal or regulatory advice?
No. The course is professional training. Organisations must confirm applicable legal, regulatory and policy obligations with appropriate advisers and the relevant jurisdiction.
Next step

KYC course fees, syllabus and global batch options.

Share your role, preferred learning route and study timeline. We will send current EduDelphi training options, fee guidance, batch recommendations and a clear explanation of the separate GCI KYCS route.

Enquiry led

Request KYC course options

Use the course enquiry form at the top of this page to receive current training options and fee guidance.

Go to the KYC Enquiry Form

We will help you choose a practical KYC learning route based on your current role and target work.

KYCS – Know Your Customer Specialist is associated with Global Compliance Institute. EduDelphi provides live KYC training and preparation through its GCI partner route; GCI controls official qualification requirements, registration, examination, results and certificate issuance.