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Launching this week

CGSS

Certified Global Sanctions Specialist

Master OFAC, EU, and UN sanctions frameworks and pass the ACAMS exam.

From ACAMS

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About the CGSS exam

CGSS is an ACAMS specialist-level credential that validates expertise in sanctions compliance, risk assessment, and investigations. It is built for mid-to-senior professionals who own sanctions risk across AML/CTF, regulatory, legal, and global-trade functions.

It covers the major regimes (OFAC, UN, EU, UK and others), sanctions program design, evasion detection, and the enforcement cases that define the field — the hottest corner of compliance right now, and the natural next step after CAMS.

Exam format

Questions
100 (80 scored, 20 pilot)
Duration
175 minutes (2h 55m)
Passing score
62.5% (50 of 80 scored)
Delivery
Pearson VUE testing centers
Eligibility
Active ACAMS membership + 40 eligibility credits
Registering body
ACAMS
Register at acams.org ↗

Who this is for

  • Mid-to-senior AML/CTF compliance officers and managers
  • Sanctions compliance specialists and program owners
  • Financial-crime investigators and forensic teams
  • Regulatory and legal counsel in financial services and fintech
  • Internal audit and compliance-audit professionals

What you'll learn

25 lessons, built to map straight to the exam.

  1. 01Welcome to the AMLReady CGSS Prep Course
  2. 02How the CGSS Exam Is Built
  3. 03Eligibility, Application, and Pearson VUE Logistics
  4. 04How to Study With This Course
  5. 05What Sanctions Are and Who Imposes Them
  6. 06OFAC and the U.S. Sanctions Architecture
  7. 07UN, EU, UK, and Other Major Regimes
  8. 08Comprehensive, Targeted, and Sectoral Sanctions
  9. 09Jurisdictional Reach, Extraterritoriality, and Secondary Sanctions
  10. 10Licensing, Exemptions, and Consequences of Non-Compliance
  11. 11OFAC's Five Pillars of a Sanctions Compliance Program
  12. 12Governance, Senior Management, and the Three Lines of Defense
  13. 13Sanctions Risk Assessment
  14. 14Internal Controls: Policies, Procedures, Training
  15. 15Testing, Independent Audit, and Remediation
  16. 16Customer Due Diligence and EDD for Sanctions
  17. 17Beneficial Ownership, the 50% Rule, and Aggregation
  18. 18Sanctions Screening Technology and List Management
  19. 19Alert Handling and Investigation Workflow
  20. 20Ownership-Based Evasion: Shells, Nominees, Layered Structures
  21. 21Trade-Based Evasion: Dual-Use Goods, Misdescription, Ship-to-Ship
  22. 22Payment-Based Evasion: Stripping, Layering, Correspondent Banking
  23. 23Investigations, Asset Freezing, and Reporting Obligations
  24. 24Landmark Sanctions Enforcement Cases
  25. 25Test-Day Strategy: The AMLReady Method

The AMLReady Academy approach

Every AMLReady Academy course is built the same way: honest, no-fluff, and written for working professionals who don't have time to waste. We teach to the real, published objectives and regulations — never leaked questions — and we'd rather show you exactly where you're weak than sell you false confidence. Citation-backed, mobile-first, and priced like we respect your wallet.

Frequently asked questions

How does this compare to ACAMS's official prep?

ACAMS's own materials are the authoritative source for the exam — use them. AMLReady Academy is the honest, no-fluff layer on top: focused lessons (25 of them) mapped to the real objectives, at a fraction of a cram course's price.

Is AMLReady Academy affiliated with ACAMS?

No. AMLReady Academy is an independent study provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ACAMS. Everything we publish is original work written from public exam objectives and regulations.

What's included when it launches?

All 25 lessons, plus the AMLReady Academy study approach. Join the launch list above and you'll get the curriculum and the early-bird price first.

What if I already hold CAMS or a related credential?

Then you're ahead — these stack. CGSS is a natural next specialization on top of CAMS, and anyone on the launch list hears about bundle pricing first.

Will there be a refund policy?

Yes. Every paid AMLReady Academy product ships with a clear refund policy, and where a cert has a question bank you'll be able to try free questions before you buy. Full terms go live with the course.

Get CGSS the day it launches

Launching this week. Join the launch list and you'll be first in — with the early-bird price.

I'll email you when CGSS drops. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

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