Brolly Academy | AML
AML Course Syllabus
A 10-Module AML Course Outline, CAMS and IIBF Mapping and Duration by Goal (2026)
A complete AML course syllabus for 2026: ten modules with topics and outcomes, what you need before you start, how long an AML course takes for different goals, how the CAMS and IIBF exam syllabi map to each module, and a checklist to compare any AML course before you pay.
AML course syllabus for 2026: a 10-module outline from AML basics and PMLA to KYC, monitoring and STRs, CAMS and IIBF mapping, duration and a checklist.
By Brolly Academy Team · Brolly Academy · Updated 24 October 2026
Table of Contents
1. AML course syllabus at a glance
2. What an AML syllabus is and who it is for
3. Prerequisites: what you need before you start
4. Modules 1 to 5: foundations, law, KYC and screening
5. Modules 6 to 10: monitoring, investigations, tools and capstone
6. How CAMS and IIBF syllabi map to the modules
7. AML course duration by goal
8. Practical work a strong AML syllabus must include
Quick answer
A good AML course syllabus covers ten areas: money laundering basics and stages, Indian law (PMLA, FIU-IND, RBI), FATF and global standards, KYC/CDD/EDD, sanctions and PEP screening, transaction monitoring, investigations and STR writing, AML tools and data skills, risk assessment and compliance programmes, and case studies with a capstone. Most job-focused AML courses run for about one and a half to three months part time. Certification exams such as CAMS and the IIBF AML & KYC certificate test the same core areas, so one strong syllabus prepares you for both work and exams.
- Foundation (modules 1 to 3): what money laundering is, Indian law, FATF
- Core operations (modules 4 to 7): KYC, screening, monitoring, investigations
- Job skills (modules 8 to 10): tools, Excel and SQL, risk programmes, capstone
- Prerequisites: any degree, good English, basic Excel; no finance background required
- Duration: about 6 weeks for a job-ready basic course, longer for certification or investigation roles
Key takeaways
- Every AML syllabus should be built around Indian rules: PMLA 2002, FIU-IND reporting, and the RBI KYC Directions, 2025, which replaced the 2016 Master Direction for commercial banks (RBI, October 2026).
- The CAMS programme has four core courses, and the IIBF AML & KYC exam has two parts, AML and KYC; both fit inside the ten modules below.
- Practical work matters more than theory. Look for alert reviews, KYC case files and STR narratives you write yourself.
- Job descriptions seen in October 2026 asked mostly for KYC/CDD reviews, alert handling, case writing and Excel, so a syllabus should train exactly those tasks.
- Use the comparison checklist near the end of this guide before you enrol in any AML course.
1. AML course syllabus at a glance
Short answer: The ten modules move from "what is money laundering" to "close a real-looking case end to end," and each one ends with a skill you can show an employer.
Read this table as your map. Each row is one module, the main topics, and what you should be able to do at the end. The weeks are our suggestion for a part-time learner studying 8 to 10 hours a week.
That adds up to about 11 weeks at a relaxed pace; an intensive course can cover it in about six weeks.
2. What an AML syllabus is and who it is for
Short answer: An AML syllabus is the ordered list of topics, skills and practice tasks an anti-money laundering course promises to teach, and it is written for people who want to work in KYC, monitoring, screening or financial crime investigations.
AML stands for anti-money laundering: the laws, controls and checks that stop criminals from turning illegal money into money that looks clean. If you are new to the subject, start with our pillar guide on what anti-money laundering is.
When you compare AML course content, the syllabus is the document to read line by line. It suits B.Com, BBA and MBA graduates, any-degree freshers, bank and BPO staff moving into compliance, and working KYC analysts who want to grow. Typical entry roles are KYC analyst, CDD or onboarding analyst, L1 transaction monitoring analyst and sanctions screening analyst; with experience, people move into L2 investigations, quality control and team lead roles.
You will meet these terms in almost every module, so here they are in plain words:
- KYC (Know Your Customer): checking who a customer really is before and during the relationship
- CDD (Customer Due Diligence): identifying and verifying the customer and the real owner behind them
- EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence): extra checks for higher-risk customers
- STR (Suspicious Transaction Report): a report a bank files with the government unit when a transaction looks suspicious
- CTR (Cash Transaction Report): a monthly report of large cash transactions
- PEP (Politically Exposed Person): someone who holds or held a prominent public role
- FIU-IND: the Financial Intelligence Unit of India, which receives STRs and CTRs
- FATF: the Financial Action Task Force, the global body that sets AML standards
- Sanctions: official lists of people, groups and countries you must not deal with
- Typology: a known pattern or method criminals use to launder money
- Alert: a flag raised by a monitoring or screening system for a human to review
- False positive: an alert that turns out to be harmless after review
- L1, L2, L3: review levels; L1 does the first check, L2 investigates deeper, L3 handles complex cases and quality
3. Prerequisites: what you need before you start
Short answer: You need a degree or final-year status in any stream, clear written English, basic computer and Excel skills, and patience for detail; you do not need a finance or coding background.
Most AML and KYC listings we read on 24 October 2026 asked for "any graduate," with commerce or finance preferred in some, and listed certifications such as ACAMS or ICA only as "good to have" or "a plus" (Naukri and LinkedIn listings, October 2026). Most operations roles asked for one to six years of experience, and true 0 to 1 year roles were a small minority, which is why practical skills from your course matter so much. Have these in place before module 1:
You do not need an accounting or law degree, coding skills or a paid certification before your first job. If you are weak in Excel, spend one week on it before you start. It is the tool you will use most in your first AML role.
4. Modules 1 to 5: foundations, law, KYC and screening
Short answer: The first five modules give you the vocabulary and rules of AML, then train the two tasks most freshers start with: KYC reviews and screening hits.
Module 1: AML basics and the stages of money laundering
- What money laundering is and why criminals do it
- Predicate offences (the crime that produced the money, such as fraud, drug trafficking or corruption)
- The three stages: placement, layering and integration
- Common methods: structuring (smurfing), shell companies, trade-based laundering, mule accounts, real estate, virtual assets
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime describes placement as moving funds away from direct association with the crime, layering as disguising the trail, and integration as making the money available again from seemingly legitimate sources. It also notes that real cases may skip, combine or repeat stages (UNODC, October 2026).
Outcome: you can take a short fictional case and label each step with the right stage and method.
Module 2: Indian law: PMLA, FIU-IND and RBI
- PMLA 2002: purpose, the offence under section 3, punishment under section 4, attachment, and the obligations of reporting entities under section 12
- PML (Maintenance of Records) Rules 2005: what must be recorded and reported
- FIU-IND: its role, the reports it receives (CTR, STR, NTR, CBWTR, CCR) and the FINnet 2.0 filing system
- RBI's KYC Directions and the roles of the Designated Director and Principal Officer
- In brief: SEBI's AML master circular for securities intermediaries and IRDAI's AML/CFT guidelines for insurers
Key numbers every learner should know, all from FIU-IND's FAQs (FIU-IND, October 2026):
- Cash transactions above ₹10 lakh must be recorded and reported in CTRs.
- CTRs and similar monthly reports are due by the 15th of the following month.
- An STR must be filed not later than seven working days after the Principal Officer decides a transaction is suspicious.
- Records must be kept for at least five years.
To show why this matters, FIU-IND's Annual Report 2024-25 lists 4,34,668 STRs received in FY 2024-25 (FIU-IND, October 2026).
Outcome: you can tell a manager what a bank must report, to whom and by when. This module teaches the law for job purposes only. It is education, not legal advice, so always check the current Act, rules and notifications, or a lawyer, for any real case.
Module 3: FATF and global standards
- What FATF is: an inter-governmental body set up in 1989 that sets standards against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing
- The FATF Forty Recommendations as the global framework
- Mutual evaluations and what "regular follow-up" means for India
- FATF-style regional bodies and the Egmont Group of FIUs
- The risk-based approach: spend more effort on higher-risk customers
- A short look at foreign rules you will see in JDs: the US Bank Secrecy Act, FATCA and OFAC
According to FIU-IND's Annual Report 2024-25, India became an FATF member in 2010, and its 2024 mutual evaluation placed India in the "regular follow-up" category (FIU-IND, October 2026). Regular follow-up is the better outcome, with less frequent reporting than enhanced follow-up.
Outcome: you can explain in two minutes why Indian banks follow FATF standards and why global clients care about them.
Module 4: KYC, CDD and EDD
- Customer acceptance policy and customer identification procedure
- Officially valid documents (OVDs), e-KYC and V-CIP (video-based customer identification)
- CKYCR, the Central KYC Records Registry, and the KYC Identifier
- Beneficial ownership for companies, partnerships and trusts
- Risk categorisation: low, medium and high risk
- Periodic KYC updation
- EDD for high-risk and non-face-to-face customers and for PEPs
- Simplified and ongoing due diligence
Rules to learn from the RBI (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 (RBI, page updated 1 October 2026), which replaced the earlier 2016 KYC Master Direction for commercial banks:
- CDD applies at account opening and for occasional transactions of ₹50,000 or more.
- A beneficial owner of a company holds more than 10 percent of shares, capital or profits, or has control; for an unincorporated association the threshold is more than 15 percent.
- KYC must be updated at least every 2 years for high-risk, every 8 years for medium-risk and every 10 years for low-risk customers.
- PEP accounts need risk systems, steps to establish source of funds and wealth, and senior management approval.
Outcome: you can complete a KYC file for one individual and one private company, including the ownership chart and risk rating. Our guide to KYC and AML explains how KYC fits inside the wider AML process.
Module 5: Sanctions and PEP screening
- India's rule: under section 51A of UAPA, banks must make sure no account exists for individuals or entities on the UN Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida and Taliban lists (RBI KYC Directions, October 2026)
- The UN Security Council Consolidated List, the MHA UAPA list and the US Treasury's OFAC SDN list
- Name matching: spelling variants, transliteration, dates of birth, nationality
- PEP and adverse media screening
- Clearing false positives and escalating true matches, with written reasons
Outcome: given ten screening hits, you can clear the false positives and escalate the possible true match with a short, clear note.
5. Modules 6 to 10: monitoring, investigations, tools and capstone
Short answer: Modules six to ten turn knowledge into daily analyst work: reviewing alerts, investigating cases, writing STRs, using tools and data, understanding the bank's risk programme, and finishing one complete case.
Module 6: Transaction monitoring and alerts
- What transaction monitoring is: RBI describes ongoing due diligence as regular monitoring of transactions to make sure they match what the bank knows about the customer, their business, risk profile and source of funds
- How a monitoring system works: data, rules or models, alerts, L1 review, L2 investigation, STR or closure
- Common rule types: large cash, rapid movement of funds, structuring below thresholds, dormant accounts suddenly active, high-risk geographies, round amounts
- Money mule patterns linked to phishing and identity fraud
- Why most alerts are false positives and how tuning helps
Outcome: you can review a fictional alert, look at 90 days of account activity and decide close or escalate with three clear reasons. See our full guide to transaction monitoring.
Module 7: Investigations and STR writing
- Building a case: customer profile, expected activity, actual activity, the gap between them
- Open-source and adverse media research
- What makes a transaction suspicious under FIU-IND's definition: links to a scheduled offence, unusual complexity, no economic rationale, or possible terrorist financing
- Writing a narrative: who, what, when, where, why it is suspicious
- Confidentiality and not tipping off the customer
Outcome: you can write a one-page case narrative that a reviewer could read and understand without opening the system. JDs we read on 24 October 2026, such as Guidehouse's investigations role in Hyderabad, asked for written case narratives and SAR/STR drafts (LinkedIn and Naukri listings, October 2026).
Module 8: AML tools and data skills
- Types of AML software: onboarding and KYC, screening, transaction monitoring, case management and regulatory reporting
- Named tools you will see in job listings, such as NICE Actimize, SAS Anti-Money Laundering, Oracle Financial Crime and Compliance Management, LSEG World-Check and Dow Jones Risk & Compliance
- Fircosoft and Mantas, named in a Deutsche Bank monitoring JD (Naukri, October 2026)
- Excel for analysts: filters, lookups, pivot tables, conditional formatting, simple charts
- SQL basics: SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY, JOIN on a sample transactions table
- How AI and machine learning help score alerts and reduce false positives, in plain words
Training courses can introduce these systems and show screenshots or demos, but full licences belong to banks. Your Excel and SQL skills are what you can truly prove in an interview.
Outcome: you can take a 5,000-row transaction file, filter it, pivot it by customer and spot the three accounts worth a closer look.
Module 9: Risk assessment and compliance programmes
- Enterprise-wide risk assessment: customers, products, channels, geographies
- AML policy, procedures and internal controls
- Roles: Designated Director, Principal Officer, MLRO-type roles, compliance teams
- Penalties: FIU-IND can fine a reporting entity ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh for each failure under section 13 of PMLA (FIU-IND FAQs, October 2026), and FIU-IND reported aggregate penalties of about ₹30.5 crore in FY 2024-25 (FIU-IND Annual Report 2024-25)
Outcome: you can fill a simple risk matrix that rates a customer type and a product as low, medium or high, with reasons.
Module 10: Case studies and capstone
- Two or three fictional end-to-end cases covering onboarding, screening, monitoring and STR
- A final capstone you complete alone
- Resume writing and mock interviews based on your capstone
Outcome: one finished case file, with KYC notes, alert review, narrative and STR draft, that you can talk through in an interview.
6. How CAMS and IIBF syllabi map to the modules
Short answer: CAMS covers most of the ten modules from a global angle, while the IIBF AML & KYC exam covers the law, KYC and monitoring modules from an Indian banking angle; neither replaces hands-on practice.
Two certifications come up most often for Indian learners. Here are the facts from each official document:
- CAMS (ACAMS): the programme has four self-paced core courses: Understanding Risks and Methods of Financial Crime; Global AFC Frameworks, Governance and Regulations; Building an AFC Compliance Program; and Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime. It adds two electives, one sector case study and one regional regulatory framework. The exam is 3.5 hours with 120 multiple-choice questions, and eligibility needs active ACAMS membership plus 40 eligibility credits (ACAMS CAMS factsheet, 2026). The package costs US$2,095 for the private sector and US$1,595 for the public sector; the rupee cost depends on the exchange rate on the day you pay.
- IIBF Certificate Examination in AML & KYC: the syllabus has two parts. Part one, Anti Money Laundering, covers origin, definition and techniques of laundering, preventive laws in the UK, USA and India, the Basel Committee, PMLA, RBI guidelines, FIU, FATF, terrorist financing, AML screening software and correspondent banking. Part two, Know Your Customer, covers customer profiles, KYC policies, RBI's KYC framework, opening accounts for companies, trusts and firms, PEP accounts, non-face-to-face customers, existing accounts, monitoring and suspicious transactions. The exam has 120 multiple-choice questions for 100 marks in 2 hours, taken online in remote proctored mode, in English only, with no negative marking. The pass mark is 60, and the fee is ₹1,100 for members and ₹1,600 for non-members plus charges and taxes (IIBF rules and syllabus, November 2024).
This table is our own mapping of those official topics to the ten modules:
What this means for you:
- If you are a fresher, a course built on these ten modules gives you a strong base for the IIBF exam, which is open to anyone who has passed 12th standard.
- CAMS asks for 40 eligibility credits based on education, experience, certifications and training, so many people take it after some time in the field. Read our full guide to CAMS certification.
- Other options exist. The International Compliance Association (ICA) offers a Level 2 introductory Certificate in Anti Money Laundering with a one-hour online exam and a Level 6 Diploma that runs for 9 months part time (ICA, October 2026). Our AML certification guide compares all of them.
7. AML course duration by goal
Short answer: Plan about 6 weeks for a job-focused basic AML course, a few weeks more if you add an exam, and several months of work experience before advanced credentials like CAMS make sense.
The right AML course duration depends on what you want at the end. The table below combines official exam facts with our study suggestions. The study weeks are guidance, not rules.
Simple rules for planning your time:
- Study at least 8 hours a week.
- Finish a practice task at the end of every module before moving on.
- Leave the last two weeks for your capstone, resume and mock interviews.
8. Practical work a strong AML syllabus must include
Short answer: Look for at least six hands-on tasks: a KYC file, a company ownership chart, screening hit reviews, an alert investigation, an STR narrative and an Excel analysis.
The JD patterns we saw on 24 October 2026 included KYC/CDD/EDD reviews, transaction monitoring L1/L2 alert reviews, sanctions and PEP alert reviews, written case narratives, quality targets as high as 99 percent (State Street, Hyderabad) and MS Excel, with some listings asking for advanced Excel (LinkedIn and Naukri listings, October 2026).
Practise these tasks:
- KYC file for an individual: verify documents, check address, rate the risk, write a summary.
- KYC file for a company: map the ownership chain, find every beneficial owner above the threshold, note the controlling person.
- Screening review: clear five false positives and escalate one possible true match.
- PEP case: decide what EDD is needed and who must approve.
- Alert review: study 90 days of transactions and write close or escalate reasons.
- Investigation narrative: write a one-page case summary with a timeline.
- STR draft: list the grounds of suspicion in plain words.
- Excel task: pivot a transaction file to find structuring patterns.
A worked mini example of task 5 (fictional): a salaried customer with a typical monthly credit of ₹60,000 suddenly receives 14 small UPI credits from different people in two days, followed by one large transfer out. You note the gap between expected and actual activity, check for mule patterns, look at the counterparties and escalate to L2 with three reasons. That is the kind of exercise a syllabus should give you every week.
9. Checklist to compare AML courses before you pay
Short answer: Compare courses on syllabus depth, Indian law coverage, practical tasks, trainer experience, tools exposure, honest placement claims, duration and total cost.
Use this with any brochure or demo class, and tick a row only if you see proof.
10. How Brolly Academy helps
Short answer: Brolly Academy's AML course in India covers a 7-module syllabus in 45 days, online and in Hyderabad classrooms, with six capstone projects, an introduction to AML tools, and resume and interview support.
If you want a guided version of this syllabus, here is what the Brolly Academy AML Course in India page states (Brolly Academy, October 2026):
- Duration and modes: 45 days (about 1.5 months), live online across India or classroom in Hyderabad, plus a self-paced video recording plan. Weekday and weekend batches, with the next batch listed for Monday, 2 November 2026, and a free demo class before you enrol.
- Roadmap: weeks 1 and 2 cover money laundering basics and AML risks; weeks 3 and 4 cover industries, rules and laws (RBI, SEBI, FATF, INTERPOL, reporting, penalties); week 5 covers KYC, CDD and EDD; week 6 covers AML programmes, technology, a final case study and the certificate assessment.
- 7 modules: 1 Understanding Money Laundering; 2 AML Risks and Typologies; 3 AML in Specific Sectors; 4 Regulatory Framework; 5 Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and KYC, including EDD; 6 AML Compliance Programs; 7 AML and Technology.
- Tools introduced: NICE Actimize, SAS AML, Oracle Financial Services (OFSAA), FICO TONBELLER, BAE Systems NetReveal, ComplyAdvantage, World-Check, Excel and SQL. The course introduces these systems; it does not give bank software licences.
- Six capstone projects: KYC verification, transaction monitoring, fraud detection simulation, compliance reporting, risk assessment, and an end-to-end AML case.
- Fees: Video Recording ₹6,999, Online Course ₹14,999 and Classroom Training ₹19,999, as listed on the page in October 2026.
- Certificate: a Brolly Academy AML course completion certificate. The page states that IIBF, NISM and ACAMS certifications are issued and examined by those bodies, not Brolly Academy, and their fees are separate.
- Career support: resume building, mock interviews and placement assistance. This is support, not a placement guarantee.
How the Brolly modules line up with the ten-module syllabus above:
Turn this syllabus into a job-ready skill set
Reading a syllabus is the easy part. Working through real-looking KYC files, alerts and STR narratives with feedback is what gets you ready for interviews. Brolly Academy's 45-day AML course covers money laundering basics, Indian and global rules, KYC, CDD and EDD, compliance programmes and AML technology, with six capstone projects, online or in Hyderabad. Join a free demo class to see the pace before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in an AML course syllabus?
An AML course syllabus usually covers money laundering basics and stages, Indian law such as PMLA and FIU-IND reporting, FATF standards, KYC, CDD and EDD, sanctions and PEP screening, transaction monitoring, investigations and STR writing, AML tools and data skills, risk assessment and a capstone case. A strong syllabus also includes practical tasks such as KYC files, alert reviews and narratives that you complete yourself.
What is the duration of an AML course?
Most job-focused AML courses take about six weeks to three months part time. Brolly Academy's AML course, for example, runs for 45 days. A basic awareness course can take two to three weeks. If you add an exam such as the IIBF AML and KYC certificate, plan three to four extra weeks. Advanced credentials like the ICA Diploma take 9 months part time.
Who is eligible to join an AML course?
Anyone with a degree or in the final year of any stream can usually join an AML course. You need clear written English, basic computer skills and some Excel. You do not need an accounting, law or coding background. Most AML and KYC job listings read in October 2026 asked for any graduate, with commerce or finance preferred in some roles.
Do I need a finance background to learn AML?
No, you do not need a finance background to learn AML. The rules, documents and patterns are taught from the basics in a good course. Commerce graduates may find terms like beneficial ownership easier at first, but any-degree learners with good English and attention to detail can do well. Many job descriptions simply ask for any graduate.
What are the main subjects in AML?
The main AML subjects are money laundering stages and typologies, anti-money laundering law, FATF and global standards, KYC and customer due diligence, sanctions and PEP screening, transaction monitoring, investigations and suspicious transaction reporting, AML technology, and risk-based compliance programmes. In India the law part centres on PMLA 2002, FIU-IND reporting and the RBI KYC Directions, 2025.
What is the IIBF AML and KYC syllabus?
The IIBF AML and KYC syllabus has two parts. The Anti Money Laundering part covers laundering techniques, laws in India, the UK and USA, PMLA, RBI guidelines, FIU, FATF, terrorist financing and screening software. The Know Your Customer part covers customer profiles, KYC policies, account opening for companies and trusts, PEP accounts, monitoring and suspicious transactions.
What is the IIBF AML and KYC exam pattern?
The IIBF AML and KYC exam has 120 objective multiple-choice questions for 100 marks, taken online in remote proctored mode in English. It lasts 2 hours, has no negative marking, and the pass mark is 60 out of 100. The fee is 1,100 rupees for members and 1,600 rupees for non-members, plus charges and taxes, as per IIBF's November 2024 rules document.
What does the CAMS syllabus cover?
The CAMS programme has four core courses: Understanding Risks and Methods of Financial Crime; Global AFC Frameworks, Governance and Regulations; Building an AFC Compliance Program; and Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime. It adds two electives, one sector case study and one regional regulatory framework course. The exam is 3.5 hours with 120 multiple-choice questions.
Can a fresher take the CAMS exam?
CAMS needs active ACAMS membership and 40 eligibility credits based on education, experience, certifications and training. Because experience adds credits, many people take CAMS after some time in AML work. Freshers often start with a job-focused AML course and the IIBF AML and KYC exam, which only needs a 12th standard pass, and plan CAMS later in their career.
Which is better for beginners, CAMS or IIBF?
For most Indian beginners, the IIBF AML and KYC certificate is the easier first step because it needs only a 12th standard pass and costs 1,100 or 1,600 rupees. CAMS is a global credential with a much higher price of US$2,095 for the private sector and a 40-credit eligibility rule. Many professionals take IIBF early and CAMS later.
What is taught in the KYC module of an AML course?
The KYC module teaches customer identification, officially valid documents, e-KYC, V-CIP video verification, CKYCR records, beneficial ownership, risk categorisation, periodic KYC updation, EDD for high-risk customers and PEPs, and ongoing due diligence. You should finish it able to complete a KYC file for an individual and a company, including an ownership chart and risk rating.
Does an AML course cover Indian law?
A good AML course must cover Indian law in detail. That means PMLA 2002, the PML Maintenance of Records Rules 2005, FIU-IND reports such as CTRs and STRs, and the RBI KYC Directions, 2025. If a syllabus covers only US or UK rules, it will not prepare you well for Indian banks, though global clients also expect basic FATF, OFAC and BSA knowledge.
What is the STR filing timeline taught in AML courses?
As per FIU-IND, a suspicious transaction report must be filed not later than seven working days after the Principal Officer is satisfied that a transaction is suspicious. Cash transaction reports and similar monthly reports are due by the 15th of the following month. Records must be kept for at least five years. A good AML course explains all three timelines.
Is transaction monitoring part of the AML syllabus?
Yes, transaction monitoring is a core module in any AML syllabus. It covers how monitoring systems raise alerts from rules or models, common rule types such as large cash and structuring, typologies, money mule patterns, L1 and L2 reviews, and false positives. You should practise reviewing a fictional alert and deciding to close or escalate it with clear reasons.
Which AML tools should a course teach?
A course should introduce the main tool types: KYC onboarding, screening, transaction monitoring, case management and reporting. Names you will see in job listings include NICE Actimize, SAS Anti-Money Laundering, Oracle financial crime software, LSEG World-Check, Fircosoft and Mantas. Bank software needs institutional licences, so focus on Excel and basic SQL, which you can practise and prove yourself.
Is Excel important in an AML course?
Yes, Excel is one of the most important skills in an AML course. Most AML job descriptions read in October 2026 asked for MS Excel, and some asked for advanced Excel. You should learn filters, lookups, pivot tables and conditional formatting, then use them on a transaction file to spot patterns like structuring or sudden spikes in activity.
Do AML courses include practical projects?
Strong AML courses include practical projects such as a KYC file for an individual and a company, screening hit reviews, an alert investigation, an STR narrative and an Excel analysis of transactions. Brolly Academy's AML course lists six capstone projects, including KYC verification, transaction monitoring and an end-to-end AML case. Always ask to see a sample task in the demo class.
What should I check before choosing an AML course?
Check that the syllabus covers PMLA, FIU-IND and the RBI KYC Directions, 2025, includes hands-on KYC, alert and STR tasks, names the trainer and their experience, explains which certificate it issues, describes placement support honestly, offers recordings, and lists the full fee in writing. Avoid courses that guarantee jobs or claim their own certificate equals CAMS.
Is an online AML course as good as classroom training?
An online AML course can be as good as classroom training if it has live sessions, recordings, practical tasks and feedback on your work. Classroom training suits learners who prefer face-to-face discipline and mentor time. What matters most is whether you finish real-looking KYC files, alert reviews and narratives, not the mode of delivery.
Does an AML course certificate get you a job?
A course certificate alone rarely gets you a job. Employers hire for skills they can test, such as KYC reviews, alert decisions, clear case writing and Excel. Job listings read in October 2026 treated certifications such as ACAMS and ICA as good to have, not mandatory. Use your course to build a portfolio case you can explain in interviews.
What is the difference between an AML course and an AML certification?
An AML course is training that teaches you the topics and skills, often with a completion certificate from the training provider. An AML certification is an exam-based credential from an official body, such as CAMS from ACAMS, the AML and KYC certificate from IIBF, or certificates from ICA. Many people take a course first and a certification later.
Is FATF covered in the AML syllabus?
Yes, FATF is a standard AML syllabus topic. You learn that FATF was set up in 1989 to set standards against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, the role of the Forty Recommendations, mutual evaluations, and India's position. India became an FATF member in 2010, and its 2024 mutual evaluation placed it in regular follow-up.
What is sanctions screening in the AML syllabus?
Sanctions screening is the module where you learn to check customers and payments against official lists. In India, banks must ensure no account exists for people or entities on the UN Security Council ISIL and Al-Qaida and Taliban lists under section 51A of UAPA. You also practise name matching, clearing false positives and escalating possible true matches.
What jobs can I get after completing an AML course?
After an AML course, common entry roles include KYC analyst, CDD or onboarding analyst, transaction monitoring analyst at L1, sanctions screening analyst and AML operations associate. With experience you can move to L2 investigations, quality control, team leadership and compliance roles. Most listings in October 2026 asked for one to six years, so build practical skills to stand out.
Is the AML syllabus the same for banks, insurance and securities?
The core AML syllabus is the same across sectors: stages, KYC, screening, monitoring, investigations and reporting. The specific rules differ. Banks follow the RBI KYC Directions, securities intermediaries follow SEBI's AML master circular, and insurers follow IRDAI's AML and CFT guidelines. A good course teaches the shared core and explains each sector's rules in brief.
Learn with Brolly Academy
Review the syllabus, practical projects and batch timings, and book a free demo before you enrol.
Related Articles
Continue Your Learning
AML Course in India
45-day programme in KYC, customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, AML regulations and compliance, with case studies, capstone projects and placement assistance.
View CourseBusiness Analyst Course in Hyderabad
Learn requirements, process mapping, documentation and stakeholder skills used by analysts in banks and financial services teams.
View CourseData Analytics Course in Hyderabad
Build Excel, SQL and dashboard skills that help in alert analysis, reporting and data-driven compliance roles.
View Course