Screening, ownership and targeted financial sanctions.
Build a documented sanctions decision through screening, ownership analysis and evidence-based escalation.
Your completion packs unlock after all eight lessons and 48 topics are complete and the final assessment is passed.
View course materials ↓ · Explore the lessons ↓
Who this course is for
This intermediate course is for professionals with basic AML knowledge who work in screening, onboarding, payments or compliance:
- Sanctions screening analysts reviewing name-match alerts and comparing identifiers.
- Onboarding and KYC teams assessing customer ownership and identifying applicable sanctions frameworks.
- Payment operations staff checking transaction nexus and referring sanctions concerns for review.
- Compliance officers reviewing escalations, evidence and documented sanctions decisions.
This course is not for you if you are completely new to AML. Start with the free AML Foundations & Core Concepts course first.
Recommended preparation: CDD & EDD in Practice is a useful starting point before studying sanctions screening and ownership analysis.
What you will be able to do
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Map applicable sanctions frameworks and transaction nexus for a sanctions review.
- Assess screening coverage, data and list quality.
- Resolve name-match alerts by comparing meaningful identifiers and documenting evidence.
- Distinguish regime-specific ownership and control rules when reviewing an ownership structure.
- Explain targeted financial sanctions actions and reporting.
- Investigate evasion and proliferation-financing indicators by testing the commercial explanation against evidence.
- Assess governance, authorisation and assurance controls for gaps in a sanctions programme.
- Write a reviewable sanctions decision file with a documented analysis and usable recommendation.
Each outcome corresponds to the lesson with the same number. The eight lessons build towards the integrated sanctions decision file.
How you will learn
Work at your own pace through eight lessons, each organised into six topics. Lessons 1–7 contain four teaching topics, a practice case with worked feedback, and a self-check with primary sources. Lesson 8 guides you through an integrated written case, worked feedback and a self-review rubric.
- Four teaching topics in Lessons 1–7: Work through the concepts and control decisions covered by the lesson.
- A practice case with a task: Apply those concepts to a sanctions problem and prepare your response.
- Worked feedback: Compare your response with the worked reasoning and identify what to improve.
- Check your understanding: Use the self-check to review your understanding of the lesson.
- Primary sources: Follow the official source links for further reading.
Bring the skills together in Lesson 8
The integrated written case asks you to write a sanctions decision file. Review your work using a 10-point rubric. This brings together the earlier lessons on applicability, screening, ownership, action, investigation and controls. The written case is self-reviewed separately from the final assessment.
Test your understanding in the final assessment
Sanctions Compliance – Final Applied Assessment contains 24 questions. The pass mark is 75% (18/24), with no timer and unlimited retakes.
Your course map
View the eight-lesson course map
Follow the numbered steps. Expand Key topics to preview each lesson. Use the course outline below to open lessons and the assessment.
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Lesson 1
Map the sanctions framework and transaction nexus
Key topics
- Map parties, routes and the transaction nexus
- Distinguish standards, sanctions authorities and domestic implementation
- Identify the restriction and the checks it requires
- Write an applicability note and refer unresolved conflicts
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Lesson 2
Design screening coverage and maintain list quality
Key topics
- Define risk-based screening coverage
- Preserve names, identifiers and source data
- Verify list feeds and screening configuration
- Respond to failed updates and coverage gaps
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Lesson 3
Resolve name matches with evidence
Key topics
- Interpret alerts and match scores
- Compare identifiers and corroborate evidence
- Document competing explanations
- Escalate and authorise alert decisions
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Lesson 4
Apply ownership rules without importing another regime
Key topics
- Map direct and indirect ownership
- Apply OFAC ownership rules to the evidence
- Assess UK ownership and control separately
- Refer unresolved ownership and control issues
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Lesson 5
Act on targeted financial sanctions and reporting
Key topics
- Connect the decision to operational action
- Distinguish freeze, reject and release actions
- Apply targeted financial sanctions: Pakistan illustration
- Apply targeted financial sanctions: UAE illustration
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Lesson 6
Investigate evasion and proliferation-financing indicators
Key topics
- Test the commercial explanation and evasion indicators
- Refer goods, end-use and export-control questions
- Investigate the evidence and permission documents
- Examine maritime and proliferation-financing indicators
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Lesson 7
Build governance, authorisation and assurance controls
Key topics
- Assign programme responsibilities and risk assessment
- Control licences, exceptions and authorisations
- Test realistic control failures
- Respond to breaches and close remediation
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Lesson 8
Integrated case: write the sanctions decision file
Key topics
- Prepare the integrated decision file
- Reconcile the case bundle
- Assess the additional control incident
- Write the sanctions recommendation
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Final assessment
Sanctions Compliance – Final Applied Assessment
24 questions · 75% pass mark (18/24). No timer and unlimited retakes.
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Completion and packs
Record your completion and unlock your packs
Complete all eight lessons and 48 topics and pass the final assessment at 75% or higher. Completion is recorded in My learning, and the three PDF completion packs unlock.
Your completion packs
Three PDFs (34 pages in total): a field guide, a 32-field decision workbook, and worked answers with self-review. Use them after the course to consolidate your learning and practise documented sanctions decisions.
When they unlock: Complete all eight lessons and 48 topics and pass Sanctions Compliance – Final Applied Assessment with 75% or higher (18/24).
Expand the details below to read what each pack contains and how to use it before it unlocks. The lesson exercises and on-screen feedback are available while you study; you do not need the PDFs to complete the course.
View completion-pack details and downloads
Completion packs are locked. Complete all eight lessons and 48 topics and pass the final assessment with 75% or higher (18/24), then return here. Registration or enrolment alone does not unlock the files.
1. Field guide
What it is: Lesson summaries, decision prompts and links to official sanctions sources.
How to use it: Use after the course as a desk reference to revisit screening, ownership and escalation decisions.
2. Fillable decision workbook
What it is: A reusable workbook covering the eight lesson exercises and final self-review.
How to use it: Practise documenting your reasoning with fictional cases. Save your responses on your device; workbook entries do not submit quiz answers or update course progress.
3. Worked answers & self-review
What it is: Illustrative responses, explanations and a self-review rubric for the practice cases.
How to use it: Attempt the workbook first, then compare your reasoning and identify gaps. These are practice-case examples, not the final assessment answer key.
Save the fillable workbook to your device and open it in a PDF reader that supports form fields. Use fictional data for practice and current official sources for operational decisions.
Scope and currency
Course scope: The course covers international sanctions compliance concepts, using selected US, UK, Pakistan and UAE illustrations, with EU and UN source links.
Sources checked: 9 October 2026.
For operational decisions: Use current law, official notices and your firm’s approved procedures. This course does not provide transaction-specific legal advice and is not accredited by a regulator or ACAMS.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need prior AML knowledge?
Yes. This intermediate course is designed for professionals with basic AML knowledge. If you are new to AML, start with the free AML Foundations & Core Concepts course. CDD & EDD in Practice is recommended preparation.
How is the course delivered?
The course is self-paced, with eight lessons and practical cases. Work through the teaching, practice tasks, feedback and self-checks at your own pace. Access is free with a learner account; no payment is required.
What is the final assessment pass mark?
The final assessment contains 24 questions. You need 75% (18/24) to pass. There is no timer, and retakes are unlimited. The integrated written case in Lesson 8 is self-reviewed separately using a 10-point rubric.
When can I download the completion packs?
The three PDFs (34 pages in total) unlock only after all eight lessons and 48 topics are complete and you pass the final assessment at 75% or higher (18/24). You can read the pack descriptions before they unlock. The PDFs are not needed to complete the course.
Is the course internationally relevant?
The course covers international sanctions compliance concepts, supported by clearly labelled jurisdictional illustrations and primary sources. The Scope and currency section above identifies the illustrations and source links included.
Can I use the course to make an operational sanctions decision?
Use current law, official notices and your firm’s approved procedures for operational decisions. The course supports learning and practice; it does not provide transaction-specific legal advice.
Continue your learning
Use the Your learning panel to start, continue or review the course. Go to Your learning →