UK

United Kingdom · Operations · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toClinical Trial Manager (CTM)
  • UK framework levelUsually someone starting out, or keeping a process running

Also advertised as Clinical Monitor · Site Monitor · Field Clinical Research Associate

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician) GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 3 standards
FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Manufacturing Excellence FDQ Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 3 standards
FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Industry Skills FDQ Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 3 standards
GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 3 standards
NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support NOCN · Level 3 · covers 1 of 3 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician)
Manage compliance to support achieving excellence in food operations FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Manufacturing Excellence
Carry out quality audits in food operations FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Industry Skills
Good Manufacturing Practice GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills
Assist in the administration of medication NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians (Diploma)

The future skills this job leans on

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture
Trust Fluency keeping the digital world safe
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

6 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  2. Manage compliance to support achieving excellence in food operations FDQ Limited · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  3. Carry out quality audits in food operations FDQ Limited · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  4. Good Manufacturing Practice GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  5. Assist in the administration of medication NOCN · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  6. Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA)?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Digital Literacy & Remote Monitoring Tools
  • Data Storytelling & Visualisation (for site performance)
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Clinical Research Associate (CRA) plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

A Clinical Research Associate visits clinical trial sites to check that work is carried out properly and safely. You monitor patient safety and data quality, travel to sites, build relationships with doctors and nurses, and check paperwork in detail. That detail matters, since it helps get new medicines to patients.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Veeva Vault CTMS / Medidata Rave CTMS / Oracle Siebel CTMS Intermediate

You'll be entering data on site activities, tracking visit schedules, and running pre-defined reports on site performance. It's your central hub for site management.

Medidata Rave EDC / Oracle InForm / Castor EDC Intermediate

You'll be performing Source Data Verification (SDV), comparing patient records to the electronic data capture system, and raising/resolving data queries. This is a huge part of your job.

Veeva Vault eTMF / Phlexglobal PhlexTMF Advanced

You'll be uploading, indexing, and quality-checking documents into the electronic Trial Master File, ensuring everything is compliant with the TMF Reference Model. Getting this right is critical.

MS Teams / SharePoint Intermediate

You'll use these for internal team collaboration, sharing documents securely, and participating in virtual team meetings. It's how we stay connected when you're on the road.

Power BI / Tableau (viewer) Basic

You'll be viewing and interpreting pre-built dashboards that show enrollment numbers, site performance metrics, and query resolution rates. You won't be building them, but you'll use them to understand your sites.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Site Corrective Actions (minor) Escalate to supervisor for guidance and approval. Independently advise sites on corrective actions for minor protocol deviations or data entry issues. Inform CTM. Lead the development and implementation of complex CAPAs for significant site performance issues, consulting with CTM.
Data Query Management Raise queries based on predefined rules; supervisor reviews. Independently raise and track resolution of data queries, determining urgency and escalation points. Inform CTM of trends. Oversee query management across multiple sites, identifying systemic data quality issues and proposing solutions to Data Management.
Monitoring Visit Schedule Changes Request approval from supervisor for any changes. Adjust routine monitoring visit schedules for your sites, informing CTM and ensuring overall compliance with monitoring plan. Approve monitoring schedule adjustments for a portfolio of trials, considering resource allocation and risk-based monitoring strategies.
Escalation of Critical Issues Immediately escalate all critical issues (e.g., SAEs, major deviations) to supervisor. Independently identify and escalate critical issues to CTM, providing initial assessment and proposed next steps. Define criteria for critical issue escalation to senior leadership and ensure team adherence.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Monitoring Visit Report Submission Time
How quickly you get your monitoring visit reports written up and submitted after leaving a site.
Target · < 10 business days post-visit

You finish a site visit on a Friday, and your comprehensive report is submitted by the following Tuesday. That's a quick turnaround, which is great for keeping everyone updated.

Query Resolution Rate
The percentage of data queries (questions about discrepancies in patient data) you raise that are resolved by the site within a set timeframe.
Target · > 95% of queries resolved within 21 days

If you raise 100 queries in a month, we'd expect at least 95 of them to be sorted out by the sites within three weeks. This shows you're on top of data quality and sites are responding.

eTMF Document Filing Accuracy
The correctness and completeness of documents you upload and index into the electronic Trial Master File (eTMF).
Target · > 98% accuracy (no critical errors)

During a TMF review, if 2 out of 100 documents you filed had incorrect indexing or were missing key information, you'd be at 98% accuracy. We're looking for near perfection here, as TMF is audit-critical.

Site Visit Compliance
Adherence to the planned schedule for your routine monitoring visits to sites.
Target · 90% of planned visits completed within +/- 5 days of schedule

If you had 10 visits planned for the month, completing 9 of them exactly on time, and the 10th only 2 days late, would put you well within target. It's about being reliable and organised.

Site Relationship Management
How well you build and maintain productive, professional relationships with your assigned clinical sites.
  • Sites proactively reach out to you with questions or issues. They feel comfortable discussing challenges. Feedback from PIs and Study Coordinators to your CTM is consistently positive. You're seen as a helpful partner, not just an auditor.
Proactive Issue Identification
Your ability to spot potential problems at a site (e.g., recruitment issues, protocol deviations, safety concerns) before they become major headaches.
  • You flag emerging trends in protocol deviations during a visit. You notice a dip in screening rates and suggest solutions to the site. You bring potential site training needs to your CTM's attention before they escalate.
GCP & Protocol Adherence
The thoroughness and accuracy with which you review site activities against ICH-GCP guidelines and the study protocol.
  • Your monitoring visit reports consistently identify all relevant deviations. You provide clear, actionable feedback to sites on how to correct issues. Your CTM rarely finds errors in your source data verification (SDV) or drug accountability checks.
Communication Clarity & Timeliness
How effectively and promptly you communicate important information, both internally and externally.
  • Your emails are concise and easy to understand. You respond to site queries promptly. You escalate critical issues to your CTM without delay. You provide clear summaries of site performance during internal meetings.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Making a Real Impact on Patient Health

You'll be directly ensuring the safety of patients participating in trials and the quality of data that could lead to new treatments. Every query you resolve, every deviation you correct, contributes to this. You'll often see the tangible results of your work in the progress of a trial.

When you successfully help a site correct a critical data entry error, you know that piece of data is now reliable for the final submission, directly impacting the drug's path to market.

Autonomy and Travel

You'll spend a good portion of your time on the road, managing your own schedule for site visits and working independently. While there's oversight, you're largely in charge of how you manage your sites and time between visits.

You're booking your own flights and hotels, planning your site visit agendas, and prioritising your workload for multiple sites. It's a lot of freedom, but also a lot of responsibility.

Continuous Learning in a Complex Field

The world of clinical trials is always evolving with new regulations, technologies, and therapeutic areas. You'll constantly be learning about new diseases, investigational products, and monitoring techniques.

One month you might be monitoring an oncology trial, the next a rare disease study. You're always picking up new medical knowledge and refining your regulatory expertise.

What frustrates people
  • The Enrollment Slog: Sites constantly missing patient recruitment targets, meaning more pressure on you to find solutions.
  • Death by Documentation: The sheer volume of forms, logs, and reports you need to review and ensure are perfect.
  • The Brilliant but Difficult PI: Managing a world-renowned doctor who brings in patients but is chronically late on data entry or dismissive of protocol requirements.
  • Travel Delays: Missed flights, cancelled trains, and long drives are just part of the job, and they can really mess up your schedule.
  • Query Fatigue: Raising the same type of data query at multiple sites, feeling like you're constantly chasing basic compliance.
What this role does not give you
  • A fixed, predictable daily routine in one location.
  • Direct people management responsibilities (though you'll guide sites).
  • Creative freedom in trial design or strategic decision-making at a high level.
  • Instant gratification; clinical trials are long games, and results take time.

8Who you work with

Your work is pretty fundamental. You're the frontline defence for data quality and patient safety. Get it right, and our trials run smoothly, on time, and produce data that regulators trust. Get it wrong, and we could have delays, failed audits, or even patient harm. Honestly, without solid CRAs, the whole clinical development process grinds to a halt. You're directly protecting our reputation and our ability to get new drugs approved.

Inside the business
  • Clinical Trial Managers (CTMs) – your direct boss and project leads
  • Data Management team – they'll be asking for clean data, always
  • Regulatory Affairs – they need to know we're always compliant
  • Drug Safety team – you'll be reporting any serious patient issues to them
Outside the business
  • Principal Investigators (PIs) – the doctors leading the studies at sites
  • Study Coordinators (SCs) – the nurses and admin staff who do the day-to-day work at sites
  • Pharmacy staff at trial sites – for drug accountability
  • Ethics Committees/IRBs – though usually through the CTM

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • At least 2-5 years of experience as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) or equivalent role, demonstrating independent monitoring skills.
  • Proven ability to conduct independent site visits, including source data verification, drug accountability, and TMF review.
  • Demonstrable experience identifying and resolving protocol deviations and data queries.
  • Strong understanding of ICH-GCP guidelines and relevant local regulatory requirements (e.g., MHRA, EMA).
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly for report writing and site interactions.
  • A valid UK driving licence and willingness to travel extensively (typically 60-70% of your time).

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced eTMF Management & Audit Readiness

Regulatory bodies are increasingly scrutinising TMF quality. You'll need to move beyond just filing documents to understanding the nuances of TMF completeness, quality control, and being able to defend its integrity during an audit.

TMF Reference Model (advanced application) · TMF quality control processes and metrics · Preparing for internal and external TMF audits · Understanding audit trails and document version co · Proactive identification of TMF gaps or inconsiste

  • This month: Review our internal TMF SOPs in detail. Understand every step.
  • Next quarter: Ask your CTM if you can shadow someone preparing for an internal TMF audit or participate in a TMF quality review.
  • Month 3-6: Take an advanced eTMF management course, focusing on inspection readiness.
  • Ongoing: Actively participate in any TMF health checks or clean-up initiatives within your team.

Quick win: Make it a personal goal to have your assigned sites' TMF sections 'audit-ready' at all times, not just before a planned inspection.

Risk-Based Monitoring (RBM) Implementation

RBM is becoming the standard. Instead of checking every single data point, we're focusing our monitoring efforts where the risks are highest. You'll need to understand how to practically implement RBM strategies at your sites.

Critical-to-Quality (CtQ) factors in a trial · Centralised monitoring techniques and reports · Targeted Source Data Verification (tSDV) · Risk assessment and mitigation strategies at the s · Adapting monitoring plans based on site risk profi

  • This month: Read up on the latest TransCelerate Biopharma RBM guidance documents.
  • Next quarter: Actively participate in risk assessment discussions for your assigned trials, understanding how risks are identified and mitigated.
  • Month 3-6: Work with your CTM to apply RBM principles to one of your sites, adjusting your monitoring plan based on its risk profile.
  • Ongoing: Look for opportunities to share best practices for RBM implementation with your peers.

Quick win: When planning your next site visit, consciously think about the biggest risks at that specific site and prioritise your monitoring activities around those.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry conferences and workshops (e.g., DIA, ACRP, Outsourcing in Clinical Trials) to stay updated on new regulations and best practices.
  • Participate in internal company training programmes on new protocols, therapeutic areas, or digital tools.
  • Join professional organisations like the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) or the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) for networking and continuous learning.
  • Seek out mentorship from more senior CRAs or Clinical Trial Managers within the company.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Digital Literacy & Remote Monitoring Tools

The industry is shifting towards more decentralised trials and remote monitoring. This means less physical travel and more reliance on technology to oversee sites and data from afar. CRAs who can master these tools will be far more efficient.

  • Remote Source Data Verification (rSDV) platforms
  • Telemedicine platforms for patient engagement
  • Wearable devices and digital biomarkers
  • Secure data transfer protocols for remote access
  • Virtual meeting and collaboration tools for site i

Data Storytelling & Visualisation (for site performance)

Simply presenting raw data isn't enough anymore. You'll need to quickly turn complex site performance data (enrollment, queries, deviations) into clear, actionable insights for busy site staff and internal teams. Being able to tell a compelling story with data helps drive change.

  • Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for site perform
  • Basic principles of dashboard design (e.g., in Pow
  • Identifying trends and outliers in site data
  • Crafting a narrative around data to highlight issu
  • Presenting data clearly and concisely to non-data

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • ICH-GCP (International Council for Harmonisation - Good Clinical Practice)
  • Clinical Trial Project Management (Site-level)
  • CRO & Vendor Oversight (basic)
  • Site Selection & Patient Recruitment Strategy (practical application)
  • Risk-Based Quality Management (RBQM) principles
  • Regulatory Inspection Readiness (site-level)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA) to CRA

    2-3 years as a CTA

    Skills to master

    • Meticulous documentation, TMF management, basic regulatory understanding, strong organisational skills, and a foundational grasp of trial processes.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently excellent TMF quality and document control.
    • Proactive in supporting CRAs and CTMs with site-related tasks.
    • Demonstrates a keen interest in monitoring activities and asks insightful questions.
    • Has completed basic GCP training and shows a strong understanding of its principles.
  2. 2

    Study Coordinator (SC) to CRA

    3-4 years as an SC at a clinical site

    Skills to master

    • Deep understanding of site operations, patient recruitment, informed consent, source data documentation, and direct patient interaction. You'll need to learn the 'sponsor side' perspective.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed multiple studies as an SC, with a strong track record of compliance.
    • Excellent understanding of the challenges and realities of running a trial at a site.
    • Demonstrates a desire to move to the monitoring side and understand sponsor expectations.
    • Has a strong grasp of GCP from the site's perspective and can apply it.
  3. 3

    Nurse or Allied Health Professional to CRA

    3-5 years in a clinical setting

    Skills to master

    • Patient care, medical terminology, understanding of hospital systems, and ethical considerations. You'll need to quickly learn regulatory compliance, clinical trial processes, and documentation standards.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Strong clinical background with a focus on patient safety and ethical care.
    • Proven ability to manage complex patient data and medical records.
    • Shows a clear interest in research and a willingness to learn the regulatory framework.
    • Excellent communication skills with healthcare professionals.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead into clinical operations management, quality assurance, regulatory affairs or medical writing.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Clinical Research Associate (CRA) is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • Senior Clinical Research Associate (Senior CRA)
  • Clinical Trial Manager (CTM)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment, worked against Clinical Research Associate (CRA).

Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment Level 3

Applied to your work in Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to comply with both external and internal obligations within a bulk storage operations environment. Learners will be able to perform audits, inspections, and safety sampling, adhere to safe systems of work, control systems for fiscal and excise compliance, and review and improve standard operating procedures.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Clinical Research Associate (CRA) plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Clinical Research Associate (CRA)
  • ICH-GCP (International Council for Harmonisation - Good Clinical Practice)
  • Clinical Trial Project Management (Site-level)
  • CRO & Vendor Oversight (basic)
  • Site Selection & Patient Recruitment Strategy (practical application)
  • Risk-Based Quality Management (RBQM) principles
  • Regulatory Inspection Readiness (site-level)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Clinical Research Associate (CRA) is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Clinical Research Associate (Senior CRA)

    2-3 years in this CRA role

    You'll take on more complex sites, mentor junior CRAs, and might get involved in co-monitoring visits for training purposes. You'll also handle more challenging issues and potentially contribute to developing monitoring plans.

    • Contributing to monitoring plan development
    • Advanced regulatory interpretation for complex scenarios
    • Leading site audit preparation

  2. Clinical Trial Manager (CTM)

    3-5 years in this CRA role (or after a Senior CRA role)

    This is a significant step into management. You'll be responsible for the overall conduct of one or more clinical trials, managing a team of CRAs, overseeing vendors, and owning the trial budget and timelines. Less travel, more strategy.

    • Protocol development input
    • Advanced risk-based monitoring strategy design
    • Regulatory submission documentation oversight
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, the CRA role involves a lot of repetitive tasks and meticulous checks. What if you could offload some of that grunt work and focus more on the critical thinking and site relationships? AI isn't here to replace you, it's here to make your life easier and your work more impactful.

Imagine spending less time on manual document review or drafting routine emails, and more time actually strategising with your sites to improve performance. Our AI Productivity Hub shows you exactly how to use smart tools to automate the mundane, giving you back precious hours every week. Here's a peek at what's possible:

TMF Auto-Indexing & QC

Use an AI tool to automatically classify, index, and perform initial quality checks on documents you're submitting to the eTMF. It can flag missing signatures, incorrect dates, or misfiled reports before you even look at them, saving you hours of painstaking review.

Query Generation & Tracking

Imagine an AI assistant that helps draft data queries based on common discrepancies it's learned from past trials. It can even help you track query resolution rates more effectively, highlighting sites that need extra attention, so you're not manually sifting through spreadsheets.

Monitoring Report Drafting

After a site visit, feed your notes into an AI tool that can generate an initial draft of your monitoring visit report. It'll pull in standard sections, summarise key findings, and structure the report, leaving you to fine-tune and add your expert insights, cutting down on writing time.

Site Communication Drafts

Use AI to generate initial drafts of routine communications to clinical sites, such as protocol amendment summaries, newsletters, or responses to common questions. You'll review and personalise before sending, ensuring clarity and saving you from staring at a blank email.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Clinical Research Associate (CRA)?

Common routes in include Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA) to CRA (2-3 years as a CTA), Study Coordinator (SC) to CRA (3-4 years as an SC at a clinical site) and Nurse or Allied Health Professional to CRA (3-5 years in a clinical setting). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Clinical Research Associate (Senior CRA) (2-3 years in this CRA role) and Clinical Trial Manager (CTM) (3-5 years in this CRA role (or after a Senior CRA role)), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Clinical Research Associate (CRA)?

Increasingly, Digital Literacy & Remote Monitoring Tools and Data Storytelling & Visualisation (for site performance). These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 2

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills as a CRA transfer well. You could move into a Contract Research Organisation in a similar role, or into quality assurance and auditing. Some CRAs move into regulatory affairs or medical writing, drawing on their knowledge of clinical data and processes.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Clinical Research Associate (CRA) plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.