Advance Your Financial Skills with CFA Insights
Why CFA
Earning your CFA® charter equips you with analytical skills in quantitative methods, Economics, Financial Reporting, Investment Analysis, and Portfolio Management, enabling you to leverage financial data, budget long-term, manage capital, evaluate investments and appraise company performance.
The CFA® charter opens doors to roles in portfolio management, research, consulting, and risk management. Charterholders are valued in sectors like asset management, banking, insurance, consulting, and fintech.
The CFA® programme covers a wide array of financial topics, providing practical skills in quantitative methods, Economics, Financial Reporting, and Portfolio Management.
With 190,000 active charterholders in 162 markets, the CFA® designation offers unmatched global recognition. This enhances your career mobility and establishes your credibility in the finance industry.
Earning the CFA® charter connects you to a network of 190,000 investment professionals worldwide. This global community provides valuable opportunities for networking and career advancement.
The CFA® programme emphasises ethical standards and professional conduct, preparing you to navigate complex ethical issues in your career. This strong ethical foundation enhances your credibility and trustworthiness with employers and clients.
Programme Overview
The CFA Programme consists of three exams: Levels I, II, and III, each building on the previous one with increasing complexity.
Focuses on the basics of investment tools and concepts. It consists of 180 MCQs, split between two 135-minute sessions (session times are approximate). There is an optional break between sessions.
First session (2 hours, 15 minutes): 90 multiple choice questions
- Ethical and Professional Standards 15-20%
- Quantitative Methods 6-9%
- Economics 6-9%
- Financial Statement Analysis 11-14%
- Corporate Issuers 6-9%
Second session (2 hours, 15 minutes): 90 multiple choice questions
- 2 Portfolio Management 8-12%
- Equity Investments 11-14%
- Fixed Income 11-14%
- Derivatives 5-8%
- Alternative Investments 7-10%
For more information, please visit the official CFA website
Emphasises applying investment tools and concepts in asset valuation. It consists of 22 item sets comprised of vignettes with 88 accompanying multiple-choice questions.
The Level II exam will be 4 hours and 24 minutes, split into two equal sessions of 2 hours and 12 minutes, with an optional break in-between.
- Ethical and Professional Standards 10-15%
- Quantitative Methods 5-10%
- Economics 5-10%
- Financial Statement Analysis 10-15%
- Corporate Issuers 5-10%
- Portfolio Management 10-15%
- Equity Investments 10-15%
- Fixed Income 10-15%
- Derivatives 5-10%
- Alternative Investments 5-10%
For more information, please visit the official CFA website.
Concentrates on portfolio management and wealth planning. It includes both item sets and essay questions. Item sets feature vignettes followed by multiple-choice questions, while essay questions are constructed response items based on the vignette information.
Each exam session has a mix of 5 or 6 item sets and 5 or 6 essay sets, totaling 11 item sets and 11 essay sets, each worth 12 points. Topics are randomly distributed across both sessions, with each vignette stating the topic and point value.
- Ethical and Professional Standards 10-15%
- Economics 5-10%
- Portfolio Management 35-40%
- Equity Investments 10-15%
- Fixed Income 15-20%
- Derivatives 5-10%
- Alternative Investments 5-10%
For more information, please visit the official CFA website.
What You Need to Know
To meet CFA Programme entrance requirements, you need a bachelor’s degree or to be within 23 months of graduation. Candidates who are currently undergraduate students may take the Level I exam and must be within 11 months of graduation to sit for Level II.
Alternatively, you can qualify with 4,000 hours of work experience or a mix of work and education over 36 months, with no overlapping dates. Investment-related experience is not required, and higher education counts as 1,000 hours per year.
You can apply to start your CFA charter here.
Complete your enrolment within 30 days and expect to receive your CFA Programme Registration Confirmation within 5-7 days.
The CFA Programme exam dates for each level are as follows:
- Level I exams occur in February, May, August, and November
- Level II exams are held in May, August, and November
- Level III exams take place in February and August
The CFA Programme exam fees are USD 940 for early registration and USD 1,250 for standard registration, with a one-time enrolment fee of USD 350. Prices may vary for some seatings, so please visit the official CFA website for the latest pricing.
To earn a CFA® charter, you must:
- Adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
- Pass all three levels of the CFA Programme exams.
- Complete four years of relevant investment work experience.
- Submit 2-3 professional reference letters.
- Become a regular member of CFA Institute and a local CFA society.
