CFA designation is a mark of distinction that is globally recognized by employers, investment professionals and investors as the definitive standard to measure serious investment professionals.
The curriculum is divided into four major areas:
• Ethical and professional standards
• Tools and inputs for investment valuation and management
• Asset valuation
• Portfolio management
WHAT IS THE CFA INSTITUTE?
CFA is an American Certification awarded by the CFA Institute USA. In the year 1947, the analyst societies of Boston, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia united their efforts to fulfill their shared commitment of elevating the standards of the investment profession. On the 11th of June in that same year, a national federation was established, and these pioneering societies collectively defined the role of the investment professional as one deeply rooted in research and critical thinking. In 1987, the Singapore society was inaugurated, marking the first expansion of the CFA Society network beyond North America. This significant milestone initiated the international growth of the network, which presently connects over 190,000 members across 160 markets worldwide.
WHAT IS THE ELIGIBILITY?
• Anyone with a U.S. bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) or
• in the final year of bachelor’s degree program at the time of registration
• have four years of qualified, professional work experience
• have a combination of work and college experience that totals at least four years
WHO CAN DO?
- Most common occupations of CFA charter holders:
- Investment Counselor
- Chief Investment Officer
- Investment Firm Manager
- Equity Analyst
- Portfolio Manager
- Fixed Income Analyst
- Portfolio Strategist
- Investment Banker
- Investment Analyst
- Investment Advisor
- Investment Manager
- Portfolio manager
- Research Analyst
- Investment banker
- Investment Consultant
- Risk manager
- Corporate financial analyst
- Chief Executive Officer – CEO
- Sales/Marketing Professional
- C-suite
- Credit Structurer
- Managing Director
- Senior Vice President
WHAT ARE THE COURSE STRCUTURE?
| TOPIC AREA | LEVEL I | LEVEL II | LEVEL III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics & Professional Standards | 15-20% | 10-15% | 10-15% |
| Quantitative Methods | 6-9% | 5-10% | 0 |
| Economics | 6-9% | 5-10% | 5-10% |
| Financial Statement / Reporting and Analysis | 11-14% | 10-15% | 0 |
| Corporate Issuers | 6-9% | 5–10% | 0 |
| Equity Investments / Equity Valuation | 11-14% | 10–15% | 10-15% |
| Fixed Income | 11-14% | 10-15% | 15-20% |
| Derivatives | 5-8% | 5-10% | 5-10% |
| Alternative Investments | 7-10% | 5-10% | 5-10% |
| Portfolio Management | 8-12% | 10–15% | 35-40% |
WHAT IS THE EXAM FORMAT?
| CFA (USA) Level-I | CFA (USA) Level-II | CFA (USA) Level-III | |
| EXAM FORMAT | 240 Multiple Choice Questions – 120 in Morning Session of Exam and 120 in Afternoon Session of Exam | 20 Item Set Questions – 10 in Morning Session of Exam and 10 in Afternoon Session of Exam | 10-15 Essay Questions in Morning Session of Exam and 10 in Afternoon Session of Exam |
| EXAM DURATION | There are 2 sessions of 3 hours each on exam day. | There are 2 sessions of 3 hours each on exam day. | There are 2 sessions of 3 hours each on exam day. |
| EXAM DATES | Offered in Feb, May, Aug & Nov | Offered in May, Aug & Nov | Offered in Feb, & Nov |
WHAT IS THE EXAM FEE?
• CFA candidates pay one one-time initial enrollment fee but in addition to that they are required to pay the exam registration fee. CFA has different exam fees according to the dates. We encourage you to visit the official website of the CFA Institute www.cfainstitute.org
• Program enrollment fee: USD 350
| Early registration fee | USD 940 |
| Standard registration fee | USD 1,250 |
WHAT IS THE EXAM LOCATION?
CFA® Program exams are offered in over 170 cities in June and over 70 cities in December, at testing facilities around the world. The June exam is usually offered at test centers located in the cities below. CFA Institute will assign a test center to you taking into account your requested exam location based on availability.
