CFA Institute Exams, Eligibility, Date and Scope
CFA Institute is a globally reputed institute that offers a well-recognised Chartered Financial Analyst Programme to aspirants. On clearing the three levels of the exams, candidates are awarded the CFA credentials that is globally accepted.
CFA Institute or the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute provides distinctive and most diverse programmes for candidates who want to become investment professionals. Through its programmes and exams, the CFA Institute offers quality investment education.
The flagship course offered by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute is the CFA Programme for aspiring financial analysts. The institute conducts exams for these programs and the candidates are offered Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential on clearing these exams.
The credential offered by CFA institutes are globally recognized and is one of the most respected designations in the world. The details of the CFA Programme are given below:
CFA Institute Course Details:
The CFA Program has been designed to provide you with a strong foundation of advanced investment analysis along with the real-world portfolio management skills. The programme is meant to enhance your career prospects in the investment analysis field.
The CFA Programme comprises three levels and each level comprises a six-hour exam. Candidates have to pass these three extensive exams in order to get the CFA credentials. Following are the details of the three levels.
Level I: Basic aspects of the investment analysis are covered at this level. The level comprises a total of ten topics that will be covered using investment tools.
Level II: This phase comprises the application of investment tools and topics that are focused on the valuation of different types of assets.
Level III: In this level, an emphasis is laid on synthesizing all of the concepts and analytical methods in order to learn their applications for wealth planning and effective portfolio management.
CFA Institute may change or update the syllabus depending on the requirements of the industry and suggestion of investment professionals. Students are notified regarding all changes and recent practice analysis methods.
CFA Institute Level-wise Topics and their Weightage:
Topic Area | Level I | Level II | Level III |
Ethical and Professional Standards | 15 | 10 to 15 | 10 to 15 |
Equity Investments | 10 | 15 to 25 | 5 to 15 |
Quantitative Methods | 12 | 5 to 10 | 0 |
Fixed Income | 10 | 10 to 20 | 10 to 20 |
Economics | 10 | 5 to 10 | 5 to 15 |
Derivatives | 5 | 5 to 15 | 5 to 15 |
Financial Reporting and Analysis | 20 | 15 to 20 | 0 |
Alternative Investments | 4 | 5 to 10 | 5 to 15 |
Corporate Finance | 7 | 5 to 15 | 0 |
Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning | 7 | 5 to 10 | 40 to 55 |
Total | 100 | 100 | 100 |
CFA Institute is at the discretion of changing the weightage of these subjects. Weightage also keeps changing from year to year, depending on the requirements of the programme. Combined weightage of some of the subjects is evaluated.
CFA Institute Eligibility Criteria:
- Candidates must have a passport in order to appear for the CFA programme exams.
- In order to appear for the Level I exam, candidates must either be in the final year of their graduation or must have completed graduation. Only those candidates who have pursued graduation will be able to take the CFA Programme Level II programme.
OR
- Candidates must have a work experience of at least 4 years in a professional environment.
OR
- Candidates must possess a combination of education and work experience that sums up a duration of four years (part-time jobs are not evaluated).
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CFA Institute Exam Dates:
- Exams for all three levels are conducted annually by the CFA Institute in the month of June. Exam centres are spread across the world. However, exam for the first level is also conducted in the month of December.
- Exams for these three levels must be cleared by the candidate in a sequential order. Candidates will not be allowed to appear for subsequent levels after clearing the initial one.
- The exams are conducted only in English, therefore, candidates must understand English in order to appear for the exam.
Check detailed CFA Application Process and Important Dates here.
Scope after Studying from CFA Institute:
Chartered Financial Analysts attract a lot of job opportunities as their credentials are well identified across the world. A global recognition also opens up international opportunities and chances of a better salary.
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Depending on the talent of the candidate, CFA certified professionals can earn an annual salary varying from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 12 lakh at the beginning of their career. Salary prospects improve after gaining a certain amount of experience.