Short Term Courses in Finance in India - Eligibility, Fee Structure, Career Options

According to a recent study conducted by a financial assessment website, it has been observed that Indians have a strong inclination towards short-term certifications rather than opting for full-fledged courses. This preference has led to a significant surge in demand for short-term certification programs in the country.

Today, common terms like CA (Chartered Accountant) or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) are well known to most of us. There are many CA colleges in India and making a career in CA or a career in CFA is a strenuous task. People spend years and years to crack the various examinations required to become CA/CFA.

For the relief of people who hold a sheer interest in Finance, there are many short-term finance courses that provide a wider perspective in the field of finance and also result in enhancing career growth and skillset. These courses make them ready for any finance role that comes their way and from the plethora of finance jobs, they can choose the one they feel they are best suited for.

Significance of Short-Term Finance Courses in India

There are various reasons why more and more people are going for short-term finance courses in India rather than pursuing a full-fledged course. People who already have a master's degree in Master of Business Administration or a Master of Financial Management, also go for such courses- five or six years down their corporate lives. Here are the reasons why.

• A person who graduated in 2013 might not hold the same value and be the same asset to the company in the current year. Every company is bothered about how familiar the person is with current trends and technologies. A certificate added recently in the resume of the person increases his caliber and makes him more valuable in the eyes of the interviewer.
• The economy and the status of the country are ever-changing. The financial concepts which were valid 5 years back, might not be valid now. These short-term finance courses in India enhance the knowledge of the person and make him/her ready to understand any kind of changes that are going to happen in the country by the Government in the finance sector.
• In today’s time, people want immediate hikes and want to stand out of the crowd. A recently added certification provides them with both things.
• The times are changing and switching from one company to another for growth and more exposure has become very common amongst the young generation. Changing the company gives a sense of enhanced learning to the employee. People want to keep learning and growing in their career path.
• Sometimes, instead of going for a direct job, the students who graduate from 12th grade or from college with a bachelor’s degree might want to do a short-term finance course in India to see which path exactly they want to take up.

Types of Short-Term Finance Courses in India

Some of the popular short-term finance courses in India are given below. Candidates interested in such courses can also find their eligibility criteria and fee structure.

Given below are the details on the top short-term finance courses in India that you can opt for.

CAIA - Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst

CAIA is a recognized advanced short-term finance course in India. It forms a part of the “alternative investment industry”. CAIA has proved to be the credential for excellence which has been successful in managing professionals and regulating alternative investments. The course imparts knowledge about opportunities in the private equity sector, real estate, intellectual property, and commodities. The exam is administered in over 90 countries around the world and is offered twice a year.

Average Starting Salary for CAIA holder: INR 30 lakh per annum

Eligibility Criteria for CAIA

In order to take up this course, the candidate must meet the following requirements:

• A person must have a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree in any field to pursue this short-term course
• A candidate requires 4 years of work experience in any field prior to giving the CAIA exam

CAIA Job Profiles

After completing a certificate course in CAIA, a person can opt for the following profiles.

• Investment Analyst
• Chief Executive Officer
• Associate Financial Analyst

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

The certification of Certified Financial Planner is offered by FPSB (Financial Planning Standards Boards India) and is even accepted internationally. CFP is considered to be a very prestigious short-term course in the field of finance. It prepares the person for financial skills in the sectors of planning, taxes, retirement, and estate. It is a one-year certificate course. Although there are many CFP colleges in Delhi, people prefer learning the course online these days.

Average Starting Salary for CFP holder: INR 2 to 10 lakh per annum

Eligibility Criteria for CFP

The holder of the Certified Financial Planner certificate must meet the following criteria.

• The person should have completed higher secondary school (10+2)
• For graduates: 3 years of professional experience and for non-graduates: 5-year of work experience is required

The selection in the course is totally merit-based, on the basis of the scores of the examination.

CFP Job Profiles

After pursuing CFP, you can opt for the following roles:

• Investment Management
• Insurance
• Financial Advisor
• Investment Planning

FMVA- Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst

The short-term finance course in India of FMVA is offered by CFI (Corporate Finance Institute). This short-term course teaches financial modeling and financial analysis.

Average Starting Salary for FMVA holder: INR 62 lakh per annum

Eligibility Criteria for FMVA

All the candidates are eligible for this course.

FMVA Job Profiles

The job profiles available for those who pursue a course in FMVA are as follows:

• Private Equity VP
• Investment Banking VP
• Hedge Fund Associate

CIIA - Certified International Investment Analyst

The Association of International Wealth Management of India administers the exam of CIIA. The course focuses on international and domestic investments. The course also throws light on broader financial concepts such as financial accounting, corporate finance, equity analysis, economics, derivatives, etc

Average Starting Salary for CIIA holder: INR 56 lakh per annum.

Eligibility Criteria for CIIA

The eligibility criteria for CIIA is stated below:

• Candidate must be a financial analyst
• Candidate must be a portfolio manager
• Candidate must be an investment advisor

Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)

The Merger and Acquisition Advisors award this designation of CM&AA. This course expands the individual’s horizon in the field of finance. It focuses on middle-market advisory and transactional services.

Average Starting Salary for CM&AA holder: INR 68 lakh per annum

Eligibility Criteria for CM&AA

Any professional who has done his/her CM&AA training would be eligible for this course.

Various Job Profiles for CM&AA holder

The following job profiles are available for those who pursue a course in CM&AA:

• Senior Contract Analyst
• Director of Operations
• Chief Financial Officer
• Vice President of Strategy

Certified Treasury Professional (CTP)

The certificate focuses on areas of risk management and corporate liquidity and is valid for 3 years. CTP is a qualification that is known globally for its excellence in the treasury profession. It is sponsored by AFP - The Association for Financial Professions. CTP holders earn a good salary and career growth.

The average salary for CTP holders: A Treasury Manager earns an average salary of INR 67 lakh per annum.

A Senior Treasury Analyst earns about INR 57 lakh per annum on average.

Salary of Treasury Analyst: INR 43 lakh per annum on average.

Eligibility Criteria for CTP

A candidate in order to be eligible for CTP must meet the following criteria.

• 2 years of work experience in a finance-related job or in the field of treasury management.
• A degree in Business, Accountancy or in Finance and full-time teaching experience of at least 2 years in any finance-related curriculum
• 4 years of teaching in any finance-related structure and curriculum.

CTP Job Profiles

The following job profiles are available for those who pursue a career in CTP:

• Treasury Manager
• Treasury Analyst
• Treasury Director
• Assistant Treasurer

Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)

The certification of Certified Investment Management Analyst is recognized worldwide. It is a certificate in the field of financial analysis and investment management.

Average Starting Salary for CIMA holder: INR 55 lakhs per annum

Eligibility Criteria for CIMA

Given below is the eligibility criteria for those who wish to pursue a CIMA course:

• Candidate must have completed an executive programme from an esteemed institute
• The verified background check of the candidate must be done with zero discrepancies.
• Any candidate who has completed an executive education program at a registered institute and has cleared the background check, as well as the application approval process, is eligible for this certification course.

CIMA Job Profiles

The job profiles given below are available for those who take up a course in CIMA:

• Portfolio Manager
• Investment Consultant
• Senior Portfolio Manager
• Financial Advisor

Certified Fund Specialist (CFS)

CFS focuses solely on the concepts of mutual funds. In the mutual funds industry, it is the oldest certification designation.

Average Starting Salary for CFS holder: INR 35 lakhs per annum

Eligibility Criteria for CFS

In order to be eligible for CFS, candidates must meet the criteria given below:

• Candidate must have completed 2000 work hours in a professional financial field
• A bachelor’s degree or above will make the candidate eligible for this short term finance course.

Top Institutes Abroad For Short-Term Courses in Finance

We have listed some of the top institutes abroad for pursuing short-term courses in Finance.

• College for Financial Planning
• Boston University
• Pennsylvania State University, World Campus
• Northeastern State University
• Florida State University, Office of Distance Learning
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln
• Kansas State University
• University of California, Irvine
• DePaul University
• Rice University
• Eastern Illinois University

Top Recruiters After Short-Term Courses in Finance

Below we have curated some of the best recruiters after pursuing short-term courses in Finance.

It is very important for a person to opt for the best course according to his//her skills and caliber and future professional requirements. Also since there is money involved and fees to pay, it is mandatory for people to get accreditation from the right source. For people who want to go abroad and work, there are a lot of short-term finance courses available abroad as well.

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