What is CFA Program?

CFA Institute represents the industry gold-standard for effective and ethical investment management practices.

What is the CFA Program, and why should you take it?

The Chartered Financial Analyst certification is the most sought-after finance-oriented program offered by the CFA Institute (USA). This globally recognized certification is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ in the investment industry as it equips you with all the practical knowledge and skills that you need to step in and grow in the highly competitive finance industry.

The CFA certification is both intriguing and challenging due to the heavy assessment of your conceptual understanding of all subjects. The reason for such rigorous testing is to make you capable of quick thinking and making the right decisions in real time while facing frequent, rapid changes in the industry.

With the CFA program, your goal is to master 10 specific topics. Even though these remain the same in all levels, the weightage on each subject will vary in all the 3 levels of the exam. For instance, Level 1 focuses on areas like; Financial Statement Analysis, Quantitative Methods, and Ethical & Professional Standards. But in Level 3, the focus will be primarily on Portfolio Management.


Subjects and their respective weights

Subjects

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Ethical and Professional Standards

15-20%

10-15%

10-15%

Quantitative Methods

8-12%

5-10%

0%

Economics

8-12%

5-10%

5-10%

Financial Statement Analysis

13-17%

10-15%

0%

Corporate Finance

8-12%

5-10%

0%

Equity Investments

10-12%

10-15%

10-15%

Fixed Income

10-12%

10-15%

15-20%

Derivatives

5-8%

5-10%

5-10%

Alternative Investments

5-8%

5-10%

5-10%

Portfolio Management

5-8%

10-15%

35-40%

Why should you register for the CFA Program?

If you wish to work in the investment industry, then no other program is as effective as the CFA program. Why? This certification as a whole is designed to provide you with skills like Advanced Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management. Moreover, it prepares you to work in any sector, viz-a-viz; Wealth Management, Commercial and/or Investment Banking, and many more!

Typically, the CFA Program is ideal for those professionals who are actively working in the finance industry or those who are seeking to transition to finance. But if you’re an Undergraduate, or currently in the second year of your bachelor’s program, you are good to go!

Earning the CFA charter demonstrates to potential employers your commitment and expertise in this complex industry, while also emphasizing your values of ethics and professionalism.


CFA Program Eligibility Criteria

To register for the CFA Program, you need to satisfy any one of the following criteria;

  • Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent)

  • Should be in the second year of the Bachelor’s Program

  • Have at least 4000 hours of professional experience, gathered in 36 months

Want to learn more?

If you’re entirely new to CFA, don’t worry, we’ll explain everything you need to know regarding this program.

Moreover, if you’re actively pursuing any level, we’ll provide details of each level.

Once you fill out the below form, we’ll reach out to you to assist with any queries you have.


What is our objective?

CFA exams are tough; even for experienced working professionals. And we do understand that. At Step Up Institutes, our objective is to make you capable of passing each level on the first attempt! Moreover, we assure you that no question of yours will go unanswered! As educators, our responsibility is to teach you everything that matters, from the exam point of view.


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