A self-study, masters-level qualification, the Chartered Financial Analyst CFA Program provides a strong foundation of advanced investment analysis and real-world portfolio management skills that will give you a career advantage.
Which careers is the Chartered Financial Analyst CFA Program for?
Everyone interested in Portfolio Manager jobs and wealth management jobs, investment and research analysts, professionals involved in the investment decision-making process, and finance students who want to work in the investment management profession.
The Chartered Financial Analyst CFA Program requires you to pass three levels of CFA exams.
The curriculum is organised into ten general topic areas that provide a framework for making investment decisions. Topics include ethical and professional standards, quantitative methods, economics, financial reporting and analysis, corporate finance, equity investments, fixed-income investments, derivatives, alternative investments and portfolio management and wealth planning.
CFA Institute offers needs-based scholarship opportunities for those unable to afford the full price of the CFA Program fees.
You can join a study group simply emailing with your name, membership number, study level, exam date, preferred study location for group meetings and preferred frequency of study group meetings.
You can also access a range of level I, II and III revision surgery webcasts through the CFA UK Knowledge Centre.
Mock exams give you chance to practice the actual CFA exam day experience — live mock exams are fully invigilated, six-hour exams.
Chartered Financial Analyst CFA Program Course of Study
The CFA Program course of study includes the Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), the curriculum content, learning outcome statements (LOS), and the topic area weights.
Updates to the course of study are informed by our ongoing practice analysis, which includes feedback from practising investment professionals, security market regulators, university faculty, and policymakers. Learn more about our practice analysis process and updates to the curriculum.
Three Levels
The course of study is organized into three levels and each level requires passing a six-hour exam. The program curriculum increases in complexity as you move through the three levels:
Level I: Focuses on a basic knowledge of the ten topic areas and simple analysis using investment tools
Level II: Emphasizes the application of investment tools and concepts with a focus on the valuation of all types of assets
Level III: Focuses on synthesizing all of the concepts and analytical methods in a variety of applications for effective portfolio management and wealth planning
Candidates report dedicating in excess of 300 hours of study per level to prepare for each exam. Find more info on the CFA Charter page.
Check the Study Materials for the Chartered Financial Analyst CFA Program:
- Cfa Program Curriculum 2018 Level I, Volumes 1 – 6 Box Set (Cfa Curriculum 2018)
- Cfa Program Curriculum 2018 Level II, Volumes 1 – 6 Box Set (Cfa Curriculum 2018)
- Cfa Program Curriculum 2018 Level III, Volumes 1 – 6 Box Set (Cfa Curriculum 2018)
If you are interested in tuition, there are many reputable training companies who offer various study modes – from short revision courses to full-time programmes lasting months. Most companies offer learning materials, lecture slides, sample questions and distance learning support to supplement their face-to-face training. Some of the most popular training companies include BPP Professional Education, Fitch Learning, Kaplan Financial Markets, etc