CFA C ou rs e / CFA C er tifi cat io n
Course Name Chartered Financial Analyst
Application Window Available all year
Exam Mode Online
Course Level Under Graduate
Stream Finance & Commerce
Exam Language English
Fees 50,000 – 1,50,000
Salary after CFA 4,00,000 – 25,00,000
Duration 1.5 to 4 years
Examination Levels 3
Scope of CFA Course in India
CFA is one of the most renowned commerce courses available in India. Students with
CFA certificate earns almost the same money and respect as a CA or CS course.
CFA Program provides opportunities in various areas including asset management,
portfolio management, investment banking, corporate finance, wealth management,
research, and consulting.
As International financial firms are focusing on the reduction of the cost of labour,
they are outsourcing the majority of the work in India due to cost advantage. All the
international KPO ’s, investment banking and financial servicing firms are looking for
the highest credential in investment finance industry like CFA charter, which is a
great opportunity for the CFA charter holders in India.
CFA Candidates also get an opportunity to work at Buy-side Research, alternative
Investments, risk management, financial planning, and private Equity.
Stock brokers in India which slowly reaching bigger scale of operations and
international operations prefer candidates with the CFA® designation
CFA Charter gives you expertise in Asset valuation, Investment analysis, and portfolio
management.
MBA Finance v/s CFA v/s FRM
The table below gives you a brief of the differences between MBA course and CFA course
Details MBA CFA FRM
Focus Area General Core Finance Underlying
Management including concepts of
and Broad Investment Risk
Business tools and Management
Concepts Valuations
Organizing Depends on the CFA Institute The Global
Body Institute you (USA) Association of
enrol Risk
Professionals
(USA)
Examination 4 Semesters 3 Level 2 Level
Format Exams Examination Examination
Average 6- 10 Lakhs 2-3 Lakhs 2 Lakhs
Course fees
International Limited Globally Globally
recognition
Starting 4-6 Lakhs 6-10 Lakhs 5-6 Lakhs
Salary
Why Study CFA?
The following are some of the perks of doing the CFA course:
A Global Certification: The certification offered by the CFA institute is accepted in
over 167 countries around the world. The CFA institute is considered to be the
golden standard of professional credential for investment professional
Huge Opportunities in the financial Market: Overall investment, mobile wallets, and
mutual funds will expand job possibilities in the finance sector in the future. As a
result, CFA charter holders will have a plethora of job options in the future.
Good compensation: After completing the course, a CFA graduate may expect to
earn between INR 6,00,000 and INR 60,00,000 per year.
Scope of career advancement: CFA graduates are often hired in higher-level
positions in the financial business. According to the CFA Institute, the majority of CFA
Charter holders are hired by the world's leading financial institutions like JP Morgan
Chase, UBS, RBC, Bank of America ML, HSBC, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, and
others. As a result, becoming a member of such an elite alumni network, involved in
top firms mentioned above, would not only assist applicants to have a successful
career, but also provide happiness in life.
Develop financial skill: The programme enables applicants to gain the abilities
required to operate in the financial sector. Subjects in the CFA curriculum include
portfolio management, wealth planning, derivatives, corporate finance, and
alternative investments which helps students to have a better grasp of the financial
sector and its services.
Entrepreneurship Option: Candidates after the completion of the CFA course can
also use their certificate and the acquired skill sets to start their own consultancy
firms. Investment management is a good entrepreneurial option because 71% of the
Indian prefer to take financial advice from a qualified professional.
CFA Course Details / CFA Syllabus
FA course is divided into 3 Levels i.e., Level I, Level II, and Level III
CFA Level I Focuses on 10 Subjects
The weightage of each subject is different in different levels
Topics Level I Level II Level III
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 Reporting and Analysis 13-17% 10-15% 0
Corporate Finance 8-12% 5-10% 0
Portfolio Management 5-8% 5-15% 35-40%
Equity Investment 10-12% 10-15% 10-15%
Fixed Income Instruments 10-12% 10-15% 15-20%
Derivatives 5-8% 5-10% 5-10%
Alternative Investment 5-8% 5-10% 5-10%
Examination Cycle
Level I exams are conducted four times a year in the following months: February,
May, August, and November
Level II and Level III examinations are conducted twice a year in February and August
Level III examinations are conducted in May and November.
CFA Level I Examination Format
CFA Level I is a computer-based examination and it consists of 180 Multiple-choice
questions. Level I examination is split between two 135 minutes sessions.
CFA Level II Examination Format
The CFA Level II is a computer-based examination. Level II examination is split into two
equal sessions of 2 hours and 12 minutes..
The CFA Level II exam consists of item sets comprised of vignettes (Case Study) consisting 88
multiple-choice questions.
CFA Level III examination Format
The CFA Level III is a computer-based examination. Level III examination is split into two
equal sessions of 2 hours and 12 minutes.
The First session in Level III examination consists of 8 to 11 vignettes followed by questions
that require written response (Also known as Constructed Response).
The Second session in Level III examination consists of item sets comprised of vignettes
(Case Study) consisting 44 multiple-choice questions.
CFA Course Eligibility
A Valid International Passport
The candidates must pass their bachelor or equivalent programs from any stream
from recognised universities or colleges.
Candidates who are in the last year of their Bachelor's degree program can also
register for the CFA course. However, candidates must complete their Bachelor
course prior to the date of registering for CFA level 2 exam
OR
Candidates should have a minimum work experience of 4000 Hours or a
combination of 4000 hours of work experience or higher education acquired over a
minimum period of 3 sequential years before registering for level 1 exam.
CFA Course Work experience requirement
To become a CFA Charterholder Candidate should complete the work experience
requirement by having at least 4,000 hours of relevant investment-related work
experience, completed in a minimum of 3 years.
Full time, part-time or remote work arrangements completed before, during or after
your CFA program can qualify to meet the work experience requirement.
What are the CFA registration and examination fees?
CFA Exam Fees for Level 1, 2, 3
There are 3 kinds of CFA exam fees, namely:
enrollment fee (USD 450),
registration fee (USD 700 or USD 1000), and
rescheduling fee (USD 25).
CFA exam fees are the same for all candidates worldwide, regardless of whether you come
from the USA, the UK, India or any other country. Currently, the minimum CFA exam cost is
USD 2550 and it includes only the payment for your participation in the CFA Program, i.e. your
ability to take the 3 levels of CFA exam.
$450 of CFA Program Enrollment Fee
Enrollment fee is a one-time fee of USD 450 paid when you register for your FIRST level 1 CFA
exam. This cost is obligatory for you to get enrolled in the list of CFA candidates and to enter
the CFA Program (which is comprised of 3 levels). It implies your commitment to the CFA
Program.
Up to $1000 of CFA Exam Registration Fee
CFA exam registration fees were increased in 2020. Also, CFA Institute gave up the so-called
late or final registration fee. Currently, there are only 2 types of CFA exam registration fees:
early fee of $700, and
standard fee of $1000.
$25 of CFA Exam Rescheduling Fee
This is a new fee introduced for computer-based CFA exams (CBT) (all levels). Its purpose is to
make the rescheduling of your CFA exam appointment possible even after the registration and
scheduling periods for your exam have been closed.
Each change of your appointment will cost you USD 25 (it may change, though, because
initially the fee was supposed to be as high as USD 250). Costs aside, it’s good that CFA
Institute provides such an option. Why? CBT exams will be held within a longer exam window
(not on one single day as it was before). You’ll need to decide when exactly to take your exam
and then self-schedule using the so-called ProScheduler available on a dedicated platform.
For your CFA exam, you need to:
1. register + pay the applicable fees
2. schedule your exam (no payment)
3. reschedule, if you wish, after making an additional payment
($25 each re-appointment)
