Chartered Financial Analyst, in short CFA is one of the most coveted certifications which is meant for professionals looking for a job in CORE finance domains.
The Core Finance domains include Portfolio Management, Valuation, Corporate Finance, Equity Research and Investment Banking.
All the above are also known as High End or Elite Finance Job roles.
CFA Exam Eligibility Requirements
To enroll in the CFA Program and register for your first Level I exam, you must have an international travel passport and one of the following:
- Undergraduate education: The candidate must have a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree or be in the final year of your bachelor’s degree program; or
- Work experience: Four years of professional work experience (does not have to be investment related); or
- A combination of professional work experience and education that totals at least four years (part-time positions do not qualify, and the four-year total must be accrued prior to enrollment).
Jobs and Careers after CFA
Following are the Major Profiles that you can aim for, after getting the Charter
- Portfolio Manager – A Portfolio manager would manage and invest the funds of the client (Both individuals or entities) in a way to generate a required rate of return, keeping in mind the risk appetite of the client.
- Equity Research Analyst – As the name specifies, an Equity research analyst conducts research on Industry specific Equity stocks and determines if they are worth investing in, by projecting their future values.
- Mergers and Acquisition Analyst – As the name suggests, a Mergers and Acquisition analyst (M&A analyst) plays a role when there is a Merger of two companies, or when there is an acquisition
- Credit Analyst – As the name specifies, a credit analyst is analyses the credit worthiness of an individual or an organization. In effect, he determines whether to extend credit to a particular entity or not.
CFA Exam Curriculum
Given below is the detailed breakup of the syllabus for CFA Exam, along with weights (Percentage) assigned to each topic.
| Topics | Level I | Level II | Level II |
| Ethical and Professional Standards | 15% | 10-15% | 10-15% |
| Quantitative Methods | 10% | 5-10% | 0% |
| Economics | 10% | 5-10% | 0% |
| Financial Reporting and Analysis | 15% | 10-15% | 0% |
| Corporate Finance | 10% | 5-10% | 0% |
| Portfolio Management | 6% | 5-15% | 40-55% |
| Equity Investments | 11% | 10-15% | 10-15% |
| Fixed Income Investments | 11% | 10-15% | 10-15% |
| Derivatives | 6% | 5-10% | 5-10% |
| Alternative Investments | 6% | 5-10% | 5-10% |
CFA Exam Dates
| Particulars | Level I | Level II | Level III |
| May 2021 | 18-24 May 2021 | 25 May – 1 June 2021 | 25 May – 1 June 2021 |
| Aug 2021 | 13-30 Aug 2021 | 31 Aug – 4 Sept 2021 | 1 – 8 Sept 2021 |
| Nov 2021 | 16-22 Nov 2021 | 26-30 Nov 2021 | 23-25 Nov 2021 |
CFA Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Level I | Level II | Level III |
| Format | 100% MCQ | 100% MCQ | 50% item set, 50% MCQ |
| No. of question | 240 MCQ | 120 MCQ | 10 item set 60 MCQ |
| Topic focus | Investment tools | Asset valuation | Portfolio management |
| Duration | Two exams on same day of three hours each | Two exams on same day of three hours each | Two exams on same day of three hours each |
Exam Center Locations
244 Countires across the globe – Including Major countries such as India, USA, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada etc.
Check out the test locations in your country on the official website of CFA institute
CFA Exam Scholarships
At present, following scholarships are offered by CFA Institute:
- Access Scholarship: For those who may be unable to afford the full price for the CFA Program enrollment and exam registration.
- Women’s Scholarship: For women who do not qualify for other scholarships and have not yet registered for their next exam.
- Student Scholarship: For students who attend one of our Affiliated Universities.
- Professor Scholarship: For full-time college or university professor.
- Regulator Scholarship: For full-time, qualified employees of non-profit entities.
- Media Scholarship: For full time employees of media organizations.
Salary of a CFA Charterholder
Salary of a CFA Charterholder Varies across countries, Industries and Designations. The Average Salary of a CFA charterholder in Major countries is as follows –
- India – Rs 914K
- United States – $89K
- United kingdom – £49,355
- Singapore – S$98K
- United Arab Emirates (UAE) – AED 207K
Source : Payscale
Frequently asked Questions (FAQs) –
Salary of a CFA Charterholder Varies across countries, Industries and Designations. According to Payscale, the Average Salary of a CFA Charterholder is $89,000 in US and Rs.9,14,000 in India.
The CFA charterholders majorly work in profiles such as Credit Analysis, Equity Research, Mergers and Acquisitions, Portfolio Management etc.
A CFA Charter is offered by the CFA Institute to a candidate who has successfully passed all the three levels of CFA exam, and has at least four years of professional investment experience.
Initial enrollment fees for CFA Exam is $450 USD. The additional fees for each Level of CFA is $700 USD for Early Registration, $1,000 USD for Standard Registration and $1,450 USD for Late Registration.
