Graduation is the minimum requirement to register for Chartered Financial Analyst programme. Candidates are required to clear the three level exam conducted by the CFA institute. Of these, Level I exam will contain objective type questions and other two papers will contain essay type questions/ case studies. In India, the exams are conducted in Chennai, Pune and Delhi. Candidates who have the designation of CFA charter holder can seek attractive jobs in financial sector overseas.

Eligibility Criterion

Candidates who wish to become a CFA charter holder are required to have graduation in any discipline from a recognized University. Those who are in final year of graduation and awaiting results are also eligible to register for this course. Candidates who have a minimum of three to four year experience will be given preference. Candidates should have good written communication skill in English Language. In addition to this, candidates are required to have a valid passport as well.

Application Procedure

Eligible candidates are required to apply online through the official website of CFA institute. Candidates can decide the date of exam while filling up the registration form. They are required to pay one time enrollment fees and exam registration fees. Payment should be made online and in US Dollars. Detailed fee structure can be obtained from the official website of the institute. Those who have successfully remitted the registration fees will receive e-books and related study materials via e mail. Candidates are required to make necessary arrangements for obtaining travel visa so as to reach the exam centers.

Exam Pattern of CFA

Candidates are required to clear three level exams so as to become Chartered Financial Analyst. Medium of instructions will be in English Language. Exam I comprises of two papers. There will be objective type multiple choice questions in this exam. Each paper contains 120 questions and the time limit allotted for the entire test is 6 hours. Candidates can appear for this exam until they clear it. Those who have cleared level I exam are eligible to appear for Level II exam. This exam contains 10 case studies which should be completed in three hours. Questions will be based on certain concepts and applications prescribed in the syllabus.

There will be 10 to 15 questions in level III exam. There will be descriptive type questions from topics such as Portfolio Management, Ethical and Professional Standards, Equity Investments, Derivatives and Quantitative Methods. Maximum time allotted to complete the test is 6 hours.

Those who have cleared this exam will have to register for affiliate membership of CFA institute. Those who have got the CFA designation can apply for suitable jobs in the investment field. They can work as financial analyst or independent investment consultant.