To become a CFA charter holder:

• Enter the CFA Program
• Study for and pass the three levels of exams
• Become a regular member of CFA Institute (required to receive your charter)
Maintain your charter holder status

The CFA programme is organized into three levels, each culminating in a six-hour exam. Completing the Program takes most candidates between two and five years (there is no limit to the number of times you can take each exam), but you can take as much time as you need.

Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK)

The primary goal of the CFA programme is to enable you to become an effective investment professional by teaching you the basic concepts and principles in 10 major topic areas, as determined by the Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK).

Practice Analysis

The CBOK is grounded in practice, meaning that panels and surveys of thousands of current investment professionals across the world have determined the knowledge, skills and abilities you'll need to succeed in the workplace.

Curriculum

As each examination question is based explicitly on the curriculum, you should emphasize mastery of the most current curriculum content in your study program.

The curriculum for each of the three levels is organized into 18 study sessions. Each study session contains assigned readings, learning outcome statements (LOS), and problem sets (to demonstrate practical application of your knowledge).

Sample examinations offer a timed environment to mimic the actual testing experience, and answers are provided immediately after each question. Sample examinations are intended to be taken during your studies, after you have worked through the complete curriculum at least once, but before you take the mock examination.

Mock examinations test your readiness at the end of your preparation. Answers are provided at the end of the examination, with detailed discussions, LOS and curriculum page references.