CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Course

If you are someone who wishes to become an investment professional, then the CFA course is the perfect choice for you. CFA full form is Chartered Financial Analyst. If you are good at mathematics and want to make good use of your knowledge, then just get admission into the CFA course. It is all about investment management and finance management. This course is offered by the CFA Institute of India. This is a course of four years, but there are colleges that offer you a course of one and a half years as well. It is a three-level course for graduates.

Quick Overview - Chartered Financial Analyst

Particulars Details
Course Name CFA
Full Form Chartered Financial Analyst
Course Type Graduation
Duration 1.5 Year - 4 Year
Eligibility Criteria Graduation

If you are able to complete the course, then the credential that you receive after the course will be internationally accepted. You will have to pay a course fee of Rs 40,000 to Rs 1,50,000 depending on the college that you are selecting. The salary of a CFA professional is quite good. You can earn something between Rs 6,50,000 to Rs 40,00,000, and that is quite a good earning for anyone. 

CFA Course Eligibility Criteria:

  • One should have completed the 10+2 standard for becoming a CFA course. 
  • It is also important to make sure that you have completed your graduation. It can be in any stream, but make sure that it is a full-time course. 
  • You should have either completed the course or should be in the final year of graduation to take up this course. 
  • You should also have work experience of at least four years in the financial sector for getting admission in the course. 

Reasons for pursuing CFA Course

CFA or Chartered Financial Analyst is one of the most well-known professional courses for commerce aspirants. Like CA and CS professionals, a CFA holder can easily earn Rs. 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 monthly. There is a huge demand for CFA holders in different financial corporations sectors, as the field offers numerous employment chances. Besides these reasons, some other reasons are as follow:

Worldwide Acceptance – CFA certificate has global recognition and is accepted in over 165 countries worldwide. Like CA and CS certificates, CFA has its own professional's standard qualification for the investment world.

Employment Opportunities in the Financial Sector -  Due to the rapid development of the Finance market, the demand for CFA professionals has increased a lot. The upcoming marketing strategies and investment tricks are entitled to the finance sector, as a result, an enlarge employment possibilities for CFA holders in the future.

Chance of rapid growth – Student opt. for CFA will prepare in such a manner to compete with finance challenges. By doing this course, graduates will be getting hired in top-notch positions in the financial business. The topmost leading financial institutions include HSBC, Wells Fargo, UBS, RBC, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, etc hired eligible CFA aspirants for their various departments. Being a part of such companies, would not only provide self-satisfaction but also provide students to enjoy successful career growth.

Perks and Salary Packages - On successful completion of the course, students with a CFA certificate can easily make INR 3, 50,000 to INR 35, 00,000 annually. As per the CFA Institute, a CFA graduate may expect to earn about INR 94, 00,000 on the international platform.

Enhance Financial and Market Skill –The course allows candidates to attain the essential skills and abilities required to become successful in the financial sector. Various important subjects of the CFA programme include derivatives, wealth planning, portfolio management, alternative investments, corporate finance helps the aspirant to get a better understanding of the financial field & its aspects.

Golden opportunity to be a member of a higher-class alumni network – CFA is considered a typical certification course like CA and CS, thus very few aspirants can clear it with good aggregates. Presently, there are only 1, 78,000 CFA professionals from 162 countries globally. Having such type of golden opportunity would not help the aspirant to be a part of reputed companies, but also help the aspirant to seek a glorious chance for career growth. Today, the course makes a special place among all commerce aspirants. With 7% of increment, a CFA holder has been working these days in the finance field.

Private Enterprises Option – CFA course is designed in such a manner to taught candidates with skill-set and adequate knowledge. Through a better understanding of finance concepts, a CFA certificate holder can run their consultancy firms. They will become financial professionals to offer advice to a needy person.

Who should opt for the CFA course?

The CFA course requires a lot of effort and the ability to complete difficult tasks with the respected field. Students should be eligible for CFA courses as well as they need to fulfil the below-mentioned criteria:

  • Students having four years of experience in a relevant field can take up the CFA course.
  • CFA course is slightly expensive than CS and CA thus collect financial resources for the course. The maximum fee of this course is around Rs. 1, 90,000 to Rs. 5, 86,000
  • For the completion, of course, candidates have to be more focused and dedicate regarding studying hours.

What is the admission process of the CFA course?

The admission process for the CFA course can vary from other UG and PG level courses, as it is a professional certification course; candidates have to clear different levels. The best thing about the CFA course is that there is no entrance exam for its admission process. Before beginning, you need to register yourself with the respective CFA institute. Along with this, candidates are required to fulfil all eligibility requirements. The following steps related admission process will you to know how you to take admission into the CFA course.

  1. The admission to the CFA certificate programme is based on the score of aspirants obtained in their qualifying examination. Then, a merit list will prepare based on student performance.
  2. Students should have passed their graduation degree and complete their working period to get the necessary work experience for being eligible for the CFA admission.
  3. Before the enrollment of CFA examinations, you need to create a valid account on the official website of the CFA institution.
  4. They can also apply for scholarships during the registrations process.
  5. Students can choose the various exam cycles as per their convenience for the different levels of the CFA exam.
  6. Before moving to the next level, candidates must clear the previous level.

Top Institutes for CFA Course in India

S.No. Colleges Name Location Total No. of Seats Total fees(estimated)
1 Central India Institute of Management Studies  Jabalpur 200 Rs. 32, 500
2 Narayana Business School  Ahmedabad 350 Rs. 1,25,000
3 International College of Financial Planning  New Delhi 500 Rs. 45,000
4 Shri Chimanbhai Patel Institute of Professional Training  Ahmedabad 432 Rs. 65,000
5 International College of Financial Planning  Mumbai 430 Rs. 40,000

CFA Syllabus

The course syllabus is divided into different levels – Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. These levels revolve around 10 core topics. Thus CFA includes various subjects and topics. Some of them are:

  • Macroeconomics
  • The Investment Industry
  • Financial Statements
  • Investment Professionalism
  • Derivatives
  • Ethics and Regulations
  • Microeconomics
  • Equity Securities
  • Quantitative Concepts
  • Economics of International Trade
  • Alternative Investments
  • Debt Securities
  • Performance Evaluation
  • Investment Management
  • The functioning of Financial Markets
  • Structure of the Investment Industry
  • Investment Vehicles
  • Alternative Investments
  • Investment Industry Documentary
  • Risk Management
  • Investors and their Needs, etc.

Top Recruiter for CFA course

A CFA holder got hired in the following companies:

  • Hindustan Unilever
  • JP Morgan and Co
  • The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
  • Aditya Sun Life
  • SBI Bank
  • HDFC Bank
  • EmamiAgrotech Ltd, etc.

Job Roles

A CFA graduate can work as an Investment Manager/ Market Research Analyst/ Business Consultant/ Portfolio Manager/ Private Bankers/ Chartered Financial Analyst/ Risk Manager and among others.

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