Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a reputed position in the finance and investment sector. Recognized in about 165 countries, CFA has been training candidates in the investment field since 1947. Candidates who wish to pursue the lucrative position of CFA should know in detail what is the CFA course and its related details.
Eligibility to Pursue CFA
The very first thing that you should know for cfa course details in India is the eligibility to pursue the course. There are some specific eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfill to pursue the course.
- Graduate students are eligible if they have an accounting background
- Working professionals from the investment field can also pursue the course
- This course is also perfect for professors teaching to finance students
- Also, the CFA course is for candidates with higher degrees like an MBA in finance.
CFA syllabus
The CFA course has three parts or levels that the students have to pass. There are 10 subjects but the intensity of understanding of these subjects increases with each level. The 10 subjects that the CFA course focuses on are:
- Ethical and Professional Standards
- Quantitative Methods
- Economics
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Corporate Finance
- Equity Investments
- Fixed Income
- Derivatives
- Alternative Investments
- Portfolio management and Wealth Planning
The aim of the CFA course is to train the aspirants in the accounting knowledge and professional skills to enable them make decisions based on strategic decision making.
CFA Exam Details
CFA offers the flexibility of appearing in the exam to all its applicants. So, it conducts exams four times a year. Candidates can choose to appear in exams at different times of the year which are February, May, August, and November.
The CFA exams are considered difficult because all the level exams are different from each other. All the level exams are divided into two parts and each part lasts for 132 minutes. The exams take place on a single day and the candidates can choose whether they wish to take a break in between or not.
CFA Level 1 is considered the easiest because it has all the MCQ questions based on the syllabus to answer.
CFA Level 2 also offers MCQ questions but these questions are based on given case studies. The paper has 21 case studies based on which the candidates have to answer objective questions.
CFA Level is the most difficult level where again the paper will have case studies based on which there will be a combination of MCQ questions and essay-type questions.
CFA Course Fee
The CFA fee structure consists of a range of elements. The very element that the candidates have to pay is the enrollment fee to the CFA course that is $450. For each exam, the candidates will have to pay exam registration fees. If the candidate pays the exam registration early, the fee will be $700 but candidates who are registering late will have to pay $1450.
The CFA exam board also offers financial support to candidates who wish to pursue the CFA course in the form of scholarships. Once you have got the CFA course explained, you should also explore scholarship options for financial support.
Some of the scholarship options that you can come across are:
- Access Scholarship
- Women’s Scholarship
- Student Scholarship
- Professor Scholarship
- Regulator Scholarship
Different scholarship options require different eligibility. So, you should explore them in detail to get their benefits efficiently.
CFA Career Opportunities in India
CFA is considered one of the lucrative career options worldwide. Candidates who are CFA certified in India get opportunities in some of the popular multinational companies in India. The CFA course opens some of the most influential opportunities for candidates like these:
- Risk Manager
- Portfolio Manager
- Research Analyst
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Corporate Financial Analyst
CFA-certified candidates get the opportunity to be a part of some of the best multinational companies like Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, JP Morgan, and Deutsche Bank.
The professional course does not just offer global exposure and reputable career opportunities but also promises handsome salary packages. A CFA in India is known to earn almost similar to that of a CA. The starting salary of a fresher may range between Rs. 1 lacs per annum to Rs. lacs per annum depending upon their work experience, skills, and other factors. A highly experienced candidate with a CFA certificate may even get a salary package of Rs. 21 lacs per annum or even more.
Conclusion
CFA is one of the lucrative career opportunities in finance and accounting that is almost equivalent to CA. One of the best ways to pursue CFA is to enroll in the best coaching center. Zell Education will help you in understanding what is CFA and also in registering into the course and the exams. Zell has a team of CFA qualified faculties to offer you professional training and job assistance after the course.
