Chartered Financial Analyst®

Study specific FAQs

• How much preparation would I need for each of the CFA® exams?
  CFA Institute recommends you devote a minimum of 250 hours study time for each level of the CFA® Program. This will vary from candidate to candidate based on your familiarity with the curriculum subject areas.

• Does an accounting qualification help?
  Yes. An accounting qualification does help as financial statement analysis has a weighting of around 25% at Level I, and between 20% and 30% at Level II. You should also note that the curriculum in this topic area is based on International GAAP with an element of US GAAP knowledge also required. If you are new to account, please consider attending the Introduction to Accounts course.

• What textbooks do I need to purchase to prepare for the exam?
  The study material that BPP provides has been written to comprehensively cover the entire curriculum at each level of the CFA Program. We have teamed up with Kaplan Schweser to provide a comprehensive package of text books, exams and online questions, supplemented by additional BPP material.

• How long are your CFA® courses?
  We offer an extensive range of course options and dates to suit your individual study needs and commitments. From weekday to Saturday, evening or even Financial Maths Booster courses, you can create your own highly targeted programme of study by purchasing the course tuition you need.

• What exactly does the course cover?
  The study materials that BPP provides comprehensively cover the 10 topics of the Body of Knowledge and all the Learning Outcome Statements. They work through the curriculum in a logical and systematic approach, providing you with helpful explanations to key concepts and useful solutions to the more interpretative areas of the syllabus.

• What is the study period for each exam?
  There's a vast amount of information to learn and understand for your exam so you should start your studies as early as possible. We offer courses up to 6 months before the exam and, don't forget, we're always here to offer advice, guidance, support and tips from the day you first enroll with us.

• Why is the pass rate so low?
  The global pass rate reflects the fact that the syllabus is very wide. Many people work very hard on the subjects but do not focus on the requirements of the exam. Our courses are always axam focused, ensuring that your time is spent productively.

• Why do I need two sets of books?
  The CFA books are the official books, and should be where you focus your studies. However, time constraints mean that most students prefer an exam - targeted approach with plenty of question practice, which is what the Schweser solution provides. The best approach is to mix the two, focusing in particular on the questions and examples in the CFA official curriculum.

• If I fail my exam do you provide a refresher course or will I need to take the whole course again?
  If you fail your exam for whatever reason, you can attend one of our many Revision Courses, in London and Edinburgh, towards the next exam sitting. These are designed to strengthen your knowledge of key curriculum areas, focus your studies on the subject areas you feel are your weakest and reinforce your exam technique with question practice and analysis. If you attend a classroom course with us and subsequently fail, you may be eligible to attend the course again free of charge under the Pass Assurance Scheme. Please see our website for more details.