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After you graduate become a CFA – the rock star of Finance

The Chartered Financial Analyst Institute's CFA Program is considered the financial analyst industry's most rigorous professional certification. Otago's Finance curriculum is well-suited to students intending to sit CFA examinations.

The CFA course is divided into three levels. The Program is based on self-directed study. Candidates must complete about 300 hours of study over 18 weeks.

Every year more than 100,000 candidates participate in the Program around the world, of which only half pass. It is highly valued by influential financial organisations including Barclays, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase & Co, UBS AG, Forsyth Barr and AXA.

To learn more about the CFA Program, visit the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute website:

CFA Program – CFA Institute website

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) requirements

The University of Otago is a participant in the University Affiliation Program (UAP) and is granted a certain number of CFA Program student scholarships to award to final year students to register in the CFA designation exams.

This means that Otago's Finance curriculum is closely tied to professional practice, and is well-suited to students preparing to sit CFA exams.

Read the 2022 Course Planner (PDF) if you started studying finance in 2022 or later, the 2019 Course Planner (PDF) if you started studying finance in 2017–2021, or read the 2015-2016 Course Planner (PDF) if you were a student before 2017, for the optimal combination of papers that can be taken in an Otago BCom majoring in Finance, to maximise content coverage for the Level 1 CFA exam.

Visit the CFA Institute website to find out more about the CFA programme.

The CFA Program and the BCom (Finance) at Otago

Otago's Finance curriculum is closely tied to professional practice, and is well-suited to students preparing to sit CFA exams.

For advice on choosing the combination of papers that will best prepare you for the Level 1 CFA exam, refer to the Planning your BCom (Finance) page:

Planning your BCom (Finance)

CFA scholarship at Otago

The CFA scholarship waives the registration fee and reduces the cost of enrolling for the Level 1 CFA exam.

CFA scholarship for Otago students

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