I was recently asked for advice by a friend who was considering taking up CFA Level I. He had just accepted a new job offer and the CFA qualification was looking very strategic for him.
I went through the basics of what the CFA exams were like, what do you get from the exams and qualifications, basic things he should know before starting. But most importantly, I found myself repeating something that I felt important enough to make this the focus of my post today: whether you decide to sign up or not, make sure you decide by the second CFA registration deadline.
Three deadlines to register for the CFA exams, and it gets more expensive the later you leave it
The deadline schedule usually goes something like this:
Deadline
|
First Deadline
|
Second Deadline
|
Third Deadline
|
CFA June 2020
Dates and Fees |
2 October 2019
USD 450* + USD 700 |
12 February 2020
USD 450* + USD 1,000 |
11 March 2020
USD 450* + USD 1,450 |
CFA December 2020
Dates and Fees |
25 March 2020
USD 450* + USD 700 |
19 August 2020
USD 450* + USD 1,000 |
9 September 2020
USD 450* + USD 1,450 |
Why it is important to register for the CFA exams by the second deadline
1. The fee increase goes up significantly after the second deadline.
2. You NEED to commit to the CFA exams with 3 months to seriously study.
Deciding by the third deadline only leaves you 2+ months to study (less than that if you have to wait for your materials to arrive), and while it’s possible, it drastically reduces your chances of passing.
If you’re serious about the exams, commit by the second deadline at the latest. Have you registered? Let me know in the comments below!
Why December 2019 has flat fees for all three deadlines ?
Apologies – updated with the latest fees!