CFA® Exam Access Scholarship Eligibility: Am I Eligible?

CFA exam / Scholarships / ACCESS SCHOLARSHIP

1. CFA Exam Access Scholarship Eligibility
2. Access Scholarship Criteria: Who Can Apply?
3. Do You Meet CFA Program Enrollment Criteria?
4. CFA Exam Access Scholarship Rules
5. Key Takeaways for Access Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

CFA Exam Access Scholarship Eligibility

To be eligible for the CFA exam Access Scholarship, you must meet the CFA Program enrollment requirements and demonstrate financial need. These are the two basic Access Scholarship eligibility criteria determining whether you can apply for the scholarship.

There are also some additional Access Scholarship eligibility requirements like, for example, you must not be financially supported by your employer in your CFA Program participation.

So, to apply for the Access Scholarship, you must meet some specific qualification criteria such as:

• Financial need
• Meeting CFA Program enrollment conditions
• Lack of employer's support in the CFA Program participation

That's what CFA Institute says about the eligibility requirements: "Applicants must meet the enrollment criteria and requirements for the CFA Program. For full eligibility requirements, please review the Access Scholarship Rules."

What does it mean for you?

There's more to the Access Scholarship eligibility criteria than the 3 points above. Read on to learn the details.

CFA Exam Access Scholarship Criteria: Who Can Apply?

CFA Institute clearly defines who's eligible for Access Scholarship and who's not. Candidates who are in financial need and meet the CFA Program requirements are eligible to apply. However, there are also some restrictions.

You are eligible for Access Scholarship if:

• you could use some financial assistance to afford your CFA exam,
• you meet the CFA Program enrollment requirements,
• you're not yet registered for your CFA exam, and
• your employer does not financially support your participation in the CFA Program.

That you surely must know if you're applying for your first Access Scholarship. But be careful especially if it's your next scholarship application because the requirements get more rigorous.

You are ineligible for Access Scholarship if:

• you have already registered for your CFA exam,
• your employer financially supports your participation in the CFA Program, but also if:
• you're still waiting for your CFA exam results,
• you were awarded an Access Scholarship once but then failed to use it,
• you already received two scholarships for the same CFA exam level but still didn't quite make it to pass even at the second attempt.

If you’re planning to apply for an Access Scholarship, check all the CFA exam eligibility requirements before you apply for your scholarship to ensure that you qualify.

Do You Meet CFA Program Enrollment Criteria?

CFA Program enrollment criteria and requirements determine whether you can enter the CFA Program and, by extension, apply for an Access Scholarship. If you meet these requirements and have a financial need, you can proceed with your scholarship application.

To enroll in the CFA Program, you must meet the following criteria:

• Education: Have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) or be within 23 months of graduation. If you pass your level 1 CFA exam, you must be within 11 months of graduation to sit for your level 2 CFA exam and must earn your degree in time for your level 3 CFA exam.
• Work Experience: Have at least 4,000 hours of professional work experience and/or higher education over a minimum of 3 sequential years (education and work cannot overlap; one year of higher education is assumed to be 1,000 hours).

There are also some additional CFA Program entrance requirements and they include:

• Knowledge of English: The CFA exam and CFA Program curriculum are in English, so you should have a strong command of the language.
• Place of Residence & International Passport: You must reside in a participating country (most countries qualify, except those excluded by the US OFAC policy) and have a valid international passport to register.
• Professional Conduct: You must adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Upon registering, you must submit a Professional Conduct Statement disclosing any relevant reprimands, investigations, or litigations.

If you qualify to enroll in the CFA Program and meet the appropriate eligibility criteria, it's time you get your CFA exam Access Scholarship application ready.

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CFA Exam Access Scholarship Rules

CFA exam Access Scholarship rules define not only the scholarship eligibility criteria but also some additional conditions. These rules ensure that scholarships are awarded fairly and transparently.

Key Rules for CFA Exam Access Scholarship

1. Valid for One Exam Only – If you receive your Access Scholarship, remember that it applies only to the specific CFA exam for which it was granted.
2. Register after You Are Awarded – If you register and pay for your CFA exam while your scholarship application is pending, this will prove you can pay the fees, and your application will be voided.
3. No Refunds or Transfers – Once awarded, the scholarship cannot be transferred or refunded.
4. No Deferrals – Once you've been awarded a scholarship, you can't defer your CFA exam unless it’s an emergency (and CFA Institute approves it).
5. Employer Sponsorship Restriction – If your employer financially supports you in the CFA Program, you can't apply for an Access Scholarship.

For more details on the Access Scholarship rules, visit our explanation of the key CFA exam Access Scholarship rules.

Key Takeaways for Access Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Both rule-based scholarship eligibility criteria and CFA Program enrollment requirements are equally important for Access Scholarship applicants.

Here are the most important things to remember about the CFA Program Access Scholarship:

• The CFA exam Access Scholarship is needs-based and considers financial constraints.
• You must meet the CFA Program enrollment criteria to apply.
• Your employer must not cover your CFA Program costs if you wish to qualify.
• Scholarship applications follow strict deadlines and cannot be transferred.
• If awarded, the scholarship must be used for the intended CFA exam cycle.
• Also, remember not to proceed with your CFA exam registration before you know whether you've been awarded a scholarship or not. Register after CFA Institute notifies you of the decision.

PUBLISHED: March 6, 2025

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