CFA® Exam Access Scholarship, Benefits & Deadline

CFA exam / Scholarships / ACCESS SCHOLARSHIP

1. CFA Exam Access Scholarship
2. CFA Exam Access Scholarship Deadline
3. Benefits of CFA Exam Access Scholarship
4. Access Scholarship vs Other CFA Program Scholarships
5. Key Takeaways for CFA Program Access Scholarship

CFA Exam Access Scholarship

When CFA Institute awards you an Access Scholarship, it means you'll pay a discounted fee of USD 400 during your CFA exam registration. CFA Institute offers Access Scholarship to candidates demonstrating financial need.

That's what CFA Institute says about the Access Scholarship: "The CFA Institute Access Scholarship Program is designed to make CFA® Program more accessible to individuals who may not be able to afford the full program fees while adhering to our mission and values."

It cannot be stressed enough.

This scholarship offers the biggest financial support for those who may have trouble affording the full CFA exam cost. If you qualify, your total CFA exam registration fee is reduced to just USD 400, including the enrollment fee. The scholarship is available to new and continuing candidates at all levels of the CFA exam.

You can apply for your Access Scholarship if you're about to take your level 1 CFA exam and then also at higher levels. Importantly, eligibility is determined based on financial need and a personal essay that highlights your situation and motivation to earn the CFA designation.

CFA Exam Access Scholarship Deadline

Access Scholarship has 4 application windows a year, one per each CFA exam. This means that candidates must apply for the scholarship corresponding to their chosen CFA exam. The deadlines are strict, and missing them means you won’t be able to benefit from the scholarship for the exam you choose to take.

Here are the 4 Access Scholarship deadlines applicants need to respect:

After applying, candidates will receive their scholarship decision 4-6 weeks after the application window closes. Results are sent via email and are always released before the early registration deadline.

If you're interested and eligible, you can find how your CFA exam Access Scholarship application should look like on our blog.

Benefits of CFA Exam Access Scholarship

Access Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship that provides a substantial discount to candidates who may otherwise struggle to pay for the CFA exam.

That's a huge benefit!

Unlike other CFA Program scholarships, the Access Scholarship is open to all candidates based on their financial needs and it is not limited only to college students or university professors.

Key Benefits of Access Scholarship:

• Reduces CFA exam registration to USD 400.
• Waives the one-time enrollment fee.
• Open to both new and continuing candidates.
• Available for level 1, level 2, and level 3 CFA exams.
• Transparent application process, with one scholarship application window corresponding to one exam registration window.

Remember that if you receive your scholarship, you must use it for the CFA exam you applied for. Failure to register, schedule, or sit for the exam results in losing eligibility for future scholarships.

The greatest benefit of Access Scholarship is that you can reduce your CFA exam cost significantly. So, there's enough motivation to use your scholarship when you get it!

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Access Scholarship vs Other CFA Program Scholarships

3 CFA Program scholarships are available in 2025:

• Access Scholarship (USD 400 fee)
• Student Scholarship (USD 600 fee)
• Professor Scholarship (USD 600 fee)

While the Access Scholarship offers the biggest cost reduction, the Student Scholarship and Professor Scholarship provide a discount for university-affiliated candidates.

Importantly, CFA Institute stops offering Women's Scholarship starting in 2025, which means that female candidates now need to apply under other available scholarships.

More details on CFA Program scholarships can be found at 2025 CFA Program scholarships.

Key Takeaways for CFA Program Access Scholarship

CFA exam Access Scholarship has many benefits for candidates seeking financial support.

• Access Scholarship reduces the CFA exam cost to USD 400 and waives the enrollment fee (if applicable).
• Access Scholarship is open to all levels of the CFA exam.
• Access Scholarship application requires both an application and a scholarship essay. Your personal statement can highly improve your chances of getting a scholarship.
• Access Scholarship has 4 application windows per year, which means that the scholarship is regularly available to CFA candidates.

Remember, however, that if you are awarded an Access Scholarship, you must use it for the specific exam you applied for. Plus, candidates who fail to use the scholarship become ineligible for future awards!

You can find out even more about Access Scholarship on our blog. Feel invited :)

PUBLISHED: Feb 28, 2025

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