If you are considering registering for CFA, you have to know that there are a few documents required for CFA registration. What are those? Is a passport required for CFA registration? Go check out the answer to the question below.
For those who are wondering if a password is required for CFA registration, the short answer to the question is yes. Passport is required for CFA registration. However, it is worth noting that the kind of password that is required is an international travel password as it is the valid one.
One of the requirements to take the CFA exam is to have a valid international travel password. If you are wondering if you can still register when your international travel passport expires before your exam date, there is a chance for you to be able to do that. However, if it is the case, it is a must for you to renew and update your account credentials with the new information. There will be no way for you to be able to take the exam if the information in your account does not match the details on your password or if your password is expired. Talking about the international travel passport, there are a few things that should be visible and included on your password, including county or region issuance, passport number, date of birth, date of expiration, and machine-readable data.
Apparently, the United Nations agency ICAO has determined that every non machine-readable passport is considered as of November 24, 2015. It means international travel passports that are not machine-readable will be considered invalid for entry into the CFA exam and they include handwritten passports.
Take note that there are two lines of text in a machine readable password as letters, numbers and chevrons (<<<<<) at the bottom of the data page (the page that has your photo and personal information) of your passport.
Actually, it is not the real international travel passport that is required for CFA registration. Rather than a real one, it is the scanned copy one. In fact, the scanned copy of a valid international travel passport is not the only required document for CFA registration. Aside from that, the other ones include:
- Scanned copy of your graduation mark sheet
- Scanned copy of your graduation degree
- Scanned copy of your sign
- Scanned copy of your passport size photo
It means there are a total of five documents that are required for CFA registration, along with the scanned of valid international travel passports. As a candidate who is going to apply for the registration of CFA Level 1 exam, you are suggested to keep ready the required documents as per the prescribed size and formats.
Apparently, a valid international travel password is also included in the qualifications to start the CFA program. However, it is not the only one. Apart from that, the other ones include:
- Educational requirements
There are two options offered by the CFA for the candidates, as follows:
- Bachelor’s Degree: It is a must for you to have completed a Bachelor’s or equivalent program and hold a college or university degree. Please reach out to your college or university in case you are not sure if your program is comparable.
- Undergraduate Student: It is a must for your selected exam window to be 11 months or less before your bachelor’s degree or equivalent program’s graduation month. Make sure to finish your degree program before taking your Level 2 exam.
- Professional work experience
Before registering for the CFA Level 1 exam, it is a must for the candidate like you to have about 4,000 hours of work experience or higher education acquired more than three years. Besides, you should also make sure that your education and work experience timelines do not overlap.
What is professional work experience? Professional work experience is the kind of thing that requires specialized knowledge, education, or advanced skills. This one involves the application of higher level judgment and business skills, such as leadership and teamwork, business communications, critical thinking and problem solving, time management, professional judgment, analytical skills, and adaptability.
It is actually possible for the CFA Institute to request proof of education, such as a copy of diploma, mark sheet or other relevant documents, or work experience, such as letter of employment, salary slips, or other relevant documents, at any time after registration. They usually do that to ensure that all the candidates meet all the entrance requirements. If you fail to provide all the requested documentation, the current exam registration may be cancelled, the exam results may be withheld, and there may be disciplinary action by the CFA Institute Professional Conduct Program.
- English proficiency
Not only the knowledge of the CFAI curriculum, the exams are also known as the test of clear communication and self-expression. Due to the fact that the exam is all in English, knowledge and content of the language is really important. They are especially important with an essay format in the Level 3 that requires strong writing skills, including proper sentence construction and concise responses is imperative to practice and master.
- Professional conduct
In order to ensure the integrity of CFA Institute membership, designations, and exam programs, CFA Institute upholds the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct (Code and Standards). There is the Professional Conduct Program that oversees the disciplinary process at CFAI for conducting investigations into allegations, determining violations, imposing sanctions, conducting disciplinary proceedings, and disclosing violations.
- Countries eligible for CFA
As a US corporation, CFAI follows the rules given by the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control or OFAC. These rules prohibit US institutions from doing business in a few countries and with specific individuals and entities. These countries that are included in the list are Cuba, North Korea, Syria, and Ukraine’s Crimea region.
If you are considering registering a CFAI program but you work outside the United States, before doing so, you are suggested to look up your employer name on the OFAC SDN list.
