Pay less for the CFA exams with an official scholarship.
Three official scholarships can bring your exam fee down to USD 400 per level. See who qualifies — and check your eligibility in seconds.
- 1ApplyIn the CFA Institute portal, on a computer, during your exam’s window.
- 2DecisionBy email, about four weeks after the window closes.
- 3Reduced feeApplied automatically at checkout when you register.
Check your scholarship eligibility.
Answer a few quick questions to find out which CFA scholarships you may qualify for and how to apply.
What you pay with and without a scholarship.
For a self-funded candidate, the registration fee is often the real barrier — which is exactly what these scholarships remove.
Student and Professor awards bring the fee to USD 600 per level. Fees are billed in US dollars by CFA Institute; rupee figures are approximate and move with the exchange rate. A scholarship changes only what you pay — the exam, curriculum and charter are identical. Always confirm current fees before registering.
Three scholarships, different rules.
CFA Institute runs three programs — find the one that fits you.
Access Scholarship
For candidates who would genuinely struggle to afford the full fee. Awarded on financial need.
- Need-based — no GPA or transcript
- Open worldwide, Levels I–III
- Short financial-need statement required
Student Scholarship
For students enrolled at a university in CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program (UAP).
- Must attend a UAP-affiliated university
- Proof of enrolment required
- Longer application window than Access
Professor Scholarship
For full-time professors or department heads teaching a minimum number of credit hours at a qualifying institution.
- Full-time teaching role required
- Minimum credit-hour threshold
- Employment verification needed
When to apply.
Access opens four times a year, each tied to one exam sitting. Apply during the window for the exam you plan to take — the award is valid for that cycle only.
Are you eligible?
Rules differ slightly by scholarship, but these apply across all of them.
You can generally apply if…
- You meet the standard entry requirements for the CFA Program.
- You are not currently registered for an exam.
- You can show financial need (Access), university enrolment (Student) or a qualifying teaching role (Professor).
You cannot apply if…
- You’re already registered for an exam or waiting on a result.
- You received a scholarship after 1 Sep 2024 and never used it.
- You already have an open application — only one can be open at a time.
Not sure which one you qualify for?
Tell us where you are in your CFA journey and we’ll point you to the right scholarship and remind you before your window closes.
- A personal read on which scholarship fits you
- Deadline reminders so you never miss a window
- Plain-English tips to make your application stronger
You’re in.
We’ve got your details. Check your inbox shortly for your eligibility read and your next deadline reminder.
Frequently asked questions.
Access lowers the exam registration fee to USD 400 per level, Practice Pack included — roughly $2,300–$3,400 across all three levels. Student and Professor awards bring it to USD 600 per level.
Any candidate, at any level, anywhere in the world. Access is awarded on financial need — no minimum GPA, transcript or membership required — and you submit a short financial-need statement.
For Access, by email roughly four weeks after the application window closes. Decisions are made by CFA Institute and are final.
No. Only one application can be open at a time, and only one scholarship applies per exam registration — they can’t be combined.
Yes. An award covers one exam cycle, so you apply again during the window for the next exam you plan to sit. A strong need statement can be refined and reused.
No. The Women’s and Regulator scholarships were discontinued from the 2025 cycle. If a site still lists them it is out of date — consider Access or Student instead.
Use your single CFA Institute account at cfainstitute.org — your application and its status appear there, and the decision arrives by email. Apply on a computer, not a phone.