FAQ

CFA Institute holds the exclusive authority for judging whether your professional work experience qualifies towards becoming a CFA charterholder, and not CFA Society Greece. We recommend you contact CFA Institute directly.
Click here to take the work experience self-assessment and here for guidance on how to describe your work experience.

I am a charterholder living abroad, but I am interested in joining CFA Society Greece. Is this possible?

As a Member of CFA Institute, you may join one or more societies any time you wish, as long as you pay the relevant membership fees. Click here to manage your memberships.

Can I become a member of CFA Society Greece if I am not a CFA charterholder?

Yes, this is possible. CFA Institute and CFA Society Greece offer two types of membership: regular and affiliated.

For regular membership, you must comply with CFA Institute's requirements.

To qualify for affiliate membership of CFA Institute and CFA Society Greece, you must:

Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution;
Fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

Have 48 months of acceptable professional work experience in the investment decision-making process;
Pass Level II of the CFA exam.

Support your application by two professional reference statements;
Agree to adhere to and/or sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, the OFAC Compliance Policy, and any additional documentation requested by CFA Institute;
Apply for membership in a CFA society. Society membership is required for affiliate membership;
Pay annual dues.

To apply for membership, click here.

What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?

The main difference between the types of membership is the voting rights. As an affiliate member, you are not entitled to vote in CFA Institute Board of Governor elections, nor in CFA Society Greece's elections or Annual General Meeting.

Do I need to apply separately for membership to CFA Institute and CFA Society Greece?

The application processes for applying to CFA Society Greece is part of the application process for CFA Institute, therefore you do not need to make a separate application.

To apply for membership, click here.

I'm not a member of CFA Society Greece, how can I receive updates about upcoming events?

By sending an email to info@cfa.gr with your interest in being added to our mailing list, your email address will be added to our "Candidates" (if you're currently registered for a CFA® Program exam) or "Friends" mailing list so that you may receive invitations for our events and some other notifications. Unfortunately, job posts are mainly targeted to our Members (CFA charterholders) but also Candidates sometimes.

If you enrol as a candidate or become a charterholder in the future, our mailing list will be updated accordingly.

Why should someone working in Greece pursue the CFA charter?

The greatest value of being a CFA charterholder is gaining knowledge in the field of finance to an extent that no academic degree or professional certificate can offer. While awareness of the CFA charter in Greece may not be as widespread as in other developed markets, over the last decade CFA Society Greece has worked tirelessly to bridge this gap; an increasing number of banks, investment companies, consulting firms, large corporates and other institutions include CFA® Program candidacy or CFA charterholder credential in their job ads. Furthermore, the CFA charter has been recognised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) and the Bank of Greece and CFA charterholders are entitled to the highest certificate of "Securities & Market Analyst" (certificate level "δ"), without having to sit for the examinations. HCMC and Bank of Greece certifications are compulsory for employees who are involved in investment-related departments. CFA Society Greece continues its effort to promote awareness and the benefits of the CFA charter in Greece, so that it can be recognized locally as the gold standard for investment professionals.

Am I eligible to register for the CFA® Program exams?

To become a CFA candidate, you must enrol in the CFA® Program and register for the Level I exam. In order to enrol you must meet all of the following qualifications:

Meet one of the following enrolment requirements:

Complete a bachelor's program or equivalent program and have received a degree from the college/university,
Be a final-year student of a bachelor's program or equivalent program on the date of enrolling for the Level I exam and becoming a candidate in the CFA® Program, or
Have a combination of four years (or 48 months) of full-time work experience and/or college/university education on the date of registering for the Level I exam. The dates of education and professional work experience cannot be overlapping. Candidates are required to have a total of four years sequentially.

Own an international travel passport
Be prepared to take the exams in English
Meet the professional conduct admission criteria
Live in a participating country.

For more information, visit the CFA Institute website.

I want to register for the exams, but I haven’t received my passport yet and the registration deadline is approaching. What should I do?

For all matters regarding the CFA® Program exams the responsible entity is CFA Institute and not CFA Society Greece, therefore we advise you to directly contact CFA Institute.

My passport information (e.g., number, legal name) has changed since I registered from the CFA® Program. What should I do?

For all matters regarding the CFA® Program exams the responsible entity is CFA Institute and not CFA Society Greece, therefore we advise you to directly contact CFA Institute.

You may also refer CFA Institute's policy regarding identification and name changes. We would advise to read carefully and follow the steps mentioned in the link as soon as possible to avoid any identification problems during the exams.

Can I take the exam if I don’t have a certificate of English proficiency?

CFA Institute does not require proof of proficiency in English. It is up to the discretion of the candidate to determine whether his/her comprehension of English is at an adequate level to take the exams.

Do I get a discount when I register because I already have the Level Ι books from previous years?

When you first registered for the CFA® Program, you paid the one-time enrollment fee of USD450. For every subsequent exam you register for, the registration fee will not include the enrollment fee. Registration costs vary depending on when you decide to register for the exam (early, standard or late). Please refer to CFA Institute's website for details on exam fees.

When you register for the exam, CFA Institute will provide you with the curriculum for the current year. It is best not to use the study books from previous years, as the curriculum changes.

How do I refund/withdraw/defer my registration?

For all matters regarding the CFA® Program exams the responsible entity is CFA Institute and not CFA Society Greece.

Please refer to CFA Institute’s website for the relevant information.

I’m trying to register for the CFA® Program exams but my debit card isn’t being processed. What should I do?

To the best of our knowledge, paying by credit card is the most common and preferred method of payment for enrollment purposes. Contact CFA Institute for more information

Which calculator can I use for the exams and where can I buy it?

Only two calculator models are authorized for use during CFA® Program exams:

Texas Instruments BA II Plus (including BA II Plus Professional) – (including older versions)
Hewlett Packard 12C (including the HP 12C Platinum, 12C Platinum 25th anniversary edition, 12C 30th anniversary edition, and HP 12C Prestige)

Please refer to CFA Institute's calculator policy.

You can purchase the Texas Instruments BA II Plus locally from Plaisio Computers, or order online through another website.

I need to make arrangements for hotel accommodations. Where exactly are the test centres?

The test centre locations are decided directly by the CFA Institute, in collaboration with the CBT testing partners. The exact location of the test centre you choose will be available during the exam scheduling process and on your exam admission ticket.

CFA Society Greece is not involved in the selection of test centres.

I would like some support in preparing for the CFA® Program exams. Are there prep courses offered in Greece?

CFA Society Greece, in cooperation with the Hellenic Bank Association, annually organizes an intensive review course and supports candidates in their preparation for the June exams. Currently, the courses are offered in person, in Athens. 2020 marks the 12^th consecutive year for the Level I exam and the 10^th consecutive year for the Level II exam review courses. CFA Society Greece is the only training provider to provide a review course for the Level III exam, now in its third consecutive year.

For more information on the review courses, please refer to the prep courses page of our website.

Will the Boston Mock Exam be organized this year?

The Boston Society Mock Exam (BSAS) is organized annually through CFA Society Greece for all exam levels. The announcement is usually made to all candidates in early May.

Will I receive a certificate now that I’ve passed Level I/Level II of the CFA® Program exams?

You will not be granted any certificate or title for passing Level I or II of the CFA® Program. The only award associated with the CFA® Program is the CFA charter which is only granted after passing all
three Level exams and meeting all the eligibility requirements concerning professional experience.

Can I take the Level II exam before taking Level I?

Exams must be taken in succession and only after you have passed the previous exam level. Meaning, you cannot register for Level II if you have not passed Level I, and cannot register for Level III if you have not passed Level II.

My university is an Affiliated University of CFA Institute; Am I entitled to any exemptions from the CFA® Program exams?

Your university’s recognition as an Affiliated University does not entitle you to any exemptions. The CFA® Program exams do not have any exemptions, under any circumstances whatsoever.

I hold the HCMC Level D Certification; am I entited to any exemptions from the CFA® Program exams?

The CFA® Program exams do not have any exemptions, under any circumstances whatsoever. Conversely, the CFA charter has been recognised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) and CFA charterholders are entitled to the highest certificate of "Securities & Market Analyst" (certificate level "δ"), without having to sit for the examinations held by the HCMC.

I hold the ACCA/CMT/CPA/CFE qualification; am I entitled to any exemptions from the CFA® Program exams?

The CFA® Program exams do not have any exemptions, under any circumstances whatsoever.

If I’ve passed one or all of the CFA® Program exams, am I entitled to any exemptions or waivers?

Your current or past participation in CFA Institute educational programs may enable you to waive certain requirements for other financial credentialing products, services, or organizations. Your current or past participation in the CFA® Program exams may enable you to a specific waiver such as Certification Program waiver or Graduate school waiver or Licensing Exam waiver differing among countries or regions. Currently in Greece, there are no applicable waivers.

Is my university an Affiliated University?

To determine if your university is part of CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program please refer to CFA Institute’s website.

Does CFA Institute offer scholarships?

CFA Institute offers scholarships for both CFA® Program and CIPM® Program candidates.

Scholarships are categorized as follows:

Access Scholarships: provide needs-based scholarship opportunities for those unable to afford the full price of the CFA® Program enrollment and registration fees.
Role-Based Scholarship: offered to key influencers in the media, academic, and financial communities, such as college/university faculty, college students affiliated with CFA Institute's University Affiliation Program schools, regulatory agencies, and media organization employees around the world.
Specific Scholarships in this category include: women's, student, professor, regulator, Media, and Society leaders
Role-Based Scholarships are also available for the CIPM® Program to students, professors, regulators, and Society leaders

For more information, visit CFA Institute's website.

Does CFA Society Greece offer any scholarships?

No, CFA Society Greece does not offer or administer any types of scholarships. Access Scholarships and Role-Based Scholarships are offered and administered by CFA Institute. CFA Society Greece's role in this process is to promote the scholarships to CFA® Program candidates and potential candidates.

I have recently graduated from university. Do I qualify for an academic scholarship?

CFA Institute offers 2 types of scholarships: Access Scholarships and Role-Based Scholarships. Full-time undergraduate students who are in their final year of study or full- or part-time graduate students at an Affiliated University and who meet the entrance requirements for the CFA® Program may be eligible to apply for role-based student scholarships.

Access scholarships are awarded to candidates who meet all CFA® Program enrollment requirements, primarily based on financial need.

Visit CFA Institute's website for more information on scholarships.

I have applied for a scholarship; when should I register for the CFA® Program exams?

Applicants must wait until scholarships are awarded before registering for the CFA exam. You cannot qualify for the scholarship if you have already registered for the exam, as it indicates that you do indeed have the ability to pay. However, if you do not receive the scholarship, you can receive a partial discount on the registration, so you do not pay the full late-registration fee.

FAQs

​I. Membership FAQs

II. Candidate FAQs

III. Scholarships FAQs

Why hasn’t my professional work experience been approved?

Does my professional work experience qualify to become a CFA charterholder?