Research Challenge

CFA Institute Research Challenge

The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that connects university students with investment professionals from within the CFA Society® network. The competition provides students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and ethics and tests participants' analytical, valuation, reporting writing, and presentation skills.

Members of our society, along with a faculty advisor and an industry mentor, work with teams of students to value a stock, write a research report, and present their recommendations. Teams then compete with peers from other schools at local-level competitions organized and judged by CFA Society members and volunteers. The winning university team(s) from each local competition then advances to see who will become the sub-regional, regional, and global champions. 

Learn more and read FAQs See the schedule and get involved

Volunteer Grader Needed

CFA Society Calgary is seeking volunteer graders for the 2027 CFA Institute Research Challenge Canadian Prairies Competition, and CFA Society Winnipeg has been invited to help identify qualified volunteers. The event will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
 
The CFA Institute Research Challenge provides university students with hands-on experience conducting equity research, writing investment reports, and presenting their recommendations. As a grader, you will have the opportunity to support the development of future investment professionals while contributing to one of CFA Institute's flagship educational programs.
 
Volunteer Requirements
  • Must be a CFA Charterholder.
Time Commitment
  • Grading is performed remotely. Reports will be distributed by email in early January 2027.
  • Volunteers will have approximately two weeks to complete their reviews.
  • Expect to spend roughly two hours per report, including providing feedback.
  • Most graders review three to four reports.
This is an excellent opportunity to give back to the profession, engage with the CFA community, and provide meaningful feedback to students participating in this prestigious competition.
 
If you are interested in volunteering as a grader, please reply to this email by 30 October 2026 and include your preferred email address for correspondence.
 
Thank you for considering this opportunity to support the local CFA Institute Research Challenge and the next generation of investment professionals.
 
Kind regards,
 
CFA Society Winnipeg
University Relations Chair
Eva Swan
P.O. Box 2684
Winnipeg Manitoba R3C 4B3
Canada
Phone: 204-471-3640

Contact Us

Canadian Prairie Region Research Challenge

The Canadian Prairies local competition will be in held in-person in Calgary, Alberta. 

  • Please review the Official Rules to determine team composition, eligibility, rules for faculty advisors and industry mentors, and more.
  • Following the local competition, the CFA Institute will act as the host for the sub-regional, regional semifinal, regional, and global level competitions.
  • Local winner(s) will advance to the sub-regional round where they will be evaluated based upon a recorded 10-minute presentation and their written report will be graded. There is no Q&A period for sub-regionals.
  • Sub-regional winners advance to the regional semifinal level. During the regional semifinal round, teams will be randomly assigned to semifinal breakouts. Teams will advance from the semifinal breakouts to the regional final. Two regional winners per region will advance to the global round.
  • The regional and global rounds will involve presenting live with judges who will ask questions in real time.
  • The global champion will receive a scholarship for their university in the amount of USD 10,000. 

We are still finalizing the details for the Canadian Prairies local competition.

Event details will be posted as soon as teams are confirmed. 

CFA Institute Research Challenge Official Rules

CFA Research Challenge Timeline: 

October 2, 2026

Confirm participation with CFA Society Calgary, by return email

October 2026 TBD

Company Presentation to teams

October 2026 TBD

Deadline for students and faculty advisors to register with CFA Institute

January 2027 TBD

Written reports due

February 5-7, 2027

Local Competition Calgary, AB (venue TBD)

March 2027 TBD

Sub-Regional

6 - 7 April 2027

Regional Semi Finals

8 - 9 April 2027

Regional Finals

May 2027 TBD

Global Finals (Week of 10 May 2027 in Singapore)