Become a CFA charterholder
Take it to the next level
Position yourself as a leader in finance. The CFA designation is a powerful credential, recognized and respected throughout Canada and around the world. It attests to an outstanding academic career, the depth of your expertise and your professional standards and ethics.
In short, the designation reflects your ability to deal with the most complex financial and investment management challenges.
- A title that opens doors for you all over the world
- The possibility of a career in any market and within the most prestigious organizations in the world of finance.
- A recognized commitment to ethics and professionalism
- Advanced skills to make complex investment decisions
- Practical expertise in investment analysis and management
- Tools and resources for continuing education and career development
- A powerful global network of some of the best financial professionals in the industry
Montreal, a financial powerhouse
Montreal ranks 14th among the world's largest financial centres and is home to one of the largest communities of CFA charterholders in the world. They have excellent career opportunities in Montreal within approximately 3,000 organizations and 250 pension funds of various sizes in the city. As the epicentre of a highly proactive financial community connected to global trends transforming the industry, Montreal is also a key player in the emergence of new financial technologies (fintechs).
The CFA® Program
The CFA title is the highest distinction in the financial sector, a significant advantage that will serve you at all stages of your career. The designation is held by more than 190,000 professionals in 160 countries.
Learn more about six very important and positive enhancements to the CFA® Program: Evolution of the CFA Program.
- Program Eligibility to university students
- Focused Curriculum for 2024
- CFA Program Practice Pack Level I
- Practical Skills Modules
- Specialized Pathways for Level III
- Recognition of Success
Putting excellence within your reach
Several scholarship programs are available to support candidates in their efforts to achieve the CFA® designation.
CFA Institute Scholarships
CFA Montréal Scholarships
CFA Institute scholarships
CFA Institute has a variety of scholarships to allow more people to participate in the CFA Program. View the full list of scholarships or take advantage of the scholarship assessment tool to find the scholarship best suited for you.
CFA Montréal Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of its partners, CFA Montréal is giving out several scholarships per year to candidates registered to the CFA Program.
Key dates
- January 20 to March 1, 2024: Registrations
- March 12 to 15, 2024: Announcement of the scholarship’s recipients
- March 20, 2024: Grant of the scholarships during the event Discovery Day - Career in finance (Presence of the recipients recommended)
Note that any applications received after the deadline will not be processed.
Four scholarships offered by CDPQ
In its role as a major partner of CFA Montreal, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is making four $2,500 scholarships available to university students enrolled at a Montreal institution to back the Society’s initiatives to help up-and-coming investment professionals build their careers. Two will be earmarked specifically for female candidates to increase the proportion of women in the industry.
One scholarship offered by Adriana Arrillaga, CFA
A $3,000 scholarship established by Adriana Arrillaga, CFA, for a female CFA Candidate enrolled at Concordia's Goodman Institute of Investment Management and has succeeded in the CFA Level I exam.
Criteria
To be eligible for consideration, candidates must:
- Be enrolled in the winter session of 2024, either in the 2nd or 3rd year of a Bachelor of Commerce or B.A.A., specializing in finance, or in the 2nd or 3rd cycle.
- Be registered for one of the CFA Institute’s CFA exams that will take place before December 31, 2024, at the time the scholarship is disbursed.
- Based on your engagement in the finance community, explain why you are deserving of a scholarship in the form.
- Submit proof of GPA if you are selected by the Committee.
Adriana Arrillaga, CFA scholarship additional criteria:
- Be registered to Concordia's Goodman Institute of Investment Management.
- Have passed the CFA Exam Level I.
How to apply
1. Make sure you meet the selection criteria.
2. Complete the application form before March 1, 2024, at 5 P.M.
Recipients will be selected by a selection committee based on academic achievement and involvement in the investment community (Research Challenge, stock market simulations, investment funds, students club, Jeux du commerce, etc.).
Prepare for success
The exams leading to the CFA designation, I, II and III, cover a wide range of subjects. To be successful, you need an effective plan of action that will enable you to master the concepts and be as well prepared as possible. Below are some useful resources to support your efforts.
In addition to the study support provided by CFA Institute, candidates can benefit from extra exam prep courses and materials. Approved prep providers agree to follow CFA Institute guidelines and standards in their offerings, as well as communications with CFA® Program candidates.
UNIVERSITIES AFFILIATED WITH THE CFA INSTITUTE – FINANCE TRAINING
Affiliated universities offer programs that are related to investment management and are useful to students preparing for CFA® program exams. They integrate a significant part of the Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) into their programs, including the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
HEC Montréal
Concordia University
McGill University
Université de Sherbrooke
Université Laval
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Take the Ethics Challenge!
CFA Societies Canada has been offering the Ethics Challenge since 2014. Based on the principles of ethics and professional excellence promoted by CFA Institute, the Ethics Challenge is intended for university students in finance and business administration. It allows those entering the investment field to prepare for the ethical dilemmas they will face in their workplace.
- October: launch of the next edition
- November: registration
- January and February: local competitions
- May: national competition
The local Ethical Challenge competition is organized by CFA Québec in collaboration with CFA Montréal.
All of the details are on the CFA Canada website.
Contact CFA Québec for information and registration: info@cfaquebec.org
