Work Experience Guidelines

Samples and Descriptions

When you apply for regular membership, you will attest that your submitted work experience qualifies as acceptable professional work experience as defined by the guidelines shown below.

To become a regular member, you must have completed four years (48 months) of qualifying work experience in activities that consist to a majority extent of:

  • Evaluating or applying financial, economic, and/or statistical data as part of the investment decision-making process involving securities or similar investments, which includes, but is not limited to, publicly traded and privately placed stocks, bonds, and mortgages and their derivatives; commodity-based derivatives and mutual funds; and other investment assets, such as real estate and commodities, if these other investment assets are held as part of a diversified, securities-oriented investment portfolio; or
  • Supervising, directly or indirectly, persons who practice such activities; or
  • Teaching such activities. 

Work experience accrual:

  • May be accrued while you're in the CFA Program, after you've passed all three exam levels, or in previous positions.
  • At least 50 percent of your work experience must be:
    • Directly involved in the investment decision-making process
    • Engaged in responsibilities and/or producing a work product that informs or adds value to that process
  • Positions must be full-time. Part-time positions do not qualify.
  • Managing your own investments does not qualify.

Entering your work experience as part of your application:

  • Enter only positions that qualify as acceptable work experience.
  • Job titles are not sufficient; you must include specific details about your job responsibilities.
  • You must attest that the duties performed in each submitted position qualify as acceptable professional work experience. You may save and update your work experience record until you have submitted your application to CFA Institute.

Apply for membership.