The CFA Level I Preparatory Programme is a premiere IBF-accredited programme designed to effectively prepare candidates for the CFA Level I exam. The programme draws heavily from a curriculum curated by industry practitioners and academics across the globe and is a valuable supplement to your CFA Exam preparation.
The CFA Level I exam is known for its intensity and high level of commitment, requiring an investment of over 300 hours spent studying with a low pass rate or 40%. Success lies not only in knowledge acquisition but also in the strategic approach taken in your preparation.
20 core sessions
6 revision sessions
Weekdays: 7:00 PM – 10:15 PM
Saturdays: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Weekdays: Online via Zoom
Saturdays: In-person
The CFA Level I exam is known for its intensity and high level of commitment, requiring an investment of over 300 hours spent studying with a low pass rate of 40%. Success lies not only in knowledge acquisition but also in the strategic approach taken in your preparation.
Individuals who find self-study challenging and wish to benefit from a structured and guided approach
Individuals without a strong background in finance or accounting seeking additional support and resources
Busy individuals juggling other commitments
As one of the only preparatory programmes that offer in-person classes, students get to master difficult concepts through direct interaction and real-time feedback from our expert trainers.
Learn from a blended team of established practitioners and academics who bring invaluable real-world experience and perspective.
Build a sense of community and increase motivation as you learn alongside a diverse cohort of peers. Form valuable connections and continue conversations beyond the programme.
Keep track of your goals with a structured schedule that offers a clear timeline, focused study sessions, and targeted practice exams for efficient preparation.
*Only for IBF-funded participants
Intakes | January 2025 | April 2025 | July 2025 | October 2025 |
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Course Duration | 11 January - 7 June 2025 | 5 April - 6 September 2025 | 26 July – 6 December 2025 | 11 October – 28 February 2025 |
Registration Deadline | 9 January 2025 | 3 April 2025 | 17 July 2025 | 2 October 2025 |
Early Bird Deadline | 2 December 2024 | 3 March 2025 | 23 June 2025 | 5 September 2025 |
Info Session (Online via Zoom) | - | - | 18 June, 9 July 2025 6:30 - 7:00 PM | 13 August, 10 September 2025 6:30 - 7:00 PM |
Singapore Citizens below 40 years old and PRs | Singapore Citizens aged 40 years and above | |
Course Fee | $4,204.17 | $4,204.17 |
IBF-STS Funding | ($2,102.09) -50% | ($2,942.92) -70% |
Out-of-Pocket Expenses | $2,102.08 | $1,261.25 |
| |
Course Fee | $2,523.15 |
Add-on: Revision Classes | $653.70 |
Singapore Citizens and PRs | Singapore Citizens aged 40 years and above |
50% capped at S$3,000 per participant per course | 70% capped at S$3,000 per participant per course |
For more information on funding, IBF Certification, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, please visit: www.ibf.org.sg
Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer, Embrace ESG, Founder and MD, Kai Asia Advisors
Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer, Embrace ESG, Founder and MD, Kai Asia Advisors
Allen Cheong, CFA, has more than 25 years of extensive experience in investment banking, venture investment and entrepreneurial startups. He has helped many entrepreneurs grow their business through mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, fund raisings and restructurings. A seasoned investment banker in established financial institutions such as DBS, OCBC and Daiwa Capital Markets, he spent most of his career in the financial industry, specialising in corporate finance services, with in-depth experience advising, executing and structuring M&A and IPO deals in Singapore and in the region. He has completed more than 40 deals with deal value totaling more than S$10 billion in diverse sectors spanning TMTs, financial, healthcare, energy, real estate, consumer and industrials. Allen currently provides consultancy and training for corporates, institutions and schools in the areas of corporate finance, investments and ESG. He has been awarded the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing, and the Certified Sustainability Practitioner (Advanced Edition) from the Center for Sustainability and Excellence. Allen graduated with an MBA from Chicago Booth School of Business, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and Chartered Valuer and Appraiser. He is an active community volunteer, currently serving as Chairman of Watten Residents’ Network.
Associate Lecturer, SUSS and SIM Global Education
Associate Lecturer, SUSS and SIM Global Education
Audrey Wee En Yong, CFA, graduated with a Masters in Applied Finance from Singapore Management University in January 2008 and is also a recipient of the prestigious UOB Group Scholarship Award. She also earned the internationally accredited CFA® designation as an investment and credit analyst with several privately held multinational companies, which marks her as an investment professional.
Audrey has been an Associate Lecturer with SUSS (formerly UniSIM) since 2009 and is also an Associate Lecturer at SIM Global Education. As a lecturer, Audrey has a track record of positive student feedback spanning well over 15 years. Her portfolio of modules taught includes Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Modelling, Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Financial Instruments, Institutions and Markets, Financial Analysis for Managers, Portfolio Management, Tax and Estate Planning, Valuation and Securities Analysis, Asset Pricing, Retirement Planning and Financial Plan Construction
Dr. Janet Liu, CFA, has over 18 years of experience in wealth management and the financial sector, having held senior leadership roles at global financial institutions including OCBC Bank and Citi. Most recently, she led strategic initiatives in investment advisory, client experience, and product positioning at a regional digital wealth platform. Prior to that, she served as Head of Investments at the Singapore-based bank, where she oversaw the investment product strategy and execution across asset classes such as equities, fixed income, and unit trusts. Janet holds a doctorate in business administration from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and a master’s degree in economics from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, and Chartered FinTech Professional.
Kok Kah Fai, CFA, is Head of APAC for BCA Research, the industry leading independent investment research provider. The BCA research insights drive many of the investment management and asset allocation decisions across traditional asset managers, alternatives, wealth managers, banks and asset owners.
His prior experience included building out the Asia/APAC businesses for Rimes Technologies (a market leader in investment/ESG data management), RiskMetrics (ex-JP Morgan Risk Analytics now part of MSCI) as well as Bloomberg Portfolio Analytics (PORT). His subject matter expertise includes investment analysis, portfolio construction/backtesting and portfolio credit/market risk methodologies (CreditMetrics/RiskMetrics), including historical/predictive stress testing. He is also certified in performance attribution analysis including methodologies for equities, fixed income and balanced portfolio, as well as GIPS requirements. Kah Fai also delivers foundational financial literacy training via Credit Counselling Singapore and AIDHA.
Kah Fai graduated summa cum laude in Mechanical Engineering & Aerospace Engineering, with a Certificate in Engineering Management Science, from Princeton University. He is also a Member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi Honor Societies. His professional certifications include the CFA® designation, Professional Risk Manager (PRM), Certificate in Performance Measurement (CIPM) and Certificate in ESG Investing.
Li Bingqiao (Lena), CFA, graduated from Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2015 with the degree of PhD in Business (Finance). She currently works as a Lecturer in the Accountancy undergraduate degree program at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore’s fifth autonomous university. Her main research interests lie in the area of Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance.
Before joining SIT, Lena was an adjunct lecturer at Curtin University, Singapore campus. As part of her teaching experience, she teaches and develops various modules including Foundations of Finance, Managerial Finance, Business Valuation and Analysis, Introductory Economics, etc. She has also been involved as teaching assistant in various master programs during her PhD training in SMU.
Assistant Professor
Singapore Institute of Technology
Assistant Professor
Singapore Institute of Technology
Phoebe Gao is an Assistant Professor at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). She taught classes in Quantitative Analysis, Investment and Risk Analysis, Derivatives and Research Methods in R/Python. She graduated with a PhD in Business (Finance) from Singapore Management University and M.Phil and B.Sc in Risk Management Science with a minor in Mathematics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Her research interests include asset pricing, risk management, artificial intelligence, machine learning and sustainability. Her current research covers information flow between equity market and options market, digital transformation, sustainability and analyst forecast sentiment under policy changes. Phoebe also provides consultancy in reviewing derivative contracts valuation with auditors, digital transformation, and quantitative trading strategies with portfolio managers.
Equity Analyst
Kamet Capital
Equity Analyst
Kamet Capital
Phuah Keng Keat, CFA, is currently an equity analyst working for a multi-family office – Kamet Capital based in Singapore. He mainly covered stocks in technology, banking, healthcare and consumer staple sectors. Prior to that, he was a sell side analyst in Voyage Research Pte Ltd, covering small and mid-cap companies listed in Singapore.
Keng Keat received a Master of Science of Risk and Investment Management from EDHEC Business School in 2013 and has been a CFA® charterholder since 2012. He is also a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) holder since 2010.
Yeap Lay Huay, CFA, has more than 15 years of industry experience across management and financial accounting, and auditing roles largely in the banking industry. She has worked in PricewaterhouseCoopers, DBS Bank and Barclays Group.
In her last corporate role as Finance Vice President in Barclays Wealth AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa Offshore), she headed the Business Planning & Analysis team to support business in the financial performance reporting, strategic planning and budgeting. She was one of the key members of the Finance work-stream to support the successful completion of the sale of Singapore and Hong Kong booking centres.
Lay Huay is currently working as Senior Lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore’s fifth autonomous university. She teaches various financial accounting modules in the Accountancy undergraduate degree program. She is one of the recipients of the Singapore Institute of Technology Teaching Excellence Award for two consecutive years, Academic Years 2018-19 and 2019-20. As part of her teaching experience, Lay Huay was an adjunct lecturer at Singapore University of Social Sciences, Nanyang Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic.
Lay Huay graduated with a Master of Accountancy (by research) from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). She is a Chartered Accountant of Singapore, Chartered Global Management Accountant and Chartered Management Accountant.
Our students value our instructors’ engaging and patient teaching style, clear explanations, practical study tips, and real-life examples that make learning easier and more relevant.
Fill and submit this form to get your CFA Level I Preparatory Programme Brochure
While independent self-study is a viable option, it requires a high level of determination and self-discipline. Our preparatory programme offers a structured, guided approach, especially beneficial for candidates juggling multiple commitments or those without a finance background.
The programme includes 20 core sessions totaling 70 hours, plus 6 revision sessions totaling 21 hours. Please click the “ Register Now” button to view the upcoming intake’s schedule in detail. Frequency of classes: 1 weekday class and 1 Saturday class per week. Duration of an intake is 4-5 months (inclusive of IBF assessments).
Our instructors are seasoned professionals and academics with extensive knowledge and experience in finance and investment. They include CFA charterholders, industry practitioners, and university lecturers committed to helping you succeed.
Yes. The course is tailored for individuals new to finance, students, and busy professionals seeking structured guidance to prepare effectively for the CFA Level I exam.
Participants receive comprehensive slides, recorded lectures for revision, and access to an online timed mock exam to simulate real exam conditions.
Classes are live and synchronous, conducted in a combination of in-person and online delivery, allowing for interactive learning and flexibility.
Yes. Eligible participants can use SkillsFuture Credits (SFC) to offset the nett fee payable. Applicants must indicate their intention and the specific amount of SFC to use during registration. Please note that only Opening Credit and One-off Top-up Credit can be utilized. The Mid-Career Credit is not applicable.
The programme is accredited under the IBF Standards and eligible for IBF-STS funding. Eligible Singapore Citizens and PRs can receive up to 70% funding (depending on the eligibility funding criteria). Check IBF funding details for eligibility.
Missed lessons can be reviewed via recorded lectures on the Learning Management System, but these do not count towards attendance. No makeup lessons will be conducted.
You may use the Texas Instruments BA II Plus or Hewlett Packard 12C. The programme's instruction is based on the BA II Plus so we highly suggest using that model.
Register online via CFA Society Singapore by clicking the “Register Now” button. To meet IBF funding requirements, students must obtain minimum 75% attendance rate and pass the IBF assessment within 2 stipulated attempts. Failure to meet these requirements will result in disqualification from funding and clawback of funding amount.
Ideal for students, professionals, and career switchers seeking a strategic, expert-led preparation for the CFA Level I exam.