About the CFA exam
Chartered Financial Analyst Programme is one of the better-known exams for study, work or licensing abroad. It is administered by CFA Institute and attracts a large number of candidates each cycle. The exam is held level I is offered multiple times a year; Levels II and III are offered on fewer dates.
Format of the real exam: Computer-based test at Prometric centres. Practising in the same style is the quickest way to remove surprises on exam day, which is exactly why CFA mock tests matter.
CFA eligibility
A bachelor's degree, final-year students, or relevant professional work experience.
Eligibility rules, age limits and relaxations can change between cycles, so always confirm the details in the latest official notification from CFA Institute before you apply.
CFA exam pattern and marking scheme
Level I has 180 multiple-choice questions in two sessions. Level II uses item-set (vignette) questions and Level III combines constructed-response questions with item sets.
- Subjects and sections: Ethical & Professional Standards, Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial Statement Analysis, Corporate Issuers and Equity, Fixed Income, Derivatives & Portfolio Management.
- Mode of the real exam: Computer-based test at Prometric centres.
- Frequency: Level I is offered multiple times a year; Levels II and III are offered on fewer dates.
CFA syllabus: what to study
The CFA syllabus is organised around 6 main areas. Plan your preparation so that every area gets a revision cycle before your first full-length mock test.
- Ethical & Professional Standards: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
- Quantitative Methods: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
- Economics: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
- Financial Statement Analysis: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
- Corporate Issuers: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
- Equity, Fixed Income, Derivatives & Portfolio Management: revise concepts, practise topic-wise questions, then test yourself under timed conditions.
How to prepare for CFA
A good CFA plan combines concept study, topic-wise practice and regular full-length mock tests. Use the checklist below as a starting point.
- Give Ethics extra attention, since it can decide borderline results.
- Do end-of-chapter questions and then a full mock for each curriculum cycle.
- Practise calculations on the approved calculator so you do not lose time on the exam day.
- Analyse every mock test: separate errors into concept gaps, calculation slips and time pressure, and fix one group at a time.
- Keep a short error notebook and revise it weekly, since repeated mistakes cost more marks than new ones.
Why practise CFA mock tests online
Reading and notes build knowledge, but only timed practice builds exam performance. A CFA mock test trains time management, question selection and stress control. Mock Archive gives you instant scoring, subject-wise accuracy, time spent per question and a full answer review the moment you submit.
- Real CBT interface: question palette, section timers and review marking.
- Instant result with accuracy, attempts and a question-by-question review.
- Works on mobile, tablet and desktop, and can be installed like an app.
- Free forever: no login, no signup and no payment.