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CFA® Foundation

Build the Foundation of a Global Finance Career

Entry-level grounding for higher secondary school students, undergraduate students including engineers, management students, CFA aspirants and freshers who want to bridge gaps before CFA Level I.

Start your CFA Foundation Journey Talk to an Expert
🎯 50+ Hours
Live Classes with Dedicated Doubt Solving
📘 120+ Hours
AI-Driven Adaptive Self-Learning platform
📊 30+ Templates
Professional Financial Modelling Training
🔥 1000+ QBank, 5 Full Mocks & 10 Sectional Tests
Exam-Style Practice with Deep Analytics

Why this Course?

Pass the jargon barrier

Learn the core language of finance so CFA Level I becomes comprehension, not confusion.

Career-ready basics

Practical accounting, TVM, basic valuation and market mechanics you'll use from Day 1.

Designed for beginners

Tailored for non-commerce grads, engineers, and working professionals switching to finance.

Fast, focused, actionable

Short, modular, and built around what matters for CFA success.

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Who should join?

Higher Secondary School Students

Students in higher secondary schools looking for a global future in finance

Undergraduate Students

1st/2nd year graduate students including engineers looking forward to switch to finance

Early Career Professionals

Early-career professionals seeking a structured finance primer

Aspiring CFA Candidates

Anyone who wants a confidence boost before full CFA Level I prep

Aspiring Management Students

Aspiring management students looking for profile building in Finance

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Course Snapshot

Duration: 6-8 weeks (recommended 40-60 study hours)
Mode: Live weekend batches | Weekday evening batches | Self-paced recorded + live doubt sessions
Class Size: Small cohorts for personalised doubt support
Assessment: Weekly quizzes, 2 mini-mocks, final readiness test
Certificate: Career Launcher Foundation Certificate of Completion
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CFA Foundation → CFA Level I Mapping

Each Foundation module directly bridges into CFA Level I subjects, ensuring you start with confidence and no knowledge gaps.

Foundation Coverage:

Basics of equity, debt, derivatives, alternatives, financial institutions.

Maps to Level I:

  • Equity Investments (Market organization & structure)
  • Fixed Income (Market mechanics, instruments)
  • Derivatives & Alternatives (Intro concepts)

Foundation Coverage:

Importance of ethics in finance, overview of CFA Code of Ethics.

Maps to Level I:

  • Ethical & Professional Standards (15-20% weight)
  • GIPS introduction

Foundation Coverage:

Time Value of Money, probability, statistics, normal distribution.

Maps to Level I:

  • Quantitative Methods (TVM, probability, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression basics)
  • Portfolio Management (risk & return concepts)

Foundation Coverage:

Financial statements, ratios, GAAP vs IFRS basics.

Maps to Level I:

  • Financial Reporting & Analysis (FRA - 13-17% weight)
  • Corporate Issuers (capital structure, cash flow analysis)

Foundation Coverage:

Capital budgeting (NPV, IRR), cost of capital, leverage basics.

Maps to Level I:

  • Corporate Issuers (8-12% weight)
  • FRA (linking corporate finance with reporting)

Foundation Coverage:

Demand-supply, inflation, monetary/fiscal policy, FX basics.

Maps to Level I:

  • Economics (8-12% weight)
  • Fixed Income (interest rate drivers, yield curve)

Foundation Coverage:

Equity valuation basics, bond pricing/yields, intro to options/futures, alt investments.

Maps to Level I:

  • Equity (valuation & market structure)
  • Fixed Income (pricing & valuation)
  • Derivatives (futures, options basics)
  • Alternatives (PE, commodities, real estate)

Foundation Coverage:

Diversification, risk-return tradeoff, portfolio construction intro.

Maps to Level I:

  • Portfolio Management & Wealth Planning (5-8% weight)
  • Quantitative Methods (statistics & risk-return links)
Prepare Smarter for Foundation

Syllabus - Subject-wise Breakdown

- Introduction to CFA Program & Financial Industry Basics
  • Overview of the CFA Program structure (Foundation → Level I → Level III)
  • Global recognition of CFA charter and career opportunities
  • Introduction to financial markets, asset classes, and investment roles
  • Key CFA exam requirements, study approach, and success strategies
- Ethics in Investment Profession
  • Importance of ethics in finance and investment decision-making
  • CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
  • Ethical dilemmas in financial markets - case study discussions
  • Practical scenarios on integrity, professionalism, and fiduciary duty

- Quantitative Methods - Basics I
  • Time Value of Money (TVM) - concepts and applications
  • Simple vs. compound interest, annuities, perpetuities
  • Present value and future value calculations
  • Practical exercises using TVM formulas
- Quantitative Methods - Basics II
  • Descriptive statistics (mean, median, variance, standard deviation)
  • Probability concepts and rules
  • Normal distribution and its relevance in finance
  • Introduction to hypothesis testing and sampling basics

- Economics - Microeconomics Essentials
  • Demand and supply, equilibrium, and elasticity
  • Types of market structures (perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly)
  • Cost curves and pricing strategies
  • Case examples on market behavior
- Economics - Macroeconomics Essentials
  • GDP, inflation, unemployment, and business cycles
  • Monetary policy vs. fiscal policy
  • Interest rates and their impact on investment decisions
  • Exchange rates and international trade basics

- Financial Reporting & Analysis - Part I
  • Introduction to financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, cash flow
  • Accounting principles and standards (IFRS/GAAP overview)
  • Revenue recognition and expense matching
  • Common-size analysis and vertical/horizontal analysis
- Financial Reporting & Analysis - Part II
  • Financial ratios (profitability, liquidity, solvency, efficiency)
  • Cash flow analysis (operating, investing, financing flows)
  • Earnings quality and red flags in financial reporting
  • Hands-on practice with sample company financial statements

- Corporate Finance
  • Introduction to corporate governance
  • Cost of capital (WACC basics)
  • Capital budgeting techniques (NPV, IRR, Payback)
  • Risk and return concepts - CAPM introduction
- Investments & Portfolio Management
  • Understand the fundamentals of equity, fixed income, derivatives, and alternative investments
  • Learn key portfolio construction principles, including diversification and the risk-return trade-off
  • Explore performance measurement tools such as Sharpe ratio, alpha, and beta
  • Apply concepts through an integrated case study

- Equity Investments
  • Types of equity securities (common vs preferred)
  • Market organization & trading mechanisms
  • Equity valuation basics — dividends, P/E, intrinsic value
  • Industry & company analysis fundamentals
- Fixed Income Investments
  • Bond features — coupon, maturity, yield, price
  • Yield measures (YTM, spot rate, forward rate basics)
  • Bond pricing, premium/discount concepts
  • Interest rate risk, credit risk, and duration basics

- Derivatives
  • Introduction to forwards, futures, options, swaps
  • Payoff diagrams & basic pricing intuition
  • Uses of derivatives in hedging and speculation
  • Understanding margin, leverage, and contract mechanics
- Alternative Investments
  • Overview of real estate, private equity, hedge funds, commodities
  • Key characteristics: illiquidity, higher fees, non-normal returns
  • Role of alternatives in a diversified portfolio
  • Basic valuation and return measurement

- Portfolio Foundations
  • Risk & return trade-off
  • Diversification and correlation basics
  • Portfolio construction using asset allocation
- Performance Measurement
  • Sharpe ratio, beta, alpha, and risk-adjusted return metrics
  • Understanding CAPM (intro), efficient frontier, and systematic vs unsystematic risk
- Application & Practical Insights
  • Building a basic multi-asset portfolio
  • Investor profiling & investment objectives
  • Introduction to the portfolio management process
Download Full Syllabus Start Your Foundation Journey

Why Career Launcher?

Experienced instructors with CFA/industry backgrounds

Practice-first approach - quizzes and mocks from Day 1

Small cohorts and dedicated doubt-clearing hours

Clear bridge to our full CFA Level I prep packages (discount for Foundation graduates)

Know your instructors

Chief Program Mentors

EduEdge

Professor Harjeet A. Singh

Professor Harjeet A. Singh

Stanford University Alumnus | CFA, FRM, CAIA, PRM, CMT

Founder & CEO, Eduedge Pro Visiting Faculty - IIMs

  • 15+ years of experience in Global Markets
  • MS in Financial Mathematics, Stanford University
  • Former Consultant, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India
  • Trained 25,000+ students worldwide
Dr. Amarjeet Singh

Dr. Amarjeet Singh

CAIA (USA), MCSI (UK), CMT (USA)

Founder-Director, EduEdgePro Pvt. Ltd.

  • 25+ years with the Ministry of Finance
  • Recipient of the Samman Patra for meritorious government service
  • Board of Studies at Christ and ITM
  • Faculty at SP Jain, XLRI & JBIMS
  • Regular media guest on CNBC, NDTV Profit & Zee Business

Find a Course Customized for Your Preparation

Choose the format that suits your learning style

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Testimonials

Batul Shaikh

Batul Shaikh

"This course made finance feel far less scary. The way the faculty explained concepts felt warm, steady, and reassuring. Every class made me believe a little more in myself and my ability to pursue the CFA route."

Kashish Kothari

Kashish Kothari

"The foundation program was exactly what I needed. The explanations were simple, the classes felt engaging, and the trainers were incredibly encouraging. It turned finance from something overwhelming into something I genuinely wanted to learn."

Parth Dani

Parth Dani

"This program gave me a strong starting point. The examples and the trainer support helped me understand concepts without ever feeling lost. By the end, I felt prepared, steady, and inspired to move ahead with my CFA goals."

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FAQs (Foundation-specific)

Foundation is a primer — focused on basics and concepts. Level I prep is exam-specific, deeper, and includes full CFA curriculum practice.

40-60 hours for the Foundation course; Level I requires ~300+ hours overall.

Absolutely — the course is designed to bridge knowledge gaps non-commerce students commonly face.

Yes — downloadable notes, practice quizzes, solved examples, and mock tests are included.

Yes — graduates get access to a follow-up mentorship session and priority discounts for Level I packages.
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