In-Person or Online Class 2025 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN!
(For Levels II and III select from the CFA® Program Courses menu above)
CFA® Program Overview
The CFA Program, administered by CFA Institute, sets the global standard for investment industry knowledge and ethical behaviour. CFA Institute determines the curriculum, administers the exam, and awards the charter. Known as the “gold standard” amongst financial industry professionals, the CFA charter is recognized as a significant benchmark within the financial community. A quote from The Financial Times reads: “Among the countless finance degrees around the world, the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification has become the gold standard.” The CFA Institute describes its program as a “globally recognised, graduate level curriculum that links theory and practice with real-world investment analysis and portfolio management skills.” The program focuses on portfolio management, asset valuation, financial statement analysis, and corporate finance.
The CFA Program consists of a series of three examinations (Levels I, II, and III). The Level I exam is offered four times per year, and the Level II and III exams twice a year.
The entrance requirement for the CFA Program is a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree, or you must have two years or less remaining in your undergraduate (or equivalent) studies, or have four years of professional work experience (does not have to be investment related).
Level I CFA® Program: In-Person or Online Course
Financial Training Solutions is proud to partner with Kaplan Schweser! With over 30 years as the proven global leader in CFA Program review, Kaplan Schweser is uniquely qualified to show you the way. Kaplan Schweser has constructed the most effective and comprehensive study packages in the industry and has helped hundreds of thousands of candidates prepare for CFA Program exams. Kaplan Schweser is a member of the CFA Institute Prep Provider Program.
With our classes (totalling over 75 hours), you will be guided through the entire CFA Program curriculum with an expert instructor. You can choose an in-person class or an online class. The online classes are archived in your online account, and can be accessed at any time. The classes will take you through all the important topics and drive the key concepts home to help you retain vital information. Structured, focused, motivated… these classes can help you pass the CFA Program exam – The First Time!
View some sample online classes here:
(if you enrol for the classes, you will watch them on the website, not YouTube, and we will provide you with soft and hard copies of the slides):
We have 4 training options:
| PRODUCT | OPTION 1: Weekly In-Person Classes and Schweser Essential Package |
OPTION 2: ONLINE Classes and Schweser Essential Package |
OPTION 3: Weekly In-Person Classes only |
OPTION 4: ONLINE Classes only |
| Weekly In-Person Classes | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Schweser Masterclass (OnDemand Classes – online) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schweser Masterclass Workbooks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SchweserNotes™ (4-volume set) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Module Videos | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| SchweserPro™ QBank | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| CFA Institute Question Review Videos | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| CFA Mock Exams 1-4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Checkpoint Exams | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Schweser’s QuickSheet™ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Prerequisite Content | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Kaplan Schweser Community | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Schweser’s PassProtection™ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Price excl. VAT: | R16 500 | R12 900 | R12 500 | R8 500 |
| VAT | R2 475 | R1 935 | R1 935 | R1 275 |
| Price incl. VAT: | R18 975 | R14 835 | R14 835 | R9 775 |
In-person class training hours: 16 classes × 4 hours each = 64 hours. Additional online training of 75 hours. Total = 139 hours.
Online class training hours: A total of 75 hours.
If you are selecting Option 1 or 2, our recommendation is to enrol early so that you can receive your Schweser study material as soon as possible so that you can begin your preparations. The Schweser study material is currently available.
Flexible payment options are available by arrangement. The prices do not include CFA Institute registration and exam fees. You need to register on the CFA Institute website (www.cfainstitute.org) and pay them the registration and exam fees.
To enrol for the course, you need to download the enrolment form below, complete it and email it to us with your proof of payment. The banking details are on the enrolment form. We do currently have space for the course.
Description of products:
- In-Person Classes
The In-Person classes consist of 16 lectures of 4 hours each, providing a total of 64 hours of interactive training. - OnDemand Online Classes
The online classes are designed to cater for distance learning, and for students who prefer to attend classes from the comfort of their home. The classes guide you through the entire CFA Program curriculum. The classes are pre-recorded and archived in your online account, and can be accessed at any time. If you have a question/s after watching a class, Tim Davies (CFA Instructor at FTS in South Africa) is available to assist via Zoom, phone, or email. - Schweser Masterclass Workbooks
The 2-volume set of Masterclass Workbooks contains the class content, examples, and questions to guide you through the lectures and support your instruction. - SchweserNotes™ (physical books and eBooks)
This 4-volume set consists of clear, exam-focused study notes and examples that cover every Learning Outcome Statement in the most effective manner possible. The notes contain exam tips and strategies, end-of-reading Module Quizzes, Topic Assessments and formula sheets.- Book 1: Quantitative Methods, Economics, and Corporate Issuers
- Book 2: Financial Statement Analysis and Equity Investments
- Book 3: Fixed Income and Derivatives
- Book 4: Alternative Investments, Portfolio Management, and Ethical & Professional Standards
- Module Videos
The Module Videos supplement your readings with recorded videos covering the SchweserNotes™ material. You can reference these 40+ hours of recorded videos as you are reading through your SchweserNotesTM books to reinforce your understanding of the material. These videos are available to view at any time. - SchweserPro™ QBank
The QBank prepares you for the CFA Program exam with over 3,000 exam-like questions and custom quizzes, tutorial videos with detailed answer explanations, and performance metrics to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. - CFA Institute Question Review Videos
10+ hours of in-depth CFA videos walk you through the End-of-Reading questions from the CFA Institute Program curriculum. You will get expert advice and strategies from CFA instructors as they guide you through the questions. - CFA Mock Exams1-4
Each exam mimics the length, format, and difficulty of the actual CFA Program exam, and provides detailed solutions. The exams are in the same format [Computer-based test (CBT)] as the CFA Program exam. - Checkpoint Exams
3 Checkpoint Exams assess your knowledge at 1/3 of the way through, 2/3 of the way through, and the end of the study program. These checkpoint questions mimic the difficulty and format of the actual CFA Program exam. - Schweser’s QuickSheet™
This foldable, 6-page, laminated document includes key formulas, definitions, and concepts for a quick review of every major topic in the CFA Program curriculum. - Prerequisite Content
Portions of the Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial Statement Analysis exam topics are designated as prerequisite knowledge for the CFA Level I curriculum. This prerequisite knowledge is summarized and is delivered via the SchweserNotesTM and ScweserProTM QBank study tools. - Kaplan Schweser Community
This is a community forum to engage with Schweser experts and other CFA candidates to post questions, find answers, and engage in meaningful discussions throughout your studies. - Schweser’s PassProtectionTM
If you do not pass the exam, your next study package is free of charge. Terms and conditions apply.
Instruction
Your success on the CFA Program exam depends on quality instruction… and Schweser’s classes are presented by the best in the business. Our Online and In-Person Class instructors are CFA charterholders with years of experience teaching CFA Program courses. Tim Davies, CFA, is a co-founder and a partner of Financial Training Solutions in Johannesburg, where he conducts financial market training courses. Apart from academia, he has experience in banking, stockbroking and portfolio management with leading global financial institutions.
2025 Weekly In-Person Class Schedule, Jan 2025 – Apr 2025 class
(If you are enrolling for the ONLINE course, we recommend you structure a similar schedule. The online classes are archived in your online account, and can be accessed at any time.)
5.00pm – 9.00pm
| NO. | DATE | TOPIC |
| 1 | 14 Jan | Quantitative Methods |
| 2 | 21 Jan | Quantitative Methods |
| 3 | 28 Jan | Economics |
| 4 | 4 Feb | Economics |
| 5 | 6 Feb | Portfolio Management (Part One) |
| 6 | 11 Feb | Corporate Issuers |
| 7 | 18 Feb | Corporate Issuers / Financial Statement Analysis |
| 8 | 25 Feb | Financial Statement Analysis |
| 9 | 4 Mar | Financial Statement Analysis |
| 10 | 6 Mar | Financial Statement Analysis / Equity Investments |
| 11 | 11 Mar | Equity Investments |
| 12 | 25 Mar | Fixed Income |
| 13 | 1 Apr | Fixed Income |
| 14 | 8 Apr | Derivatives |
| 15 | 10 Apr | Derivatives / Alternative Investments |
| 16 | 15 Apr | Alternative Investments / Portfolio Management (Part Two) |
Venue for In-person classes
Wanderers Golf Club, Rudd Road (cnr. Corlett Drive), Illovo, Sandton
Some comments from candidates on our courses:
The quotes below are reproduced with permission. Should you wish to obtain the contact details of any of the candidates below, please let us know, and we will pass them on to you after the candidate gives us the necessary permission.
“I am very pleased to let you know that with the guidance and help from the team at Financial Training Solutions, I managed to score above 70% for all topics, with my overall result above the 90th percentile of all candidates. I cannot imagine attempting the CFA® Program without the help of FTS, and would recommend FTS to any person wishing to make the most of the opportunity of attempting the Level I CFA Program exam!
I am very grateful for your help and look forward to seeing you in Level II”
– Willem (Wim) le Roux
“I passed the Level I CFA Program exam, will see you for Level II. I couldn’t have done it without FTS.”
– Benedatta Kalu
“Thanks for your wonderful lectures, I truly enjoyed those that I attended. I am happy to say that I am one of those who passed the Level I CFA Program exam. Keep on doing what you do. ☺”
– Tshepo Masango
“I just wanted to inform you that I have passed the Level I CFA Program exam, and I scored in the top 90th percentile. Thank you so much to all of you! I really couldn’t have done it without your support and teachings! Will definitely see me next year!”
– Berno Roelofse
“I passed the exam with flying colours thanks to you guys. Landed in the top 10%.”
– Costa Drepaniatos
“ I used Financial Training Solutions for my CFA Level 1 examination and have passed within the top 20%. I owe this all to Tim and the team. The resources and lectures provided are a great help and have made the studying process easier and enjoyable. I would recommend them to anyone pursuing the CFA charter!”
– Rachna Prema
“I have passed the Level I CFA Program exam, I am really overwhelmed with my result. Your classes, the workshop and notes contributed highly to my success with the exam. I found your notes, tips and guidelines to be very helpful and they have definitely assisted with my approach to studies. Schwesser notes and the supporting Qbank questions were a very important component to successful comprehension of such huge volumes.”
– Svetlana Shornikova
“I thought I would share my good news with you and let you know that I passed Level III of the CFA Program. Thank you Tim, Colin and Financial Training Solutions for all of the help and support throughout my CFA Program studies over the last few years, it made all the difference in the World and I don’t think that I would have managed to pass otherwise.”
– Faryn Edelstein
“I am pleased to inform you that I passed my exam. I am so grateful to you and the whole Financial Training Solutions team for your support. Your classes and exam workshop were a great help in achieving my result.”
– Nomhle Mnguni
“FTS really made a huge difference to my exam results. I cannot express the importance of putting in the hours and actually keeping track of it (credit to Colin ☺). I just scored under the 90th percentile, thanks to your team at FTS.”
– Peter Steenkamp
“I am ecstatic to inform you that I passed the Level I CFA Program exam on my first attempt. I could not have done this without your guidance. Coming from a completely different background (dentistry), you were able to guide me through the CFA Program in an expert manner.”
– Gretel Engelbrecht
“I’m writing to thank you guys for all the help and let you know that I passed with flying colours. I got over 70% in every single subject except Quants where I was in the 51-70% range!”
– Sebastian Valencia
“Just to let you know that I passed. Thanks for your IMMENSE contribution.”
– Raymond Majozi
“Thanks so much for all the assistance received during the course. FTS is the best and greatly committed to the students. I received my happy email below. Thank you for helping me pass!!!”
– Petia Skvorikova
“I passed the Level I CFA Program exam in December. The classes made it easier for me to understand the new concepts. I have a computer science and physics background so this was a completely new world.”
– Mugu Mtsetfwa
“I’m very happy to inform you that I’ve passed my exam. Thank you so much for all the support with the classes, it made a huge difference.”
– Lusanda Ndesi
CFA Institute does not endorse, promote, or warrant the accuracy or quality of the products or services offered by Financial Training Solutions or Kaplan Schweser. CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.