90-day CFA study plan
A sample calendar skeleton — not an official timetable. Stretch or compress weeks using your hours-per-week and diagnostic scores. You progress Level I → Level II → Level III. Use MiloPrep tools to plan hours for CFA alongside practice in the app.
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Horizon
90 days
Sittings in plan
3
Weekly hours
You choose
Core loop
Diagnose → drill → timed
Who this fits
Fits you if
- Analysts, portfolio managers, and career-switchers targeting investment management who can commit to a multi-year, three-level sequence.
Skip if
- Candidates who need a US CPA licence, or who only want alternatives depth - CAIA may be the better primary path.
- Also skip if you cannot protect hundreds of study hours across multiple exam windows.
Six phases
Step 1
Days 1–15 — Map and baseline
Skim every CFA content outline and take a short diagnostic per sitting you will attempt first. Log weak areas by topic weight, not by chapter title. Confirm windows on CFA Institute.
Step 2
Days 16–45 — Heavy practice
For each formula, write what decision it supports. Blind memorisation fails when the stem changes the inputs. Retest errors within 72 hours so the loop is closed before you move on.
Step 3
Days 46–60 — Second sitting prep or deepen
If you are sequencing multiple sittings, begin Level II weights while keeping a light maintenance set on Level I.
Step 4
Days 61–75 — Timed blocks
Practise locating the fact that changes each question inside the vignette. Do not answer from topic memory alone. Protect sleep and review only missed patterns.
Step 5
Days 76–85 — Peak mocks
Run two continuous practices near the next sitting length. Compare misses to the published weight table and cut low-yield rabbit holes.
Step 6
Days 86–90 — Taper
Light review of high-weight domains and ethics/standards where relevant. Do not open brand-new topic trees in the final 48 hours.
CFA study-week checklist
- Open the CFA hub and mark which sittings you will book first.
- Spend at least one block on Level I high-weight topics.
- Run one mixed set, then log every stem you missed with the correct rule.
- Schedule one timed block near published sitting length this week.
- Revisit one troubleshooting symptom from the hub and apply the next step.
Ethics application, not slogan recall: Practise duty-of-care conflicts and disclosure timing. The stem usually turns on one missing disclosure.
Vignette fact locating (Level II): Underline only the numbers and constraints each item needs. Extra vignette colour is often a distractor.
If level i mocks stuck in the mid-50s, Reallocate the next two weeks to your lowest high-weight topics only.
If level ii vignettes feel endless, Build a three-line fact sheet per vignette before you open question 1.
| Approach | Best for | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| Part-by-part sprint | Candidates sitting one CFA part soon | Leaving neighbouring topics cold |
| Weight-first calendar | Working professionals with limited hours | Skipping format practice |
| Full mock weeks | Final 3–4 weeks before a sitting | Using mocks before a baseline exists |
Sitting checklist
| Part | Focus reminder |
|---|---|
| Level I | Tools and ethics foundation. Two sessions of 135 minutes each; 180 stand-alone multiple-choice questions. |
| Level II | Asset valuation through item sets. 22 item sets / 88 questions across two 132-minute sessions. |
| Level III | Portfolio construction and wealth or private-markets application. Eleven item sets plus eleven constructed-response sets across two sessions |
Confirm numbers on official pages
Session lengths, question counts, and topic weight ranges come from CFA Institute candidate resources. Topic weights are published as ranges and can shift by year. Level III pathway weights apply within the chosen specialised pathway. MiloPrep does not list fees or historical pass rates on this page.
How we review structure facts
MiloPrep cites awarding-body materials for CFA. Fees and pass rates are excluded when they move too often to state as facts.
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- Mapped practice across every CFA sitting
- Weak-area targeting instead of random question dumps
- One expanding study system across professional exams
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Next steps
CFA FAQs
- How many levels are in the CFA Program?
- Three: Level I, Level II, and Level III. You sit them in order.
- What is the Level I format?
- 180 stand-alone multiple-choice questions across two sessions of 135 minutes each, per CFA Institute candidate resources.
- How is Level III different?
- Level III mixes item sets with constructed-response sets and includes a specialised pathway that carries a large weight band. See the topic table on this page.
- Does MiloPrep include all three CFA levels?
- Yes. The all-access plan covers Level I, Level II, and Level III practice under one subscription.
- Where do these CFA format facts come from?
- From CFA Institute candidate resources linked in the official source callout. Topic weights are published as ranges and can change by year.
- How many sittings does the CFA exam include?
- CFA is structured as 3 levels. On this site we track 3 sittings: Level I, Level II, Level III. Confirm current windows on CFA Institute pages.
- What question format should I expect on CFA Level I?
- Level I uses Stand-alone multiple choice across about 180 scored items, with roughly 270 minutes of content time. Always re-check CFA Institute before you book.