By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-05-29
A realistic six-month plan totalling roughly 300 hours. Thread ethics throughout rather than saving it for the end, and build in heavy question practice.
Month
Focus
Checkpoint
1
Quantitative Methods + start Ethics
You are comfortable with time value of money
2
Economics + Financial Statement Analysis
You can read the three statements
3
Corporate Issuers + Equity
You can apply basic equity valuation
4
Fixed Income + Derivatives + Alternatives
You can price a simple bond
5
Portfolio Management + deep Ethics pass
You score well on ethics questions
6
Full mock exams + weak-area revision
You consistently pass timed mocks
Final-month tips
Do multiple full-length, timed mock exams to build stamina across both sessions. Revisit ethics and your weakest quantitative topics. Confirm current topic weights and exam logistics with CFA Institute.
FAQ
How long should I study for CFA Level I?
Around 300 hours over four to six months is the common guidance. This plan spreads that across six months with regular practice.
