Registering for Level I of the CFA® Program: steps, fees and deadlines

First, register and pay for a specific window in your CFA Institute account. Second, book your Prometric appointment through the CFA Program tile before the scheduling deadline. Seats are first come, first served. In Germany, centres are listed in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart; in Austria in Vienna; in Switzerland in Geneva and Zurich. An employer may pay, but you must register yourself, with your name exactly as in your passport.

Fees are charged in US dollars; local taxes may be added at checkout. You can pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), Alipay or invoice, which has its own payment deadline.

Each window has its own early deadline, registration close and scheduling deadline, which falls well before the exam. Use the dates for your window rather than a rule of thumb.

You can move your appointment within the same window for USD 250 plus taxes, by the rescheduling deadline (31 Oct 2026 for November 2026, 11 Feb 2027 for February, 30 Apr 2027 for May, 4 Aug 2027 for August). The fee is non-refundable, and rescheduling cannot move you to another window. If you miss your appointment, never schedule one or are turned away for lateness, your fees are forfeited.

The paid deferral (USD 449) exists only for 2026 exams. From the February 2027 cycle, candidates who do not sit forfeit their fees and must register again. For an initial registration, a full refund is possible within 14 days of payment; after that, fees are non-refundable.

For as long as you are registered, the fee gives you CFA Institute's Learning Ecosystem. Extras such as the printed curriculum or a Practice Pack add-on are sold separately; check current prices on the official site.