Topic key
Reading codes used in the plan
QM
Quantitative Methods
ECO
Economics
CI
Corporate Issuers
AI
Alternative Investments
EI
Equity
FI
Fixed Income
FSA
Financial Statement Analysis
DT
Derivatives
PM
Portfolio Management
ETH
Ethics
CFA Level 1 study plan
A practical CFA Level 1 study plan you can actually execute
Use this plan to sequence topics logically, control revision early, and adapt your pace without losing sight of the full curriculum.
Total plan span
39 weeks
Starting focus
Quantitative Methods foundation
Recommended approach
Coverage + recall + questions + revision
How the plan works
Sequence first, intensity second
The study plan has been structured after careful analysis to sequence topics logically for CFA Level 1. Follow the weeks in order for a balanced mix of quantitative and conceptual learning.
The main idea behind this structure
Build technical comfort early, keep revision in the cycle from the start, and avoid the common mistake of delaying questions until the end.
Week-by-week plan
Explore all 39 weeks in one tabbed plan
The plan opens with Quantitative Methods to build technical comfort, then expands across the rest of the curriculum before closing with revision and mock-focused final weeks.
Quick jump
Open any week directly or share a link like `#week-17`.
Week 01
Focus: QM
QM 1 (Pre) Interest Rates, Present Value & Future Value - 60 minutes
QM 1 (Core) Rates and Returns - 150 minutes
QM 2 (Core) Time Value of Money in Finance - 150 minutes
Execution rules
Turn the schedule into a real working system
Protect your weekly rhythm
Fix weekday reading blocks, weekend problem-solving blocks, and a revision buffer before the week starts.
Treat reading and retention separately
Every week should include first exposure, quick recall from memory, and then question practice.
Carry ethics throughout the plan
Keep ethics in rotation from the start instead of leaving it only for the last month.
Use checkpoints before you move on
Do not stack more readings on top of a weak understanding. Test formulas, answer choice interpretation, and medium-difficulty questions first.
Adjustment rules
How to adjust the plan without breaking it
If you are working full time
Keep weekday sessions lighter and use weekends for longer question-solving and review blocks.
If your exam window is closer than planned
Protect high-weight modules first: ethics, financial statement analysis, fixed income, equity, and portfolio management.
If you fall behind for two or more weeks
Do not restart from week one. Rebuild from your current point, merge smaller readings, and insert catch-up review weeks after major clusters.
Weekly pattern
What a strong Level 1 study week looks like
Start each week with a coverage target
Define the readings, question sets, and review tasks you want complete by the weekend.
Use midweek recall to test understanding
Stop passive reading and check whether you can explain the topic from memory.
Close the week with questions
Problem-solving reveals timing issues, formula gaps, and false confidence faster than rereading.
Plan the next week before Sunday ends
Reserve a short planning block to decide what carries over, what gets reviewed again, and what starts next.
More Level 1 links
Navigate to related resources
Study plan FAQs
How many hours per week should this Level 1 study plan assume?+
The plan works best with consistent weekly study. Working professionals typically need to protect weekends more aggressively than students.
When should I start mock tests in a Level 1 plan?+
Start lighter mixed-topic tests once most high-weight modules are covered, and keep full-length mocks for the final revision phase.
What should I revise most in the final month?+
Focus on formulas that are easy to forget, ethics application, financial statement analysis, fixed income, and question sets from your weakest areas.