How to Take a Final Exam

The final exam is an automatically graded test used to evaluate your knowledge in the CFI programs. The final exams are available online and you can take them on your own schedule. 

The final exam is a timed exam and there is no option to pause or stop the timer once you have started. You will have 3 hours to complete it and need to earn at least 70% to pass to earn your program completion certificate and finance designation. 

Is there a practice exam? ^

Yes, there is. We recommend our students try the practice exam to prepare for the final exam. The practice exam is also a timed exam, however, it can be taken as many times as you wish.

Where can I view the final/practice exam? ^

Both the practice and final exams will be available to you once you have completed all the program's core and elective course requirements. 

1

Just go to the program page through these steps: 

CFI Dashboard > Catalog > Program > *click on the program name*

2

Just click on the 'Try Practice Exam' button to practice first, or you can click on the 'See Final Exam Details' button if you are ready to take the Final Exam

Note: succeeding attempts on the final exam will instead show the 'Rewrite your FMVA Final Exam' button

3

This will load a new page with the Final Exam details. You can proceed to click on ' Complete Final Exam' if you are ready

4

A pop-up message will appear to confirm your readiness to take the final exam. Just click on each statement to agree, and click on the ' I am ready, let's begin!' button.

What is the format of the exam?  ^

The FMVA, BIDA, and CMSA exams are both multiple-choice exams containing 50 questions drawn from a randomized question bank. The CBCA is 60 multiple-choice questions including one credit analysis case study. A minimum grade of 70% is required for passing. 

What is covered in the exam?  ^

The exams cover content from the core and prep courses. Content from elective courses will not be covered.

Can I retake the final exam? ^

The first attempt is available to you, however, students who do not pass the exam on the first attempt will need to wait for 30 days until they can attempt the final exam again. There is no retake fee for the final exams. You must hold an active subscription at the time of the final exam and all retakes.

Retakes of the final exams are no longer available once you have already passed them.

You can find more information on the final exams below:

• FMVA® final exam
• CBCA® final exam
• CMSA® final exam
• BIDA™ final exam