Membership Categories

  • Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or have equivalent education or work experience
  • Passed Level I of the CFA®exam or passed CFA Institute's Self-Administered Standards of Practice Examination
  • Have 48 months of acceptable professional work experience (Click to view details) in the investment decision-making process.
  • Submit two sponsor forms. Please click to view sponsor requirements.
  • Agree to adhere to and sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, and any additional documentation requested by CFA Institute.
Both CFAP and CFA Institute must agree to accept an applicant as a Regular member. In the event of a discrepancy, CFA Institute makes the final determination for Regular membership status. Regular members of CFAP have the right to hold office, act as a sponsor for membership and vote.

Annual dues for a Regular member of CFAP are $100 in addition to dues to CFA Institute. Apply online at CFA Institute website.

2) Affiliate Membership Requirements

To qualify as an Affiliate member of CFAP and CFA Institute, an applicant must meet ALL OF THE CRITERIA listed below.
  • Agree to adhere to and sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, and any additional documentation requested by CFA Institute
  • Submit two sponsor forms. Please click to view sponsor requirements.
Once an applicant is approved for Affiliate membership by CFAP, the applicant will automatically become an Affiliate member of CFA Institute. CFA Institute Affiliate members receive the same benefits as Regular members of CFA Institute, but do not have voting rights. CFAP Affiliate members receive the same benefits as Regular members of CFAP, except the right to hold office, act as a sponsor for membership and vote.

Annual dues for an Affiliate member of CFAP are $100 in addition to dues to CFA Institute.Apply online at CFA Institute website.

3) Adjunct Membership Requirements

To qualify as an Adjunct member of CFAP, an applicant must meet ALL OF THE CRITERIA listed below.

  • Be engaged in an acceptable field of work or study as determined by the Board or the Membership Committee.
  • Submit sponsor forms from two Regular CFAP members in good standing. These sponsors do not have to have their CFA® designation nor must they work for different firms.
  • Successfully pass CFA Institute's Self-Administered Standards of Practice Examination OR passed CFA Level I.
  • Agree to adhere to and sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement.
Adjunct members receive the same benefits as Regular members, except the right to hold office, act as a sponsor for membership and vote. Adjunct members of CFAP are not members of CFA Institute. Annual dues for an Adjunct member of CFAP are $100. (NOTE: If you download the Student Membership Instructions and Application from this site, you must contact the CFAP office at mdoty@cfaphil.org, to request CFA Institute's Standard of Practice Handbook and Ethics Exam.)

4) Student Membership Requirements

To qualify as an Student member of CFAP, an applicant must meet ALL OF THE CRITERIA listed below.

  • Be enrolled in a undergraduate or post graduate degree program in an acceptable field of study as determined by the Board or the Membership Committee.
  • Submit two sponsor forms; one from a Regular member of the CFA Society of Philadelphia and another from an academic professor whose class you are either currently attending or have successfully completed. If the professor requirement cannot be met then an additional sponsor by a Regular CFA Society of Philadelphia member is required. These sponsors do not have to have their CFA ® designation nor must they work for different firms.
  • Successfully pass CFA Institute's Self-Administered Standards of Practice Examination OR passed CFA Level I.
  • Agree to adhere to and sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement.
Student members receive the same benefits as Regular members, except the right to hold office, act as a sponsor for membership and vote. Student members of CFAP are not members of CFA Institute. Annual dues for a Student member of CFAP are $50. (NOTE: If you download the Student Membership Instructions and Application from this site, you must contact the CFAP office at mdoty@cfaphil.org, to request CFA Institute's Standard of Practice Handbook and Ethics Exam.)

5) Retired Membership Requirements

To qualify as a Retired member of CFAP and CFA Institute, an applicant must meet ALL OF THE CRITERIA listed below:
  • Be a Regular or Affiliate member of CFAP and CFA Institute at the time of application.
  • Have been a member for 5 years.
  • No longer be substantially engaged in Financial Analysis* for compensation.
  • Agree to the following:
    1. Notify CFA Institute if retirement status changes;
    2. Be listed as "Retired" in the CFA Institute Membership Directory;
    3. Waive the right to be guaranteed a transfer of membership to another CFA Institute member society.
Annual dues for a Retired member of CFAP are $25.