Key facts
- A three-month sprint for Level I of the CFA® Program needs about 23.1 hours a week for 13 weeks to reach 300 hours, the minimum prep websites suggest.
- Soleadea calls three months doable but demanding (22–25 hours a week) and a two-month sprint sensible only with serious prior knowledge.
- US full-time workers averaged 3.99 hours of leisure a day in 2025 (BLS); a sprint takes more than four-fifths of that.
- From the February 2027 exams, paid deferrals to a later window are no longer offered; only qualifying emergency deferrals remain (check the official website).
- A 13-week sprint to the May 2027 window, 11–17 May 2027 (check the official website), starts on 9 February 2027.
A three-month sprint for Level I of the CFA® Program is realistic only if you can study about 23 hours a week for 13 weeks – 300 hours, the minimum prep websites suggest – and already know much of the material. For a US full-time worker, that is more than four-fifths of average leisure time (BLS, 2025). (Soleadea, study hours (secondary source)) (US BLS, American Time Use Survey 2025)
Maybe you decided late, a plan fell apart, or you want Level I done before a job move. A sprint can work, but it leaves no slack: a lost week is one of only 13. Level I is the first level of the CFA® Program, run by CFA Institute (CFA Institute, Level I exam). This page helps you decide honestly whether a sprint fits, and gives you the plan if it does.
How many hours a week does a three-month sprint need?
Prep websites plan Level I with at least 300 hours (Soleadea, study hours (secondary source)) (300Hours, preparing for Level I (secondary source)). Spread over fewer weeks, the weekly load rises fast. Soleadea’s figures:
| Preparation time | Hours a week |
|---|---|
| 3 months | 22–25 |
| 4 months | 17–19 |
| 6 months | 12–13 |
| 9 months | 8–9 |
Soleadea calls three months “doable, but demanding”, with near-daily sessions, and says a two-month sprint makes sense only with serious prior knowledge and four to six free hours a day (Soleadea, study hours (secondary source)). To put 23.1 hours in perspective: US full-time workers averaged 3.99 hours of leisure a day in 2025, about 28 hours a week (US BLS, American Time Use Survey 2025) – a sprint takes 83% of that. In the UK, the median full-time employee is paid for 37.5 hours a week (ONS, ASHE 2026 provisional, Table 14); with the sprint on top, that is about 60.6 hours of work and study, before commuting.
Is a sprint realistic for you?
Our five-question check. Answer all five with yes, or choose a later window:
- Hours: does your week hold about 23.1 free study hours, every week, for 13 weeks? Check it with the study-time budget calculator.
- Background: do you already know much of the material from a finance or accounting degree or job? Soleadea says candidates without a finance background typically need more than 300 hours (Soleadea, study hours (secondary source)).
- Calendar: are the 13 weeks free of a busy season, other exams, a move or long travel?
- Leave: can you take a few days off in the last two weeks? 300Hours suggests three to five (300Hours, preparing for Level I (secondary source)).
- Registration: is registration for the window still open, and are you sure of the date? From the February 2027 exams, paid deferrals to a later window are no longer offered; only qualifying emergency deferrals remain (check the official website) – see should you defer Level I.
One “no” is a reason to choose the next window and spread the hours. That is not giving up: three more months bring the load down to the 12–13 hours a week Soleadea gives for six months (Soleadea, study hours (secondary source)).
When would a sprint start for each window?
| Window | Exam days | Sprint starts | Standard registration deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2027 | 22–28 February 2027 (check the official website) | 23 November 2026 | 5 November 2026 (check the official website) |
| May 2027 | 11–17 May 2027 (check the official website) | 9 February 2027 | 10 February 2027 (check the official website) |
| August 2027 | 15–22 August 2027 (check the official website) | 16 May 2027 | 29 April 2027 (check the official website) |
For February 2027 and August 2027, the standard deadline falls before a sprint would even start: register first, then sprint. Register before you begin, so a missed deadline cannot cost you the window. Also plan for the Practical Skills Module: at least one Practical Skills Module of about 10–20 hours, finished by the day before results are released – otherwise the result is voided (check the official website). The module is not graded – only completing it counts – and it may be finished after the exam (Soleadea, Practical Skills Modules (secondary source)), so in a sprint you can leave it until after exam day – but put the deadline in your calendar now.
What does a 13-week plan look like?
The Level I study planner splits 13 weeks with its own phase rule. At 23.5 hours a week:
| Phase | Weeks | Hours | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn | 7 | 164.5 | The ten topic areas, about 16.5 hours each, more for those you are new to |
| Catch-up | 1 | 23.5 | What fell behind; no new topic areas |
| Review | 3 | 70.5 | Mixed questions across all topic areas |
| Mock exams | 2 | 47 | Two full timed mocks a week in the exam format, each followed by a review of every mistake |
In a sprint, practise with questions from the first day rather than reading everything first: testing yourself and spacing your reviews are among the most effective study techniques in learning research (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
What does a sprint week look like?
| Day | Hours | What the session is for |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2.5 | 1 hour of questions before work; 1.5 hours of new material in the evening |
| Tuesday | 2.5 | As Monday |
| Wednesday | 2.5 | As Monday |
| Thursday | 2.5 | As Monday |
| Friday | 1.5 | Lighter evening: review the week’s wrong answers |
| Saturday | 6.5 | Long block: new material, then a timed set of questions |
| Sunday | 5.5 | Mixed review of earlier topic areas; plan the next week |
There is no free evening in this week – which is exactly the cost of a sprint. If you cannot keep it for 13 weeks, read Level I while working full time for a six-month plan instead.
Which mistakes are common in a sprint?
- Reading everything before the first question. With 13 weeks, there is no time to find gaps late.
- Dropping the catch-up week. It is the only slack in the plan.
- Skipping full mocks. Sitting 180 questions under time is a skill of its own.
- Starting without registering. Check the deadline before week one.
- Forgetting the Practical Skills Module. Without it the result is voided.
When should you get support?
A sprint is meant to be intense for a few weeks, not to wear you down. If you are struggling to cope, ease the plan – and if you have not registered yet, choose a later window. In England, a GP can help, and you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies if you are 18 or over; Samaritans answer on 116 123 if you need someone to talk to (NHS, stress). If the exam does not go to plan, read what to do after failing Level I.
What does this page cover?
- Last updated
- Based on
- Study-hour planning figures from prep and careers websites (secondary sources)
- US BLS American Time Use Survey 2025 and ONS ASHE 2026 (provisional)
- Exam windows, deadlines and rules from our fact register, linked to CFA Institute
- Includes
- The weekly hours of a sprint and a five-question check
- Sprint start dates for the 2027 windows
- A 13-week plan and a sprint week
- Not included
- A promise that 300 hours are enough for you
- Medical advice
Frequently asked questions
Can you pass Level I of the CFA® Program in three months?
It is possible but demanding. 300 hours in 13 weeks means about 23.1 hours a week with no slack; it suits people who already know much of the material and have a calm calendar.
How many hours a day is a three-month sprint?
About 3.3 hours a day on average, or 23.1 a week – for example 2.5 hours on four weekdays, 1.5 on Friday and 12 at the weekend. Soleadea gives 22–25 hours a week for three months.
Is two months enough for Level I?
Soleadea says a two-month sprint makes sense only with serious prior knowledge and four to six free hours a day.
Can I move to a later window if the sprint is not working?
Not freely. From the February 2027 exams, paid deferrals to a later window are no longer offered; only qualifying emergency deferrals remain (check the official website). Decide before you register.
When would a three-month sprint start?
It starts 13 weeks before the first day of the window: 23 November 2026 for February 2027 and 9 February 2027 for May 2027. Register before you start; the standard deadline for May 2027 is 10 February 2027 (check the official website).
Related tools and pages
Sources
- Soleadea (exam prep provider, secondary source): How Many Study Hours Does the CFA® Exam Really Take? (3 August 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Soleadea (exam prep provider, secondary source): CFA® Exam Practical Skills Modules (PSMs), FAQ on Completion (10 August 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- 300Hours (finance careers website, secondary source): CFA Level 1: How to Prepare & Pass CFA in 18 Months (9 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain): American Time Use Survey — 2025 Results, Table 11A: Time spent in leisure and sports activities for the civilian population by selected characteristics, averages per day (25 June 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0): Earnings and hours worked, occupation by four-digit SOC: ASHE Table 14 – 2026 provisional, Tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross), 14.7b (coefficients of variation) and 14.9a (paid hours worked, total), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom (22 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J. & Willingham, D. T., Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1), 4–58: Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques (2013).
- NHS (nhs.uk): Stress – symptoms, things you can try, and when to get help (GP, NHS talking therapies, NHS 111, Samaritans) (6 March 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- CFA Institute: CFA Program Level I exam: format and topic weights. Accessed 26 October 2026.
- UWorld Finance (exam prep provider, secondary source): CFA Exam Fees and Registration Guide for 2027. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- CFA Institute: CFA exam dates and fees. Accessed 26 October 2026.
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