IFT (Institute of Financial Training)
Video lectures, high-yield notes, and crash courses focused on building conceptual understanding.
Provider Snapshot
At a Glance
Good Fit If You Want
- You want to know who is teaching the material before you buy.
- You want to test the platform before committing to a full package.
- You want to study on your phone or offline.
- You want clearer downside protection through a documented refund or pass-related policy.
Things to Consider
Features & Details
- Curriculum Year Support
- 2026 curriculum remains available for L1, L2, and L3. IFT also has 2027 packages ready for sale across L1, L2, and L3; Level III is offered for Portfolio Management, Private Markets, and Private Wealth pathways.
- Question Bank
- Question banks available for L1, L2, and L3. Includes topic tests and reading-level practice questions. L1 standalone Q-bank: $139; L2 Q-bank and topic exams: $150; L3 standalone Q-bank: $150 (list $185). Included in Plus and Premium packages.
- Video Lectures
- Video lectures for all three CFA levels. L1: 90+ hours; L2: 110+ hours; L3: 100+ hours. Covers every LM in the curriculum using Active Learning methodology. Includes detailed lectures, summary lectures, examples, and Q&A videos.
- Study Notes
- Comprehensive IFT Study Notes for L1, L2, and L3. Cover all LMs and learning outcomes, include worked examples. Available as standalone product or bundled in Plus/Premium packages. Free study notes also available for select topics.
- Mock Exams
- 4 full mock exams available per level (L1, L2, L3). Sold standalone ($139 for L1, $150 for L2, $150 for L3 [list $185]) or included in Premium packages. Detailed solutions provided.
- Live Classes
- Live Online Classes via Zoom for all three levels. Full-course live classes (5-6 months, 2/week) and Crash Courses (final-month revision). L1 live: $695 (orig $749); L2 live: $775 (orig $845); L3 live: $875 (orig $975). Interactive, Q&A enabled.
- Tutoring
- Instructor Q&A available in Premium packages — candidates can ask questions answered by IFT instructors. No standalone 1-on-1 tutoring product listed on site.
- Mobile App
- IFT offers a native mobile app for CFA candidates with verified iOS App Store and Google Play listings.
- Study Planner
- IFT provides a study strategy guide and curriculum-aligned schedule guidance, but no automated adaptive study planner tool was found in product listings.
- Analytics & Tracking
- IFT references progress tracking, but no strong user-facing performance analytics dashboard is documented on current public pages.
- Offline Access
- IFT’s mobile app lets users download accessible videos and documents for offline use. The app supports basic quizzes, but full Q-bank and mock exams are not supported in-app.
- Free Trial
- Free trial available — no credit card required. Covers free videos, notes, and Q-bank samples for L1, L2, L3, and FRM. Separately, IFT offers a 7-day free trial to get comfortable with its paid products before purchase (per IFT's T&C). Sign up at ift.world/signup or ift.world/pass-cfa.
- Refund Policy
- 3-day money-back guarantee from purchase date. Conditions: refund request via email within 3 days; no more than 20% content viewed; no downloads beyond 5% of PDFs. Refund subject to 5% bank charge deduction. Study Notes/Formula Sheet standalone: no refund. Live Classes may have longer refund window.
- Support Channels
- Support via Freshdesk ticketing system (ift.freshdesk.com/support/home). Contact form available at ift.world/contact-us. Premium package holders get instructor Q&A. No live chat or phone support found.
- Pass Rate Claims
- No specific pass rate percentage claimed. Site references 46,000+ satisfied customers, 20M+ YouTube/Vimeo views, 133,000+ YouTube subscribers, and candidate testimonials. No CFA Institute-endorsed pass rate data cited.
- Instructor Info
- Primary instructor: Arif Irfanullah, CFA — founder and CEO. BS Engineering, Dartmouth; MBA, University of Chicago Booth. Passed all 3 CFA levels on first attempt. Teaching since 2008. Additional instructors referenced (e.g., Rafay) for live classes.
Reviews
Studying for Level I while working full-time, IFT was exactly what I needed. Arif Irfanullah explains concepts clearly without assuming prior finance knowledge — the Active Learning approach keeps the content focused on exam-relevant material. Their free trial (no credit card required) let me test the videos before committing. Mocks were more challenging than the actual exam, which helped build confidence going in. The main gap is no automated study planner — you'll need to manage your own schedule. Strong pick for video-first learners.
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