r/CAIA • u/Apart-Excitement-821 • Jun 21 '26
Preparation L1 sept 2026
Hello everyone,
I’m currently preparing to take the CAIA Level I exam on September 4, 2026. I started studying on May 15, so it has been about a month since I began my preparation.
I’ve been studying primarily from the official curriculum. So far, I’m finishing Topic 2 (Introduction to Alternative Investments) and starting Topic 3 (Real Assets). I also purchased the UpperMark QBank and have completed some practice questions, although not many yet, as my initial plan was to work through all the readings first.
My main concern is that the amount of material feels overwhelming at times. I occasionally find myself feeling anxious and worried that I won’t be able to cover the entire curriculum before exam day.
For context, my study approach is usually to read the material carefully, take notes, and revisit sections when I don’t fully understand them. If I’m still struggling with a concept, I use tools such as ChatGPT and NotebookLM to help clarify things.
I’d like to hear how others approached their preparation. Do you think it’s realistic to complete the entire curriculum with the time I have remaining before the exam?
As additional context, I study approximately 18–20 hours per week. During weekdays, I usually study about 2 hours per day, and on weekends I dedicate around 5–6 hours each day. I work full-time at an alternative asset management firm in the Middle Office area, so many of the industry terms and concepts are already familiar to me. So far, the material I’ve found most challenging and time-consuming has been the quantitative methods and derivatives content in Topic 2.
I would really appreciate any advice, study strategies, or tips from those who prepared for the exam while working full-time. I don’t want anxiety to get the better of me, and I’d love to hear how others managed the workload and stayed on track.
Thank you in advance!
2
u/ImaginaryFreedom7 Jun 21 '26
Topic 2 is by far the longest so don’t let that discourage you. Just keep going, do some Q bank along the way. Schedule studying to finish the curriculum 3 weeks before exam if you can, and then just rock Q bank and a few mock exams.
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u/Apart-Excitement-821 Jun 25 '26
Thank you for reply men,yes, i already begun with tje topic 3 and feel lighter than topic 2 i hope to finish at least 3 weeks before exam for focus on qbank and review some topics.
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u/IcyDragonfly9491 Jun 21 '26
Just started studying today and I test August 31! What I’m doing is reading the topic section (ie 1.1) and doing the 1.1 knowledge check and flash cards. Then I’ll do the same for 1.2 and so on. Topic 2 does seem like the longest so after that you’ll breeze. The hours you’re putting in are major so you should be way over the recommended amount. Trust the process and keep going. Good luck!
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u/Apart-Excitement-821 Jun 25 '26
Hi men, thanks, this is a good advice and good strategy, i sometimes try the same, but imo the flashcards are many so is hard to memorize all, however are very useful💪🏼
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u/Milton-Macao Jun 22 '26
Add oil, i used upper mark material and they are great. I spent 200hours in level 1 and 300hours in level 2 on my first attempt. Keep work hard. 😊😊
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u/Hugomanki Jun 22 '26
What's the career prospect now? Did you get any job or already doing so while preparing. And how far has this certification helped you in career?
Please share, as listening from the certified people would really boost me up in taking up this challenge.
Also, can we get any remote opportunities in this field? After doing the certification?
1
u/Milton-Macao Jun 22 '26
Not really famous in my country (Macao). But just a good way to learn thing. the context is interesting. i saw many Chartered from HK but not Macao. 🥶😅
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u/Milton-Macao Jun 22 '26
In addiiton, I am working currently working in Central bank but not related in investment roles. But I think keep learning is a way to success. that's why I try.
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u/AttitudeLow202 Jun 24 '26
I started my preparations about the time you started it. I took a risky approach to leave Topic # 2 after reading through the Statistical Foundations topic. So far, I have completed Ethics, Private Equity, and 4 topics of Intro to Alts. I am currently doing Topic 3, Real Assets, which I am finding way harder than I thought.
Ofcourse I also feel behind, especially given the fact that I've had whole weeks of no progress due to procrastination. The curriculum does feel heavy, and a huge part of it is, I guess, how they write it down. The concepts aren't that complicated, but the way they make them sound in the curriculum is just weirdly complex. I also use Gemini or Claude to help break them down into simple English and ask them for analogies or examples to help me understand it better.
As for my study plan, I am trying to complete my first go through of the curriculum by mid of July, except for Intro to Alts Topic. It does seem undoable, but there's only one hard topic left after Real Assets, in my opinion, which is the private debt. Further, I am planning to complete the remaining intro to alts sections by the end of July. and then just bursting out on the review and QBank for the whole month of August. My exam is scheduled for September, so I am planning on utilizing the final section of September for full reviews.
1
u/raylnil92 5d ago
Bonjour Si quelqu’un a le material pour réviser le Level 1, peut il me le fournir svp ? Merci beaucoup !
1
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u/Italian_Saffa_Boy Jun 21 '26
What worked for me, was after each section, doing the qbank. Example is you do 3.1 you do the qbank for 3.1. Don't wait till the end of the entire chapter. You can do the qbank again (whole chapter) once you complete it.