QFA's

roast222

dundalklad wrote: »

Are you registered for the exam? There are 2 sample papers on my lia.

No, I'm not registered for the exam's. I wanted to look over the past papers for content before deciding which modules are most relevant. Are there sample papers on their website?

Kung Lao

I've registered to do all six modules in September as I assumed that's generally how people approach the QFAs but looking at this thread it appears that a lot of people only take two or three modules in each sitting. Am I crazy trying to sit them all at once? My perception of QFAs was that they were nowhere near the standard of other professional exams such as ACAs or FE1s, they're multiple choice mostly and the material does not look that difficult. Am I mistaken in this belief? Don't get me wrong, I'll be putting in a lot of work and study to pass them but just hoping the workload is not to the standard of those exams mentioned above.

chops018

Kung Lao wrote: »

I've registered to do all six modules in September as I assumed that's generally how people approach the QFAs but looking at this thread it appears that a lot of people only take two or three modules in each sitting. Am I crazy trying to sit them all at once? My perception of QFAs was that they were nowhere near the standard of other professional exams such as ACAs or FE1s, they're multiple choice mostly and the material does not look that difficult. Am I mistaken in this belief? Don't get me wrong, I'll be putting in a lot of work and study to pass them but just hoping the workload is not to the standard of those exams mentioned above.

It depends really. Are you going to be working whilst studying for them, or will you be studying full time?

If the latter then I don't see why you couldn't do the 6 and pass all or most of them.

I have passed all the FE1's. However I am yet to commence a traineeship and I am working in banking at the moment so I did 2 QFA's in the May sittings just gone - Loans and Regs. While they are certainly not a stroll in the park, and having never studied finance before, they were not as difficult as the FE1's.

I just did study on the train and some weekends, then had a study leave week before the exams.

I am yet to receive the results so I am hoping this comment doesn't come back to bite me in the ass but I don't think I failed. There is definitively a chance I could have though, as the negative marking can screw you.

As I said if you are working full time then 2-3 max, but if not then all 6 should be doable.

Kung Lao

I'm working full time but I'll be putting in the study on evenings and weekends.

chops018

Kung Lao wrote: »

I'm working full time but I'll be putting in the study on evenings and weekends.

To be honest I wouldn't recommend doing all 6 in one go if you're working full time. But as I said it's not impossible and if you've some days study leave that will help loads and I think it's two exams per weeks so you can just concentrate on whatever two are first about a week before and for all the following week concentrate on the next two.

If you're from a finance background you will probably find some of them easy. I wasn't so as I said, even though I passed all the FE1's I didn't think these were a stroll in the park either. Especially with the negative marking as you've to be 100% when answering a question.

If you can put in 3 hours a night three nights a week and do two full days at the weekend you should be ok though.

Good luck with whatever you decide. They are definitively not the hardest exams I've done. If I wasn't working I'd have done 3 and 3 though I'd say, to take off a bit of the pressure.

Kung Lao

I'm a qualified accountant and have worked in finance for a number of years so I'm hoping that will go a long way towards passing these exams. Thanks for your advice.

wallym

Hi, I'm new to finance having worked in engineering for 30 years but wanted to get up to speed on my pension so did the QFA pensions and savings and investments. Question now is should I do the regulation - i imagine its rather boring but will it open up any doors to a career in pension planning as I've found that its an area that interests me. Any opinions welcome.

Cheers...
Wal...

Shooter_galway

There was a guy selling notes for loans and regulations qfa exams on done deal not that long ago if anyone wants details unfortunately my laptop was sent to laptop heaven so can't forward them on

Oons01

Hi, Have signed up for loans and regulation for September. Anyone recommend mocks.ie?

Thanks!

wallym

Having completed two of the QFA modules I highly recommend knowing the example papers and the on-line test they provide as some of these will come up! This was the first training I've done in a while and I must say the resources that support the training are excellent.

Oons01

Thanks Wallym.

If anyone has past papers for Regulation or Loans that they could pm me - I'd really appreciate it!

haribo12

Hi

Could someone tell me all about the QFA exams what are they like in terms of difficulty.

How many are there ?

I hold a BA Finance , Post grad diploma in Accounting and Masters in Accounting, and I am working in financial services.

Thanks

chops018

haribo12 wrote: »

Hi

Could someone tell me all about the QFA exams what are they like in terms of difficulty.

How many are there ?

I hold a BA Finance , Post grad diploma in Accounting and Masters in Accounting, and I am working in financial services.

Thanks

Hi there.

I have two of the QFA's complete and I am APA'd.

Having completed the FE1's I found these very easy in comparison.

You will see in the chapter weightings what can be left out for example in the Loans module chapter two has a weighting of something like 36 questions - so if you know that chapter inside out then you have nearly passed the module.

Read over the boo a few times then get down and do the end of chapter tests and full tests over and over again until the questions start sticking.

Be wary in the fact that there is negative marking so you should really only answer the questions you are 100% sure on.

I was in one of Irelands leading banks and they were paying for them so I thought I would do them - not much of a use to me now as I am starting a Solicitors apprenticeship soon but I suppose no education is education wasted. They are pretty much the minimum needed to move around in financial services these days so if that's a sector you're staying in then I would defo do them. I didn't think I was going to get an apprenticeship in time to go to Blackhall Place this year which is why I took them on and would have finished them otherwise.

Good luck.

bdeely1

Hi, I was considering doing the QFA exams. What are they like in terms of employmemt opportunities please?

Pinkster2017

Hi does anyone know the weighting chapters for regulations exam!?

Michellenman

The lia generally email around I think?

Pinkster2017

Thanks for reply Michellenman I'm doing with iob do they email!?

Full Marx

Well folks, the closing date for registering for the exams is 27/1. Does that mean it has to be done by midnight tonight or by close of business tomorrow?

I'm hoping tomorrow, I had got it in my head for some reason that the date was the first of feb and wont be able to register until tomorrow when I can ring them.

veray

Full Marx wrote: »

Well folks, the closing date for registering for the exams is 27/1. Does that mean it has to be done by midnight tonight or by close of business tomorrow?

I'm hoping tomorrow, I had got it in my head for some reason that the date was the first of feb and wont be able to register until tomorrow when I can ring them.

You can find late registration date here https://www.iob.ie/?q=node/908

bdeely1

Closing date for lia.ie ones is 3rd march

the goon

wallym wrote: »

Having completed two of the QFA modules I highly recommend knowing the example papers and the on-line test they provide as some of these will come up! This was the first training I've done in a while and I must say the resources that support the training are excellent.

Hi just wondering if there are any course providers, ie one evenig a week or day at weekend? I did courses for all my ACCA modules and found it so much easier having someone distil the vast amount of info for you.

Also, how do people generally find it doing it on its own? I would be thinking of doing two modules iniatially.

Thanks!

QFA_2017

Hi, just wondering does anyone know if there was a thread on notes? Trying to find some good short hand notes from someone has sat them before for all of the QFA's

You can do 2 mondules no problem, I am sitting all 6 in May.
e learning is really handy, and I would suggest notes for each chapter and remove all the repeative info.

:-)

QFA_2017

Hi, just wondering does anyone know if there was a thread on notes? Trying to find some good short hand notes from someone has sat them before for all of the QFA's

You can do 2 mondules no problem, I am sitting all 6 in May.
e learning is really handy, and I would suggest notes for each chapter and remove all the repeative info.

:-)

0gac3yjefb5sv7

Hi there,

I was just wondering would these exams be useful for getting insights into the best ways to invest & manage your money or should these exams just be used to pursue a career in the area?

Thanks

m.scanlon

Hi
Would like to know if anybody there sat the QFA Pension exam recently?

lollyanjj

m.scanlon wrote: »

Hi
Would like to know if anybody there sat the QFA Pension exam recently?

Im currently studying for the January exam too. My brother completed Pensions in September and he said it was grand. Basically just learn the first four chapters and your guareenteed to hit the pass mark

m.scanlon

Hi
I sat the pension exam in september too and studied all the chapters, only got 36% was gutted as I really thought I had passed it as it was a great paper and I left the exam feeling very confident with it, when I question to get the paper recheck and paid my 40 euro for it I was told that that every student who sat the exam got extra marks for 3 questions which were asked unfairly which made me feel more gutted than before. I really think that they took the extra marks off my results instead of adding them on. I knew I marked (E) for 35 of the questions and they said I had (E) for 32 of them. I am very disheartened and disillusioned with LIA and the qfa after this.

Just wondering is there anybody out there who felt the definitely passed their exam and didnt get the result they were hoping on getting. Don't think I will continue with this course.

SuperSaintsIan

Hi Everyone,

I am looking into doing my QFA's just a couple of questions if anybody has any info it would be a great help

1) Whats the difference between doing them with BOI or LIA ?
2) Is it easy to revise for these exams also are these exams usually on Saturdays?
3) With my current job I can be in the office till all hours so are all the lectures on demand ect?

Thanks

Nerd Queen

SuperSaintsIan wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

I am looking into doing my QFA's just a couple of questions if anybody has any info it would be a great help

1) Whats the difference between doing them with BOI or LIA ?
2) Is it easy to revise for these exams also are these exams usually on Saturdays?
3) With my current job I can be in the office till all hours so are all the lectures on demand ect?

Thanks

Having been with both, I highly recommend LIA over IOB. Found them much easier to deal with.

All exams are on a saturday! You can do self study through the provided study books. Which is what I did. And I have a QFA and the APA in General Insurance.

William Frederick Burton

LIA & IOB use the same manual and both have online webinars which can be accessed on demand. I completed my QFA exams through LIA but friends of mine used IOB and had no issues.

LIA hold their exams on Saturdays. The exams are very do-able the only one that requires extra effort in my experience is Pensions.

Good Luck!