For those looking for better opportunities for their finance career, Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst certification is a necessity. This is what separates a regular professional from a world class financial analyst or investment banker— and employers know it.
You don’t need to wait until you’ve left school to start this certification program. In fact, it can be just as beneficial to take while you’re a student.
Finding the best financial modeling courses online can help you excel on your exam and stay on track with the rest of your studies. That’s why we’re here: to help lighten your load by breaking down the best options that are currently available to you.
Here are the best FMVA certification courses, study guides and training programs for future corporate finance professionals, along with an in-depth breakdown of what exactly makes each one so great.
Let’s get started!
1. Corporate Finance Institute Review (FMVA Certification Course)
CFI is one of the first providers you should check out if you want a course on financial modeling or investment banks. They have a ton of courses available, but their Certified Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst course is one of our favorites. After all, they’re the ones who created the certification program in the first place!
CFI’s self-paced course can help you obtain a certification in just a few short months while also augmenting your financial modeling skills and abilities as an analyst.
Course Details
CFI provides a comprehensive platform that includes over 28 courses and a few hundred Excel/Powerpoint resources. This is the supplement to over 100 hours of video training. Additionally, all of these resources are conveniently available to you online, allowing you to study around your hectic schedule.
All of the instructors at CFI have over 20 years of training experience. And since they offer different subscription options at monthly and annual levels, you can save some money if you learn a fast pace.
CFI FMVA Review Features
- Over 28 Courses
- 100+ Spreadsheet Models & Powerpoint Templates
- 100% Online
- Professional Instructors
- Multiple Pricing/Subscription Options
CFI Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
Students or professionals looking to obtain their FMVA certification can get a lot out of CFI. The amount of study materials on offer — even with their lowest subscription level — is engaging and full of practical applications.
2. Wall Street Oasis Elite Modeling Course
Wall Street Oasis teaches students everything they need to know about financial modeling through well made video lessons and study exercises.
Course Details
Wall Street Oasis excels at turning beginners into experts through their financial modeling video lessons. Each lesson tackles a major component of the business and breaks it down into easy to understand parts. That way you aren’t overwhelmed by too much information at once. Case studies and course exercises are also available at certain course milestones. Completing these allows you to apply what you’ve learned and see what study areas you need to focus on in the future.
Wall Street Oasis Features
- 300+ Detailed Video Lessons
- 50+ Course Modules
- 30+ Course Exercises
- 6 Course Bundle
- Lifetime Access
- 12 Month Pass Guarantee
WSO Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
Anyone who’s serious about their career in financial modeling owes it to themselves to check this course out.
Bottom Line Recommendation:
Anyone who’s serious about their career in financial modeling owes it to themselves to check this course out.
3. New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) Financial Modeling Course
While it’s not specifically designed for CFI’s FMVA credential, the NYIF is a decent supplement when preparing for the exam. This course is offered in both a classroom and virtual classroom setting and is held over a span of 5 days.
Course Details
- Introductory Courses to Real World Careers
- 5-Day Length
- Classroom or Virtual Classroom Options
- Undergrad-Level Prerequisites
- Extra Courses For Additional Programming/Excel Skills
NYIF Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
This is a decent supplement when working towards your FMVA certification. Those who’ve obtained their undergraduate degree already would also probably enjoy this course, as they’ve already met the base level of prerequisite knowledge needed.
4. Wharton Online Financial Modeling Course
Those looking to better learn financial modeling and business models will love our next recommendation. Offered by Wharton Online, this course will walk you through financial modeling skills such as using spreadsheets and valuations in order to create better business decisions.
Course Details
This course includes a user dashboard that tracks both your enrolled courses as well as your progress in each of them. This course differs from others in that it is actually referred to as a specialization.
Enrolling in any course with Wharton will enroll you in that course’s specialization, which means you have access to 5 courses instead of just one. You only have to complete one course in a specialization, however obtaining a certificate requires that you complete all of the courses as well as a hands-on project.
Wharton Online Features
- Access to 5 courses
- Self Paced Options
- Readings + Course Videos
- Practice Quizzes
- Peer Feedback on Graded Assignments
Wharton Online Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
The Business and Financial Modeling Specialization offered by Wharton Online is an incredible value. In addition to being free, it throws in 4 additional courses and a slew of modern study materials. Definitely give this specialization a closer look when looking for your next courses if you’re looking for a more hands-on approach to learning.
5. Coursera Financial Modeling Course
Unlike other companies, Coursera offers you a set of courses based on the subjects you’re interested in. This means you can access a much wider range of knowledge, but it lacks the career-minded focus like CFI’s course.
Course Details
Coursera teaches a series of courses called specializations that are designed to help you master company valuation skills quickly. Each specialization consists of several different courses that are organized by subject matter. Enrolling in one course that’s part of a specialization automatically unlocks all the courses in that set.
Don’t worry about time limits— you’re welcome to take as long as you need on each course. Plus, completing the full specialization isn’t even a requirement; only focus on the courses you’re interested in.
Every specialization includes a hands-on project as part of the course list. Once you complete it, you’ll understand how to apply everything you’ve learned in a professional setting. Unlike the individual courses, you’re required to finish this project in order to earn your certificate of completion for the specialization.
Coursera Financial Modeling Review Features
- Practice Quizzes
- Course Videos
- Hands-on Projects
- Multiple Course Subjects
- Shareable Certificate
- Flexible Schedule
Coursera Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
Coursera offers a unique approach to teaching you financial modeling. They offer a series of easy to follow courses instead of focusing solely on one subject. Make sure to check them out if you don’t want to overspecialize.
6. Adventis Financial Modeling Course
Adventis’ financial modeling courses are self paced and geared towards independent studying. This allows you to learn financial modeling in a relaxed manner, although you’ll miss out on personalized guidance compared to many of the courses ranking higher above.
Course Details
Adventis offers courses for both level 1 and 2 FMC certifications. Each course takes roughly 20 hours to complete and is entirely self paced. Lessons are taught through video lectures; each one teaches you an important course concept in a direct and easy to understand manner. Additionally, these lectures demonstrate how to apply everything you’ve learned— so you’re not just memorizing data.
There are a few additional features included in the Adventis financial modeling course:
After each course milestone, you’ll be required to complete an exam. Each test evaluates your ability to apply what you’ve learned to real life examples. If you have a tough time with one or more of these exams, you’ll receive extensive feedback on your answers. This can be extremely helpful when it’s time for you to take the real thing!
Adventis Financial Modeling Features
- 35 Videos
- 2 Year Access Period
- Unlimited Exams
- 8 Hours of Instruction
- Technical Interview Prep
Adventis Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
Adventis is an excellent choice for anyone with a busy schedule. You can easily fit these lessons into any small breaks you have in your day, but the lack of live content can be concerning.
7. Wall Street Prep Financial Modeling Review
Instead of focusing on tests, Wall Street Prep’s courses teach you everything you need to know about financial modeling through video lessons. In total, they offer roughly 45 hours of content.
Course Details
In order to teach the core financial and valuation modeling skill set, this course will show you how to read and create financial models. They do so by showing you real case studies and the best practices for Microsoft Excel. This program is so helpful that many leading financial institutions use it to train their own staff.
The premium package is entirely self paced, but you’re expected to spend around 70-90 hours on studying. Videos will teach you what you need to know before you’re asked to apply your knowledge to Excel model templates. Although it doesn’t acclimate you to the actual exam format, these financial modeling courses let you get a feel for actual spreadsheet models you’ll use in your career.
Wall Street Prep Financial Modeling Features
- Private Tutoring
- Resume Inclusion
- Private Online Tutoring
- Macabus Excel Plugin
- Support Center
Wall Street Prep Pros and Cons
Bottom Line
Wall Street Prep is an excellent prep course if you’re willing to pay a little extra. Their tutorials are some of the best designed and most intuitive ones out there.
Financial Modeling & Valuation Analysts FAQs
Still confused about financial modeling and valuation courses? Here are some quick answers to your burning questions:
According to the Corporate Finance Institute, FMVA certified professionals earn salaries of over $100,000 a year.1 This is above the average salary for a typical CFA2— so it’s statistically possible that you can use it to advance your career.
No. For example, the financial modeling courses offered by Wharton Online have subtitles in Arabic, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, and Spanish.
Getting certified as a Chartered Financial Analyst will lead to many career opportunities in finance. It’s also a good idea to become a certified Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) to increase your earning potential.
