The CFA Society of Seattle is a Member Society of the CFA Institute® (CFA Institute®), Charlottesville, Virginia, www.cfainstitute.org. CFA Institute is a non-profit professional association of over 58,000 securities analysts, fund managers and other investment professionals in 112 countries. CFA Institute is best known as the governing body for the rigorous Chartered Financial Analyst® curriculum and examination program. It also is renowned for its stringent professional conduct standards and code of ethics.

In partnership with the CFA Institute ("CFA Institute"), CFA Society of Seattle conducts high quality programs and disseminates information and ideas relating to investments:

• Presentations are made by the management of major corporations to CFA Society of Seattle members and their guests.
  
  
• Job placement listings and publications are available through CFA Society of Seattle and CFA Institute.
  
  
• Topical programs, accounting and economic seminars, and continuing education courses, conferences and other relevant meetings are also held. Over 20 local events are held per year.
  
  
• Several active committees offer involvement and services of value.



• CFA Institute newsletters and publications, invitations to conferences, and other group benefits.

Membership Requirements
There are three categories of membership: Regular, Affiliate and Student. The major differences are voting privileges and eligibility to serve on the board of trustees, which are extended to regular members only.

Regular and Affiliate members receive all of the benefits of CFA Institute, including the Financial Analysts Journal, CFA Institute newsletters and publications, invitations to conferences, and other group benefits. Student members enjoy the benefits of the local society only. All classes of members may attend events at the member rate and may receive a complimentary subscription to the CFA Society of Seattle Job Newsletter.

Dues
Current CFA Society of Seattle annual dues are $55 for both Regular, Affiliate and Student members. In addition, Regular and Affiliate members pay dues to CFA Institute annually.

Requirements for Regular Membership:

• Be sponsored by one CFA Institute Regular member and the applicant’s supervisor.* Either the Regular member or the supervisor must be a member of the Society, and

• Both CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Seattle must agree to accept the applicant as a Regular member. Regular Membership of CFA Institute requires that the applicant:
  •  Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or have equivalent education or work experience, AND pass Level I of the CFA exam or such other appropriate examination as approved by the Board of Governors, AND have 48 months of acceptable professional work experience in the investment decision-making process, OR
  • Pass the Self-Administered Standards of Professional Practice Examination, AND agree to adhere to and sign the Member's Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, and any additional documentation requested by CFA Institute, AND have 48 months of acceptable professional work experience in the investment decision-making process

Requirements for Affiliate Membership:
Each applicant seeking to become an Affiliate Member of the Society shall:

• Be accepted by CFA Institute as an Affiliate Member; and

• Sign and submit a Member’s Agreement, a Professional Conduct Statement, and any additional documentation as requested by CFA Institute; and

• Be sponsored by one CFA Institute Regular member and the applicant’s supervisor.* Either the Regular member or the supervisor must be a member of the Society.
   

Requirements for Student Membership:

• Be enrolled full-time at a regionally accredited four-year college or university at the time of application, and

• Sign and submit a Member’s Agreement, and

• Be sponsored by one Regular member of CFA Institute and a faculty member at the applicant’s college or university. Either the Charterholder or the faculty member must be a member of the Society.
   

*A waiver of the supervisor requirement may be granted under certain circumstances, in which case an additional sponsorship by a Regular Member of CFA Institute is required.
 

How to Join:
To download an application and instructions, please go to www.cfainstitute.org and click on "Member Resources" on the side bar on the right.

To download an application and instructions for Student membership, please click here.

Your application is submitted to CFA Institute for their approval. Once CFA Society of Seattle receives it from CFA Institute, it is submitted to the CFA Society of Seattle's Membership Committee and then to the Board of Directors to be formally approved at the next board meeting.

How to Find a Sponsor:
It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain two sponsors who are members of CFA Society of Seattle. The sponsor form is obtained through CFA Institute (www.cfainstitute.org). In addition, your immediate supervisor must submit a sponsor form, although this requirement is waived if you are unemployed, self-employed, or if obtaining your supervisor's sponsorship is otherwise inappropriate or irrelevant. When your sponsors have completed the forms, they must submit them to CFA Institute for initial approval.

A good way to meet a potential sponsor is to attend an event - visit www.cfaseattle.org for a listing of upcoming events. Otherwise, you may contact the Membership Chair at . The Membership Chair will introduce you to potential sponsors and answer any other questions you may have about joining the society.

Approval Process:
Each month, CFA Institute sends completed applications to the CFA Society of Seattle membership chairperson, who reviews the applications and presents them to the CFA Society of Seattle board for approval at our board meetings, held the third Wednesday of each month except August. Once an application is approved, it is forwarded to the CFA Society of Seattle administrative office. We advise CFA Institute of the approval and send a welcome letter to the new member, usually within two weeks. Please note, the entire process can take 30 to 90 days depending on when you get your documents to CFA Institute.

Questions about Membership:
For questions about joining the CFA Society of Seattle, please contact our volunteer Membership Chair at . For questions about the status of your application or other general inquiries about joining CFA Institute, please contact CFA Institute directly at .