University Relations
CFA Institute Research Challenge

CFA Institute Research Challenge

CFA Society Toronto & CFA Society Ottawa Research Challenge Local Competition

The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a competition between university-sponsored teams that research a designated publicly traded company, prepare a written report on that select company and then present their findings to a panel of judges.

The competition has five levels: The preliminary, local, sub-regional, regional and global competitions. Winners at the local competition advance to compete against teams within their geographic region at the sub-regional competition. Winning teams at the regional competition advance to compete at the global competition. One team will be designated as the global champions each competition season.

The award for winning the local competition is $1,000 (CAD) cash prize to each winning team member. Prize money can be used at the winners’ discretion. 

Please note, this cash prize is subject to taxes and we are required to collect the necessary documents in order to process payment. 

For more information about the sub-regional, regional and global competition details please visit the CFA Institute Research Challenge website.

Eligibility

• Teams must consist of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members. They may include graduate and/or undergraduate students. Each team must have 1 faculty advisor.
• A maximum of 2 entries per university or college campus will qualify for this competition, please note that applications are considered on a first-come-first-serve basis. 
• Students must be enrolled in the current term at the university they represent at the time of the Local Challenge final. A student must have 80% of their classes at the indicated school campus in order to represent that particular school campus team. If the regional or global competition is scheduled after the student has graduated, that student can still participate.
• Students may not have previously or currently been employed in a role within the core investment management profession at the time of the Local Kickoff meeting; with the exception of students who qualify as an intern under the CFA Institute Research Challenge Official Rules.
• CFA charterholders are not eligible to participate on 'Research Challenge' teams.
• Participants agree to abide by the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

Judging Criteria

• Teams will be judged based on a written report and an oral presentation.
• The written reports will be assessed by a team of graders selected by CFA Society Toronto. Grading will consist of a blind process in which the identities of the universities and colleges are unknown to the graders.  
• All teams will make an oral presentation of their research to a panel of well known industry experts in downtown Toronto.
• Assessment will be based on the written reports and an oral presentation to a panel, both judged according to predetermined criteria. Student teams will be given these criteria before they begin their research.
• A winner will be selected from the top four finalists based on the combined scores received for the written reports and the oral presentations. The scores will be weighted 50% for the written report and 50% for the oral presentation. 

For more information or inquiries regarding the Research Challenge, please email universityrelations@cfatoronto.ca

2024 - 2025 Timeline Coming Soon!

CFA Institute Research Challenge Official Rules 2025
Faculty Advisor Guidelines
Industry Mentor Guidelines
Watch the 2022 Research Challenge Local Competition