Financial Modeling Self Study

Financial modeling self study refers to using and accessing resources to understand how to create financial models, by learning through self study mode. In this, we need to research and find out sources that will guide us without any assistance from a teacher. It is definitely possible to learn financial modeling in this manner. 

In this blog, you will get a detailed insight into the different methods and resources that you can use to learn how to design financial models. You will also get information about each of those sources so that you can compare and select whichever suits you best in terms of duration, course content, fee structure, etc. You can learn more about the best financial modeling courses to get a detailed idea about them. 

The eligibility criteria for any financial modeling course or certification will be different and based on what is actually being offered within the course. However, the list below will give a general idea about the required criteria:

• In the case of an undergraduate course, in order to learn financial modeling the candidate should complete 10+2 from a recognized institution or university.
• In case of a postgraduate course, the candidate should hold a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university.
• For certificate courses, the candidate should complete 10+2 from a recognized institution or university.
• Finally, for a diploma course, the candidate must also complete 10+2 from a recognized institution or university.

#1 - WallStreetMojo 

WallStreetMojo is the best source learn financial modeling related to fields like finance, accounting, financial modeling, investment banking, venture capital, private equity, Excel, and so on. The company focuses on preparing the candidate with both the theory and application of a concept, along with highlighting its career prospects. It offers content that is suitable for candidates from both financial and non-financial backgrounds, who want to learn financial modeling. The credibility of the website comes from the fact that all content offered is backed by thorough research and analysis. 

Course name – Online Financial Modeling Course
Course Duration – 14+ hours of video.
Mode of Study – Self paced video course
Course Fees – Rs 7,497
Course Curriculum - The curriculum covers all fundamental concepts and techniques from beginner to advanced level, suitable for both students and working professionals who want to learn financial modeling. It includes financial statement analysis, scenario analysis, and forecasting, which guides and provides a solid foundation for the learner related to the process of modeling. 

Course Highlights – Here, we detail the course content. 

• What is a Historical Income Statement, and how to populate it?
• What is the Historical Balance Sheet, and how can it be populated?
• What is a Historical Cash Flow Statement, and how to populate it?
• Margin Calculation
• Income Statement – Vertical Analysis
• Balance Sheet - Vertical Analysis
• Basic Foundation Of Revenue Forecasting
• Revenue Forecasting – McDonald’s
• Cost Forecasting – McDonald’s
• Working Capital Forecasting – McDonald’s
• Calculating, Projecting, and Linking Property and Equipment
• Calculating, Projecting, and Linking Software and Amortization
• Calculating, Projecting, and Linking Shareholders Equity
• Cash Flow Statement Projections 
• Debt Forecasting

Certification- When you complete the course to learn financial modeling, you get a completion certificate, which will enhance your career prospects and be a good value addition to your existing professional portfolio. You can learn more about the best financial modeling courses to get a detailed idea about them. 
Contact Us – For further information and queries, you may contact WallStreetMojo at support@wallstreetmojo.com.

#2 - Wall Street Prep 

Wall Street Prep is an online training provider to learn financial modeling catering to the top private equity firms, investment banks, business schools, and Fortune 1000 companies at the global level. If you wish to start a career in finance and are looking for suitable guidance and training, Wall Street Prep is an excellent choice because it is suitable for both students and professionals. 
Course name – Financial and Valuation modeling Certification Program (7 courses)
Course Duration – The duration of all the courses in the above program is 45 hours and 56 min.
Mode of Study – Online 
Course Fees – The course is priced at $499. 
Course Curriculum – The curriculum includes building financial models using real case studies and best practices with the help of Microsoft Excel. In the course, the candidate will learn how to do financial statement modeling, DCF modeling, Merger and Acquisition modeling, Trading Comps and Transaction Comps modeling, and LBO modeling.
Course Highlights – The main course to learn financial modeling highlights are as given below: 

• It is intuitive, very comprehensive, and totally self-paced. 
• It bridges the gap between academics and the practical world by teaching the necessary financial skillset to get a job, along with building confidence to face tough interviews during career advancement.
• The course also includes the facility of extra training and attention in case the candidate needs any through live video chat with experienced professionals. However, it costs $800 / hr. The course includes enhanced features, a virtual blackboard, file uploading, and a model-sharing facility by using a platform through the integration of the phone and web.
• There is also the option to upload your resume along with a cover letter after you learn financial modeling, without any extra charges, for enhancement of better career opportunities.

Certification - When you complete the course, you get a completion certificate, which will enhance your career prospects and be a good value addition to your existing professional portfolio.
Contact Us – For any queries and questions, you may always dial 617-314-7685.

#3 - Corporate Finance Institute

The Corporate Finance Institute works with the mission to enhance and upgrade the skills, knowledge, and efficiency of professionals who are already working or planning to break into the field of finance and banking. It caters to candidates globally who are looking forward to driving their career toward a better level by seeking help from industry experts, online tools, and other resources. 
Course name – The course name is Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) Certification. 
Course Duration – The average duration of the entire program is 4-6 months. However, you can always learn financial modeling at your own pace and during times that are most convenient for you.
Mode of Study – It is 100% online and totally self-paced.
Course Fees – The entire course starts from $497 / year.
Course Curriculum – The course offers essential financial analysis skills that aid in designing effective financial models that guide the business towards proper decision-making. It helps the candidate master concepts like budgeting, modeling, and forecasting and obtains complete competency in the field of accounts and finance. 
Course Highlights – Let us get into the course highlights in detail.

• The course begins with an optional part, which includes an essential preparation and idea of concepts like accounting fundamentals, how to read financial statements, fundamentals of Excel and corporate finance, mathematics for finance professionals, analysis of growth drivers and risks, role of finance professionals and fundamentals of Capital IQ.
• Then comes the central part, financial analysis, introduction to the 3-statement model, accounting principles and standards, operational and DCF valuation modeling, comparable valuation analysis, 3-statement modeling, budgeting and forecasting, cash-flow statement forecast, sensitivity and scenario analysis, dashboard and data visualization, PowerPoint and pitchbooks and finally professional ethics. 
• 19 elective courses form a part of the entire curriculum, out of which the candidate needs to select a minimum of 3. 

Finally, you have to take the exam to learn financial modeling after completing all the above. You need to score at least 70% to get the certificate. 
Certification – As already mentioned, you can earn the certificate when your aggregate percentage is a minimum of 70%. You also have to complete all quizzes, videos, and assessments. As soon as you earn the certificate, it will be mailed to you as well as visible on the learner dashboard. 
Contact Us – In case you have any queries or doubts, you can always contact the Institute at their mailing address given below:

CFI Education Inc.
#1392 – 1771 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 3B7
Canada

• US Mailing Address

Macabacus / CFI
228 Park Ave S
PBM 19912
New York, NY 10003

There is also the facility of sending messages by filling out a form on the website. 

#4 - Coursera

Coursera is an online course provider that computer science professors of Stanford University, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, set up in 2012. It collaborates with other educational institutions to offer online courses, degrees, and certifications on varied subjects. 

Course name – Finance and Quantitative Modeling for Analysts Specialization.
Course Duration – The duration of the course is one month.
Mode of Study – The mode of study is entirely online, and you can study at your own pace. 
Course Fees – The course is currently being offered for free to all students who want to upgrade their knowledge and enhance career opportunities. 
Course Curriculum – To summarise the entire curriculum, you will be able to use Excel to track, create, and forecast data in an optimized manner while creating your models and thoroughly learning how to read the different parts of financial statements. You will be able to master each concept using tools and hands-on projects related to skills that are in demand. At the end, you will earn a certificate from the University of Pennsylvania. 
Course Highlights – It is a 4-course series which includes the following:

Fundamentals of Quantitative Modeling – You will learn skills like modeling, probabilistic modeling, linear regression, and regression analysis. 

• Introduction to Spreadsheets and Models – Here, you will gain a better understanding of the Monte Carlo Method and linear Programming and become a strong problem solver using Microsoft Excel. 
• Financial Acumen for Non-Financial Managers – Here, you learn how to link non-financial metrics with financial data, evaluate financial performance, and forecast the future. 
• Introduction to Corporate Finance – Here, you learn about some fundamental financial concept and their application in the actual world. They include the time value of money, cost of capital, mortgage financing, retirement savings, capital budgeting, asset valuation, and so on. 

Certification - When you complete the course, you get a completion certificate, which will enhance your career prospects and be a good value addition to your existing professional portfolio.
Contact Us – In case you have any queries or questions, feel free to contact the Learner’s Help Center page: https://www.coursera.support/s/learner-help-center?language=en_US

#5 - Udemy

Udemy is another online learning platform that allows people from various fields to learn new skills and enhance their existing ones to maintain an edge over other professionals in their field in the competitive environment. Udemy is all about learners and instructors from diverse cultures who are committed to turning the workplace into a source of healthy learning through fun, keeping in mind an ethical approach. 

Course name – Learn Financial Modeling From Scratch. 
Course Duration – The duration of the course is 2 hours and 11 min, containing nine separate sections and eight downloadable resources that you can refer to. 
Mode of Study – The study will be completely online and self-paced. So you can learn in your own time and at your own speed. 
Course Fees – The course costs Rs 1,999. 
Course Curriculum – This course is an excellent solution for learning business and industry analysis using Excel. It covers every area thoroughly and trains you on how to build spreadsheets for business plans and forecasts using current and historical data. You require basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel and finance. This course is suitable for analysts, research professionals in the field of investment banking and equity, and even entrepreneurs. 
Course Highlights- The course highlights include the following:

• Forecasting calculation 
• Specialised calculations related to Cash Balancing Mechanism.
• Addressing Circularity Issues 
• Forecasting items that are below the Profit After Tax
• Specialised calculations related to Income Tax
• How to make Special Adjustments, like Loan Repayment. 
  Certification - When you complete the course, you get a completion certificate, which will enhance your career prospects and be a good value addition to your existing professional portfolio.
  Contact Us – In case of any queries, you may contact the Help and Support details given on the page: https://support.udemy.com/hc/en-us

Self-study is the process of learning using available resources, primarily online, but entirely without the help and guidance of any tutor who will give continuous and daily training. However, there are both pros and cons to the system:

Pros

• You tend to maintain discipline in the learning environment because you clearly know that no one else will do it for you. 
• The process can help you save money since you are not trying to hire an external tutor. 
• You can definitely have the flexibility to study at your own pace. This means you can earn or do a job along with learning, which enhances your skills further and prepares you to multitask, too. 
• As a responsible and avid learner, you learn to do things yourself and take the initiative to research and find resources to learn on your own. 

Cons

• Self-study means there is no external help, which may, at times, become an issue because we may not be able to understand everything on our own.
• You may end up taking more time to understand each concept, making the process more time-consuming.
• Since you get the facility to study at your own pace, there will be a tendency to keep the learning process pending, thus delaying its completion. 
• Sometimes, you may not be able to select the right course and end up wasting time and money on studying something that may not be very useful for you.