The FRM Study Roadmap replaces the guesswork of "how do I split my study time" with two ready-made schedules: a 16-week, 200+ hour plan for Part 1 and an 18-week, 240+ hour plan for Part 2 — each broken down by topic weight, with calculator drills, mock-exam strategy, and the salary outcomes that make the hours worth it.
What's Inside the FRM Study Roadmap
| Section | What you get |
|---|---|
| Part 1: 16-week study plan | Week-by-week hour allocations for Foundations (40h), Quant (48h), Financial Markets & Products (56h) and Valuation & Risk Models (56h), plus a 2-week revision + 2-mock finish |
| Topic weights & daily schedule | Part 1 topic weights matched to hour budgets, with daily targets for weekdays vs weekends |
| Calculator tips & practice strategy | TI BA II Plus mastery tips plus a GARP practice-exam strategy: timed 100-question runs and a weak-topics list |
| Part 2: 18-week study plan | Week-by-week plan for the five Part 2 topics (each 20% weight), totalling 240+ hours with a 4-week revision + 3-mock finish |
| Part 2 key study tips | Know Basel III/IV cold, use only current-year Current Issues readings, and master credit risk models like Merton and CreditMetrics |
| Exam day & career outcomes | PSI test-center checklist, certification requirements, India salary ranges by career stage, and FRM certification combos |
Five Facts From the Roadmap Worth Knowing Now
- Part 1 needs 200+ hours over 16 weeks — roughly 2–2.5 hours on weekdays and 3–4 hours on weekends, with the final two weeks reserved for revision and two practice exams.
- Part 2 needs more: 240+ hours over 18 weeks. It's application-focused with deeper quantitative rigor, so the roadmap allocates four revision weeks and three mock exams versus two for Part 1.
- Financial Markets & Products and Valuation & Risk Models are the heaviest Part 1 topics at 30% each; Foundations and Quantitative Analysis are 20% each.
- Exams run at PSI test centers — GARP moved FRM exam delivery from Pearson VUE to PSI — with 100 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours per part.
- Part 1 alone gives a career boost. The roadmap cites ₹6-9L starting salaries for Part 1 candidates, so you don't need to wait for full certification to start job hunting.
Download the FRM Study Roadmap (2026 Edition) — Free
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Who Should Download This
The roadmap is written for FRM candidates who have registered (or are about to) and need a concrete week-by-week plan instead of an open-ended "study a lot" instruction. If you already know the fees and windows and just need to know what to study when, this is the guide. Haven't registered yet? Start with our FRM Starter Kit for the GARP registration walkthrough and fee breakdown, or check live FRM exam dates for the November 2026 window.
FRM Study Roadmap: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — completely free. You share your name, email and phone number, and the 10-page PDF opens instantly. We use your details to send batch alerts and prep tips, which you can unsubscribe from anytime.
The roadmap plans 16 weeks and 200+ hours: roughly 2–2.5 hours on weekdays and 3–4 hours on weekends, with the final two weeks reserved for revision and two practice exams.
Part 2 is application-focused with deeper quantitative rigor, so the roadmap allocates more time — 18 weeks and 240+ hours, plus 3 mock exams versus 2 for Part 1.
Financial Markets & Products and Valuation & Risk Models are the heaviest at 30% each; Foundations of Risk Management and Quantitative Analysis are 20% each. The roadmap's hour allocations follow these weights.
Yes — the guide notes many employers value Part 1 candidates, with starting salaries around ₹6-9L, so you shouldn't wait for full certification to start job hunting.
More Free FRM Resources
- FRM Starter Kit — GARP registration steps, 2026 fees and the Part 1 syllabus before you begin
- FRM Study Materials Guide — Schweser vs GARP vs Bionic Turtle vs AnalystPrep, compared honestly
- FRM Career Playbook — risk resume template, interview case studies and salary bands
- See how FRM stacks up against other certifications in our Finance Certification Comparison Matrix
- Deep dives on the blog: how to study for Part 1, how to study for Part 2 and FRM pass rates
