FAQs

Membership in the CAIA Association is not a requirement to serve as a reference. The only requirement for your references is that they have relevant information regarding your professional experience. 

Receipts can be printed directly from your account at caia.org. Log in to your CAIA account with your email and password and click on My Account in the top right corner of your screen to access your profile. All past invoices will be stored on your profile under the “My Invoices” tab.

We do not contact professional references on a routine basis. However, we reserve the right to contact all references if we perform a random audit.

• 1 Year Membership: Ideal for professionals looking for annual access to CAIA's resources and community.
   
• 2 Year Membership: Offers a longer-term engagement with CAIA, providing all the benefits of Membership for two years at a reduced rate.
   
• Retired Membership: Designed for active CAIA Members who are unemployed, retired, full-time students, leaving the industry, or experiencing other extenuating financial or personal circumstances and are unable to pay the full Membership fee.
   
• Affiliate Membership: Suitable for CAIA Candidates who have passed the Level II exam and are working to meet the requirements for full Membership.

A one-year Membership costs US$350 and a two-year Membership is US$650. 

• CAIA also offers an Emerging Market rate for Membership. A one-year Emerging Market Membership costs US$100 and a two-year is US$200.  At this time, the emerging market rate is based on the MSCI Emerging Market Index.

With Membership, comes the exclusive right to use the marks. To enjoy a full year of benefits, including the use of the CAIA marks, we encourage you to apply for Membership as soon as possible after passing the CAIA exams.  

There are no time restrictions on the validity of your exam results. To enjoy a full year of benefits, we encourage you to apply for Membership as soon as possible after passing the CAIA exams.  

You may pay by credit card, ACH, or wire during the online checkout process. 

has the required experience of:

• holds a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent) and has one (1) year of professional experience in the field of alternative investment analysis or other regulatory, banking, financial, or related field, OR
• has four (4) years of professional experience in the field of alternative investment analysis or other regulatory, banking, financial, or related field, OR
•  is a CFA charterholder in good standing;
• provides the name and e-mail of two (2) people as professional references; 
• agrees to abide by the CAIA Candidate and Member Agreement, including the use of the CAIA designation as an exclusive right for Full and Retired Members whose membership is in good standing and fully paid; and
• submits payment to join CAIAA after passing CAIAA’s Level II exam, and thereafter submits a renewal payment on or before the expiration date of May 31.
• Please keep in mind that we offer Affiliate Membership as an option if you do not meet the CAIA Membership requirements when you pass your Level II exam. Please contact member@caia.org to request an Affiliate Membership.

Once your Membership application is confirmed by an email sent to your primary email address, you have earned the right to use the CAIA designation.

Your Membership registration or renewal will not be considered complete until CAIA has received your dues payment and applied it to your account. 

Finding other CAIA Members is convenient using our CAIA Member Directory. Simply log into your account to access this feature. Searches can be done by Name, Chapter, City, State, or Country. Having trouble logging in? Contact member@caia.org for assistance with your login access. 

As a CAIA Member, you gain access to exclusive educational content, professional development tools, and networking opportunities. For a comprehensive overview of all CAIA Member resources, please visit our For Members page.

You may use CAIA after your name with or without the registered marks. Proper: Jane Smith, CAIA® -OR- Jane Smith, CAIA 

For details on the proper usage of the CAIA marks, please refer to the Intellectual Property Policy in the Policies section of our website.

While the CAIA Association does not mandate Continuing Education (CE) to maintain membership status, we strongly believe in the value of lifelong learning for investment professionals. As stewards of the industry, we recommend that Members engage in 40 hours of professional development every two years to stay current with industry trends, tools, and best practices.

To support our Members’ growth, CAIA provides complimentary access to CAIA.nxt™, a robust platform offering curated content, courses, and resources designed to help deepen their expertise and uphold the highest standards in their practice. 

This voluntary approach to continuing education empowers individual professionals to take charge of their development while reinforcing credibility and distinction.

To access the CAIA.nxt™ Private Debt, Digital Assets, Real Estate, and Private Equity microcredential, simply visit their respective web pages, scroll down to find the section marked 'CAIA Members, click here for Complimentary Access', and click on the designated image. Once you've opted in, we'll send you further instructions on how to access the platform.