Master real investment strategy.
Get certified. Earn your place.

All programs are designed and led by an active hedge fund manager. Other fund professionals including data analysts and fund psychologists also play a role throughout the program.

Standard pricing: L1 at $399, L2 at $499, L3 at $599. Subsidized pricing for current students and recent graduates: L1 at $199, L2 at $299, L3 at $399. Every participant who completes L3 receives a full CFOA exam subsidy valued at $390. Financing options are available.

No prior finance background is required for L1. The only prerequisites are ambition, drive, and a strong interest in investment strategy. The program starts from the ground up and builds systematically. Many successful participants have come from engineering, law, medicine, the military, and other non-finance fields.

Absolutely. The program is fully online and has served participants from the US, UK, UAE, Switzerland, India, Hong Kong, and many more countries. Talent is global.

The Certified Futures and Options Analyst (CFOA) is a professional credential issued by the International Council for Derivative Trading (ICFDT), recognized by employers in derivatives, hedge funds, and investment management.

The Specialization and Recruitment Program (SRP) is TrendUp's career placement program for top L3 performers. To qualify, you must complete all three L-Program levels and finish in the top quarter to top third of your cohort class. It includes a 10-week analyst or trader internship at a partner hedge fund, family office, or private investment firm; a personalized psychology report from a fund-specialist psychologist; a direct mentoring line with a senior hedge fund professional who can serve as a reference; and full recruitment consulting including resume, LinkedIn, and mock interviews with real fund professionals. 100% of SRP participants secure an investment internship or role.

Each level builds directly on the previous one, so L2 requires L1 and L3 requires L2. You can pause between levels and resume when ready. There is no obligation to continue beyond any given level, though completing L3 is what unlocks the CFOA exam subsidy and SRP eligibility.

No problem. Recordings of all live sessions are made available shortly after each session so you can catch up on your own schedule. Missing the occasional live session does not affect your progress or standing.

Both paths lead to the CFOA certification, but they are built for different needs. The L-Program is a live cohort experience across three levels (L1, L2, L3). It includes live Saturday sessions, 1-on-1 time with the fund manager at every level, equity research opportunities, and eligibility for the SRP buy-side internship. It runs on semi-fixed cohort dates and takes roughly 9 weeks to complete. The CFOA Direct is fully self-paced with instant access and no application required. It covers the equivalent of L2 and L3 content (options, futures, derivatives strategy) via video lessons, quizzes, and practice exams, and comes with a 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass the exam. It does not include live sessions, 1-on-1 mentorship, or SRP eligibility. In short: choose the L-Program if you want the full development experience, mentorship access, and a path to a buy-side internship. Choose CFOA Direct if you want to earn the CFOA credential on your own schedule with no cohort commitment.

Yes. There are two ways to reduce or spread the cost. First, if you are currently a student or graduated within the last year, you qualify for our student subsidy pricing: L1 at $199, L2 at $299, and L3 at $399, a significant reduction from standard rates. Second, all participants can finance the program through interest-free installment payments via PayPal Pay Later, letting you split the cost over time with no added fees. Reach out via the FAQ and Contact page if you have questions about either option.

Complete the short TrendUp application at trendupnow.org. Once approved, you will be enrolled into the next cohort. Applying early is strongly recommended; seats are limited per cohort.