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Acquire the advanced tools, strategies, and skills needed to excel in private equity. The CFA Institute Advanced Private Equity Certificate equips you with cutting-edge expertise in deal sourcing, financial modeling, debt valuation, and portfolio governance – helping you gain a competitive edge in the private equity field.
Please note, you need to have completed the Private Equity Certificate before registering for this advanced certificate.

Advance your private equity expertise

The Advanced Private Equity Certificate has been designed in partnership with leading industry experts to further your private equity expertise. Upon completion you’ll gain a globally recognized certificate that demonstrates your commitment to mastering the increasingly vital world of private equity.
Working through a syllabus that incorporates real-world financial modeling exercises, you’ll develop advanced tools and strategies essential for working as General Partners (GPs) as well as grow your skills in areas like private debt management techniques and financial modeling. You’ll also learn how to critically evaluate GPs from a Limited Partner’s (LP) viewpoint and gain advanced strategies for portfolio construction and investment screening.

Why choose the Advanced Private Equity Certificate?

Subject matter mastery

Build upon knowledge gained from the Private Equity Certificate and learn advanced tools, strategies, and skills in private equity.

Career advancement

Gain a competitive edge in securing roles within private equity or transition into this increasingly vital area of finance.

Sought-after skills

Develop the expertise to manage complex deals, enhance portfolio performance, and navigate the challenges of investment governance.

Refined expertise

Pave the way for successful investment management and partnership governance in private equity.

Insights from experts

Benefit from the knowledge of established practitioners with an Advanced Private Equity Certificate developed by leaders in investment education.

Enhanced professional profile

Share your achievement on professional networks with a shareable digital badge and a printable certificate when you complete the Advanced Private Equity Certificate.

Who should enroll

People who have successfully completed the Private Equity Certificate and:

Curriculum

Gain the advanced tools and strategies that are essential for working as a general partner (GP). This course covers due diligence, deal sourcing, and execution strategies from a GP’s perspective, as well as the roles of operational and financial management in enhancing portfolio company performance and ensuring strategic exit planning. You’ll end the course by completing an assignment, applying what you’ve learnt to a simulated real-world activity that private equity practitioners encounter.

Learn advanced private debt valuation techniques, with a focus on private debt used in private equity transactions. Topics in this course include advanced credit analysis of private debt, valuing private debt with embedded options (callable, convertible, etc.), and valuing distressed private debt.

Gain advanced skills in financial modeling, focusing on scenario and results modeling, acquisition finance, debt capacity, discount cash flow analysis, and complex leveraged buyout (LBO) scenarios. This course builds on specialized knowledge to prepare you for the sophisticated financial analyses required in private equity and related fields. At the end, you’ll be presented with a financial modeling case study where you will use your modeling skills to complete spreadsheet work.

Learn to critically evaluate GPs from a limited partner’s (LP) viewpoint, taking into account due diligence, risk assessment, and sustainability considerations. This course also covers advanced strategies for portfolio construction and investment screening, enabling you to effectively manage and mitigate risks. There will be an end-of-course quiz, as well as an assignment to help you apply what you’ve learnt.

Access the Advanced Private Equity Certificate syllabus and learning outcomes

Learn via engaging content and activities

Work towards the Advanced Private Equity Certificate in the way most suitable for your learning style and schedule.

Self-paced online learning
Register and start studying straight away. You will have access to the content and activities for 12 months from registration.

Engaging, interactive content
Develop practical understanding of complex topics through a combination of screen capture videos and hands-on exercises.

Live office hours support
Speak with industry experts as you progress through the curriculum to enhance your understanding and gain confidence. 

Assess your knowledge as you go
Test your understanding as you progress with a variety of practical assessments and activities, plus optional knowledge check questions.

What our practitioners say

The material in the Advanced Private Equity Certificate provides an in-depth look at the fastest growing financial market of the last 20 years, with crucial information on the perspectives of practitioners and investors.
Kelly DePonte
Kelly DePonte Advisory LLC, USA

The Advanced Private Equity Certificate helps investors make a real impact in private equity by focusing on process over hype — developing the skills to thoroughly evaluate opportunities and confidently decide when to pursue or walk away from a deal.
Massimiliano Saccone, CFA
XTAL Strategies, Italy

Frequently Asked Questions

When the learning materials become available on 19 August 2025, you'll have access to them for 12 months. Learning materials and assessments can be accessed anywhere online, providing maximum flexibility and convenience to candidates.

The Advanced Private Equity Certificate requires participants to have successfully completed the Private Equity Certificate. This prerequisite ensures you have a robust intermediate understanding of private equity concepts, techniques, and industry practices upon which this advanced course will build.

To successfully complete the financial modeling assignments, you'll need access to the latest version of Microsoft Excel, ideally running on a Windows device. This ensures compatibility with all features and tools used in the course.