Skip to content

CFA Level II Exam · Guidance for Standard VII: Responsibilities as a CFA Institute Member or CFA Candidate

Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs

Updated 7 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Standard VII(A) says members and candidates must not engage in conduct that compromises the reputation or integrity of CFA Institute or the CFA designation, or the validity and security of CFA exams. To solve a question, identify the act, check if it harms exam security or program integrity, then name the violation.

Understand Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs

Standard VII(A) is about how you behave as a participant in CFA Institute programs. It applies to members and to candidates. The aim is to protect the value of the designation. If exams could be cheated, the charter would mean less for everyone who earned it.

The core duty is simple: do not do anything that harms the integrity, validity or security of the exams or other program requirements. Conduct that harms these is a violation whether or not you gain a personal advantage.

The Standard covers two broad areas. The first is cheating during the exam, such as copying, using unauthorized materials or devices, or getting help. The second is disclosing confidential program information, such as the content of exam questions or answers, or information about the exam that CFA Institute has not made public.

Examples of conduct that compromises program integrity include cheating, sharing or soliciting exam content, and violating exam rules or candidate instructions. Using a prohibited item in the exam room is a breach even if you never look at it. Helping another person break the rules is also a breach.

The Standard does not stop you from talking about the program generally. You may discuss the curriculum, study methods, and information that CFA Institute has published, including the published exam topic areas and weights. You may also give feedback to CFA Institute on the exam through its official channels. What you cannot do is disclose specific, non-public exam content, such as questions, answers, or which specific material was or was not tested, beyond what CFA Institute has released.

Key formulas to remember

Core duty
Do not compromise the reputation or integrity of CFA Institute or the CFA designation, or the validity and security of CFA exams
Applies to members and candidates. No personal gain is needed for a violation.
Cheating test
Any unfair advantage or breach of exam rules = violation
Includes using unauthorized materials or devices, copying, and helping others do so.
Confidentiality test
Non-public exam content disclosed = violation
Covers questions, answers and specific content not released by CFA Institute.
Permitted discussion
Published curriculum, published topic areas and weights, and study methods = allowed
Sharing general study approaches is fine. Sharing specific non-public content about what was actually tested is not.

How to solve Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs questions

Use this method on any Standard VII(A) item set question. Read the facts and judge the conduct, not the intent or the outcome.

  1. 1Identify who acted: a member or a candidate. The Standard covers both.
  2. 2Name the act: during the exam, before or after it, or in talking to others about the program.
  3. 3Ask whether the act involves cheating, unauthorized materials, or breaking exam rules.
  4. 4Ask whether it discloses specific non-public exam content, such as questions, answers, or which specific material was or was not tested beyond what CFA Institute has released.
  5. 5Check whether the information was already published by CFA Institute, such as topic areas and weights. Published information is not confidential.
  6. 6Decide if the act compromises exam integrity, validity or security, or the reputation of the program.
  7. 7Choose the answer that names the violation of Standard VII(A) and, if asked, the action to take, such as stopping the conduct or not sharing the information.

Quickest way: Two-question screen

When to use it: When you are short of time and the vignette is clearly about exams or program information.

  1. Question 1: Did anyone gain or give an unfair advantage or break exam rules? If yes, it is a violation.
  2. Question 2: Was non-public exam content shared or asked for? If yes, it is a violation.
  3. If both answers are no and the information was published or general, there is no violation.
  4. Pick the option that matches, and check the wording for words like only, general or published.

Common mistakes in Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs

  • Thinking there is no violation when no one benefited or no exam answer was shared.

    Students link ethics to harm or profit.

    Fix: The Standard protects integrity and security. Breaking exam rules is a violation even without a gain.

  • Treating all talk about the exam as a violation.

    Students overstate confidentiality.

    Fix: General study tips and published information are allowed. Only non-public content is restricted.

  • Applying the Standard only to candidates.

    The title mentions participants and exams.

    Fix: It applies to members and candidates alike.

  • Thinking the duty ends once the exam is over.

    Students tie the rule to the exam room.

    Fix: Disclosing exam content after the exam is still a breach, since it harms future exam security.

  • Confusing VII(A) with VII(B).

    Both sit under Standard VII.

    Fix: VII(A) is conduct in the program and exam security. VII(B) is how you refer to CFA Institute, the designation and the program.

Worked examples

Example 1

Vignette: Ananya, a Level II candidate, finishes the morning session. In a study group chat that evening she posts that the item set on a particular topic was long and lists two specific questions she remembers. A member of the group says he will pass those two specific questions on to a friend sitting a later exam window. Q1: Did Ananya violate Standard VII(A)? Q2: Would the group member's plan violate Standard VII(A)? A) Ananya: no violation, Group member's plan: violation. B) Ananya: violation, Group member's plan: no violation. C) Ananya: violation, Group member's plan: violation.

Show the solution
  1. Ananya shared specific questions from the exam. This is non-public exam content.
  2. Disclosing it after the exam still compromises exam security, so Q1 is yes: she violated the Standard.
  3. The group member plans to pass the specific questions to a future candidate. That would disclose non-public exam content and compromise exam integrity, so Q2 is yes: the plan would violate the Standard.
  4. Both acts are violations. This matches option C. Options A and B each call one of the two acts acceptable.

Answer: Q1: Yes, Ananya violated Standard VII(A) by disclosing exam content. Q2: Yes, the plan would violate the Standard. This matches option C.

Example 2

Vignette: Rohan, a CFA charterholder and member, tutors candidates. He tells a class: 'Spend more time on practice questions than on reading notes.' He also tells them the exam guidance CFA Institute published on its website about the format. After a colleague sits the exam, Rohan asks him which topics appeared most and which question types were hard, so he can adjust his class. Q1: Is Rohan's advice on study method a violation? Q2: Is his request to the colleague a violation? A) Q1: no, Q2: yes. B) Q1: yes, Q2: yes. C) Q1: no, Q2: no.

Show the solution
  1. Study method advice is general and does not reveal exam content. It is not a violation.
  2. Sharing published format information is allowed, since it is public.
  3. Asking a candidate to reveal which topics appeared most and which question types were hard seeks non-public exam content. Published topic areas and weights are public, but what actually appeared on a specific exam is not.
  4. Discussing which topics or item sets appeared on a specific exam, beyond what CFA Institute has publicly released, is disclosure of non-public content. Soliciting it compromises exam security, and Rohan is a member, so the Standard applies.
  5. So Q1 is no violation and Q2 is a violation.

Answer: Option A: Q1 is not a violation. Q2 is a violation of Standard VII(A) because Rohan solicited non-public exam content.

Exam tips

  • Look for the trigger words in the vignette: shared, asked for, remembered, brought, helped. They usually mark the violation.
  • Decide whether information is published or non-public before judging. Many wrong options treat published information as confidential.
  • Remember that members and candidates are both covered, and the duty continues after the exam.
  • When asked for an action, prefer answers that stop the conduct and protect exam security, not ones that excuse it because it helped no one.
  • Do not mix up VII(A) with VII(B). Exam and program conduct is A. Claims about the designation or candidacy is B.

Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs in other exams

The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.

Standard VII(A): Conduct as Participants in CFA Programs: frequently asked questions

What does Standard VII(A) prohibit?

It prohibits conduct that compromises the reputation or integrity of CFA Institute or the CFA designation, or the validity and security of the exams. This includes cheating and disclosing non-public exam content.

Can I discuss the exam with other candidates?

You can discuss published curriculum, published topic areas and weights, and general study methods. You cannot share specific non-public exam content, such as questions, answers or particular tested items.

Does Standard VII(A) apply after I pass or after the exam ends?

Yes. The duty continues after the exam for both members and candidates; disclosing exam content afterwards is still a violation because it harms future exam security.

Is it a violation if I break an exam rule but gain nothing?

Yes. Breaking exam rules, such as bringing prohibited items, compromises program integrity even without a benefit.