Chartered Private Equity Professional/private-equity-certifications/chartered-private-equity-professional

CPEP elevates your knowledge and employer appeal and brings you up to the same knowledge level that top Private Equity and Venture Capital firms expect. It accelerates the career growth of professionals already working in the private equity space. Better still, it prepares graduating finance, accounting and business students best for quick, impressive starts to their careers in this industry.

The CPEP exam usually assesses candidates' grasp of definitions, concepts, principles, analysis methods, essential best practices, decision contexts, and the application of this knowledge in analysis and decision-making across various roles in the alternative investments industry. This covers positions in the forefront, documentation, and leadership, spanning a wide range of work scenarios within the industry.

Among the most esteemed global Private Equity qualifications around, the CPEP charter ratifies and stamps your potential and promise of handling even the most complex of roles and assignments in the private equity domain.

Why CPEP™?

If you're aiming to succeed in the fiercely competitive finance industry, whether you're an aspiring or experienced private equity professional, you must possess the knowledge and abilities required. CPEP™ is tailored to provide you with the expertise and practical skills in the private equity domain necessary to propel your career forward. Whether you're currently working, a student, transitioning to this field, or beginning a career in it, the CPEP™ qualification presents an avenue for progress and the achievement of your professional aspirations.

Organizations Where CPEP™ Certified Professionals Work

  • Aleyo Capital
  • Apex
  • Boston Consulting Group
  • Cognizant
  • DXC Technology
  • Mckinsey and Company
  • Salaam Group
  • Standard Chartered
  • ZB Capital
  • BDMSA
  • BNP Paribas
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Plus Capital
  • Raiffeisen Bank Capital
  • logo

CPEP™ Education and Professional Experience Requirements

Working professionals, MBA students, and holders of other premier qualifications can all register for CPEP. The four registration tracks open CPEP for aspirants with diverse educational and work backgrounds having a prior exposure to financial analysis, capital markets, accounting and investing.

  • Track 1:

    MBA/ Master’s in Finance/ Accounting with at least two years of professional experience in investment banking, M&A, private equity, financial engineering, or a similar function.

  • Track 2:

    Bachelor’s qualification with a major in Finance or accounting with at least three years of professional experience in investment banking, M&A, private equity, financial engineering, or a similar function.

  • Track 3:

    Students of MBA/ Master’s programs in business schools and institutions recognized by USPEC or by any of the other global accreditation bodies like the AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.

  • Track 4:

    Currently working in any of the finance sub-functions with a Bachelor's qualification and an active CFA, CIMA (USA), CMA, CPEP, FRM credential, or a similar global certification.

All-Inclusive Package

Latest handbooks, online examination facility, digital badge, printed certificate, lapel pin and shipping of all material - everything is included in the registration package of CPEP™.

  • Exam-Study Handbooks

    All candidates of the CPEP™ get an exam-preparation kit containing the Mastering Private Equity Handbook and the Private Equity Casebook. These are the flagship learning and exam preparation resources containing exclusive content written for easy comprehension covering all dimensions of private equity knowledge and also for practicing applying important frameworks and concepts. No additional fee is charged for the learning resources from any candidate.

  • Secondary Readings

    In addition to the official USPEC Handbooks, independent 3rd party content providers may offer candidates access separately to online resources to help them learn the latest in the field. The 3rd party content is not part of the CPEP™ package and is NOT prescribed as mandatory reading for the CPEP™ charter exam. The 3rd-party content is not connected to CPEP™ exams. USPEC is neither responsible for the quality of any 3rd-party content nor involved in its development or access. Candidates are free to choose if they want to study 3rd party content to expand their perspective or avoid it.

  • Exam Location Flexibility

    Examinees enjoy the convenience of choosing their preferred test location, be it in the comfort of their homes or within the office space, once they have adequately prepared. The first exam attempt is inclusive in the registration fee, eliminating the need for any additional payments.

  • Printed Certificates & Lapel Pin

    Candidates who successfully pass their examination, receive a printed certificate, welcome letter, lapel pin and code of ethics booklet shipped to them in a credential kit.

  • Digital Badge

    USPEC provides a digital certificate of your CPEP™ Charter accomplishment, issued through our partner, CredBadge.
    After successfully passing the CPEP™ exam, you will receive an email with your digital badge link. You can also access the link to your digital badge anytime by logging in to your myUSPEC dashboard.
    Digital Badge not only maximizes your profile visibility through social sharing, but it also adds distinction to your profile, being individually verifiable by a prospective employer or client.

  • Shipping

    The first-time shipping of Learning Resource and Credential Kit is covered under the CPEP™ certification fee. Duplicate certificates will be shipped on charges as applicable.

CPEP Program Package Fee: US$ 775
register now

The fee is all-inclusive and covers the official exam-study handbooks, the credential kit - which includes the CPEP™ certificate and designation pin, along with a digital badge - and shipping expenses. It is important to note, however, that this fee does not account for any special local taxes, duties, levies, or any other applicable charges in the recipient's country. The fee is subject to change without prior notice. Refund requests made within 24 hours of making the payment will be subject to a processing charge of US$ 80. No refunds will be issued for registration cancellation requests made after 24 hours of registration.

When Registering through an Affiliate/Partner +

This fee does not cover the training fee charged by training companies, universities, or other institutions that offer CPEP™ exam preparation training. Independent content providers may offer additional online content and reading resources that are not part of the CPEP™ Exam Preparation Kit. These resources are not prescribed by USPEC. Furthermore, USPEC does not exercise control over the fees charged by independent providers and is not responsible for the quality of their content. Please note that USPEC is a standards and credentialing body and is not responsible for training delivery. We do not govern any aspect of training/education nor mandate or control the training/program fee charged for the CPEP™ exam preparation by any training company, Institution, or education provider.

USPEC Private Equity Study Handbooks

The books, learning kit, certificates etc., shown here in the image are only for illustration, and their design, colors etc., may change without notice. The certificate and the designation pin are awarded only after the passing of the exam. 3rd-party additional content is NOT part of the standard CPEP™ exam registration package.

Built On A Robust Knowledge Framework

CPEP™ Exam- Testing You on IFIS™

The IFIS™-backed CPEP™ stands tall as an industry-focused qualification primarily because it has been insightfully developed after extensive research and consultations with dozens of experienced and accomplished Private Equity experts from around the world, including chief investment officers, principal partners, fund managers, and investment principals - the same people who eventually hire talents for their Private Equity firms.

CPEP™ exam covers 22 essential areas of knowledge and skills demanded of professionals in the private equity and alternative investing space. The CPEP™ exam typically tests candidates for their level of knowledge and understanding of the definitions, concepts, principles, frameworks, analysis techniques, core-best practices and decision contexts, and understanding of how to apply this knowledge in analysis and decision-making in frontline, documentation, and leadership roles in the widest variety of work contexts in the alternative investments industry in general.

CPEP™ Exam at a Glance

  • Duration of the Certification Exam

    90 Minutes

  • Location of the Exam

    CPEP™ Exam is completely online and digitally proctored. You can take the exam anywhere, even at home or in your office. You'll need your computer ExamStrong™ compliant prior to taking the exam.

  • Mode of Examination

    Online

  • Total number of questions in a typical examination

    50

  • Type of Questions

    Multi-choice-Single-answer; Multi-Choice-Multi-answer

  • Standard Qualification benchmark for credential award

    65% correct answers; though awards will actually be decided using an algorithm that accounts into scaling, relative scoring, and degree of difficulty parameters

Note: Submission of Assignment 1 and Assignment 2 is mandatory to appear for your CPEP™ Exam.

Read more About Examination

CPEP Journey

Check Eligibility Requirements


USPEC mandates you to meet certain educational and work experience requirements to become eligible. Before proceeding, check if you satisfy the minimum eligibility requirements for the CPEP™. It is recommended that you keep this information handy as it will be required while filling up your online application.

Fill Online Application


Once you have satisfied the CPEP™ eligibility requirements, it is time to apply. Start the application process by creating your myUSPEC account. Once you have submitted the online application and made a successful payment of the fee, you will immediately receive an acknowledgement response email with instructions for the next step in the certification process.

Validation


An internal check is conducted to validate your credentials against the prescribed candidacy prerequisites for earning the CPEP.

Learning Resources


Post your payment confirmation, you will receive your unit of the learning resources containing reading and learning material at the address you have registered with us. Normal delivery timeframe is three to four weeks.

CPEP Exam


USPEC earmarks a 120-day immersion period for CPEP™ registrants to help them build their conceptual foundations in Private Equity. You can schedule your exam any time after the 120-days immersion period is over. In fact, you also get an additional 245-days to plan and take your exam. Before taking the exam, you must complete two assignments as prescribed by the USPEC assessment policy in its multi-stage evaluation process.

ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS Maximum Marks
Assignment CPE1 Solution Submission on PE Deal Design & Execution 75
Assignment CPE2 Solution Submission on PE Fund Management 75
USPEC Exam - CPEX1921 Final 90 Minutes Online Exam (50 Multiple Choice questions of 3 marks each) 150
TOTAL 300

Note: Submission of Assignment 1 and Assignment 2 is mandatory to appear for your CPEP™ Exam.

Award


If you qualify the exam and meet other conditions, you are awarded the CPEP Charter Credential and the Digital Badge is immediately issued to you. You can expect the shipment of the physical credential pack to reach you within three to four weeks from the date of the award of Charter.

Take the next step toward earning your CPEP credential today

Register Now

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