For Individuals
For Teams
  • CBCA program: 59 total courses, 19 required for exam eligibility
  • Self-paced & 100% online
  • Get full CBCA program, community, & more with a CFI membership
  • Get this program and CFI's full training catalog for your organization
  • Manage learning, create custom paths & measure progress
  • For teams of 2 or more users

CBCA® Program Overview

CFI’s Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst (CBCA®) Certification Program propels your commercial lending career with essential skills for starting or advancing a commercial lending career. Learn advanced underwriting for more profitable deals through our purpose-built curriculum, offering 50+ banking courses, case studies, and a resource library with financial models and risk assessment tools.

This comprehensive program supports growth in roles like commercial banker, credit analyst, risk manager, or private lender, covering financial analysis, credit structuring, and qualitative skills such as management and industry analysis, effective business and credit writing, and sales and relationship management. Elevate your career as a world-class commercial lending professional with CFI's CBCA® Certification Program.

What's in the Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst Program?

59 courses

Consisting of 2870+ lessons

310+ interactive exercises

Learn by doing with guided simulations

Blockchain certificate

To verify your skills

500,000+ 5-star ratings

Best-in-class training, as rated by you

Earning Your Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst Certification

Step 1.

Prep Courses

Optional

Choose from 11 optional courses to learn or review the fundamentals.

Careers in Commercial Banking
4.9 (247 Ratings)
51min
51min
Introduction to Banking
4.8 (440 Ratings)
53min
53min
Banking Products and Services
4.9 (184 Ratings)
2h 11min
2h 11min
Accounting Fundamentals
4.9 (7,370 Ratings)
2h 28min
2h 28min
Forms of Business Structure
4.8 (257 Ratings)
57min
57min
Fundamentals of Credit
4.9 (495 Ratings)
1h 14min
1h 14min
Analyzing Growth Drivers & Business Risks
4.8 (357 Ratings)
1h 6min
1h 6min
Excel Fundamentals - Formulas for Finance
4.9 (4,891 Ratings)
2h 14min
2h 14min
Pitch Deck Essentials for Lenders
5 (35 Ratings)
1h 11min
1h 11min
Introduction to Agribusiness
4.9 (35 Ratings)
1h 4min
1h 4min
Excel Fundamentals - Quick Start Guide
4.9 (93 Ratings)
2h 33min
2h 33min
See All Prep Courses
Step 2.

Core Courses

Complete 16 required core courses to build your skill set in commercial banking & credit analyst.

5 Cs of Credit
4.9 (154 Ratings)
44min
44min
Reading Business Financial Information
4.9 (58 Ratings)
1h 36min
1h 36min
Assessing Drivers of Business Growth
4.9 (57 Ratings)
45min
45min
Evaluating a Business Plan
4.9 (58 Ratings)
1h 15min
1h 15min
Assessing Management
4.8 (36 Ratings)
57min
57min
Cash Flow Cycles and Analysis
5 (41 Ratings)
1h 2min
1h 2min
Financial Analysis for Credit
4.9 (41 Ratings)
2h 50min
2h 50min
3-Statement Modeling
4.9 (938 Ratings)
3h 15min
3h 15min
Loan Security
4.9 (38 Ratings)
50min
50min
Loan Covenants
4.9 (40 Ratings)
1h 16min
1h 16min
Credit Administration and Documentation
4.9 (33 Ratings)
32min
32min
Loan Pricing
4.7 (35 Ratings)
1h 47min
1h 47min
Account Monitoring and Warning Signs
4.9 (43 Ratings)
54min
54min
Effective Business Writing
5 (55 Ratings)
2h 14min
2h 14min
Completing a Credit Application
5 (31 Ratings)
1h 19min
1h 19min
Professional Ethics
4.9 (5,024 Ratings)
1h 7min
1h 7min
Hide All Core Courses
Step 3.

Elective Courses

Choose a minimum of 3 electives (out of 26 available) to master more advanced topics and specialized lending concepts.

Commercial Mortgages
4.9 (21 Ratings)
2h 4min
2h 4min
Lending to Complex Structures
4.8 (6 Ratings)
2h 7min
2h 7min
Retail, Restaurant, & Franchise Lending
5 (4 Ratings)
1h 45min
1h 45min
Equipment Finance
4.8 (12 Ratings)
1h 23min
1h 23min
Syndicated Lending
5 (25 Ratings)
1h 16min
1h 16min
Construction Finance Fundamentals
4.9 (18 Ratings)
1h 15min
1h 15min
Commercial Banking - Debt Modeling
4.9 (11 Ratings)
1h 44min
1h 44min
Real Estate Fundamentals
4.8 (50 Ratings)
1h 23min
1h 23min
Asset-Based Lending & Alternative Finance
5 (8 Ratings)
1h 51min
1h 51min
Venture Debt
5 (3 Ratings)
2h 14min
2h 14min
Private Banking
5 (16 Ratings)
2h 9min
2h 9min
Lending to Medical Professionals
5 (3 Ratings)
2h 7min
2h 7min
Profitable Lead Generation
4.9 (8 Ratings)
1h 35min
1h 35min
ESG for Commercial Lenders
5 (6 Ratings)
1h 39min
1h 39min
Problem Loans
4.2 (5 Ratings)
1h 26min
1h 26min
Converting Leads to Customers - Negotiation & Closing
5 (3 Ratings)
1h 44min
1h 44min
Trade Finance
4.8 (9 Ratings)
1h 39min
1h 39min
Operational Modeling
4.9 (214 Ratings)
3h 45min
3h 45min
Corporate & Business Strategy
5 (816 Ratings)
2h 24min
2h 24min
Monthly Cash Flow Modeling
4.9 (893 Ratings)
1h 10min
1h 10min
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Modeling
4.9 (103 Ratings)
2h 41min
2h 41min
Securitized Products
4.9 (7 Ratings)
1h 45min
1h 45min
Origination Fundamentals - Debt Capital Markets Perspective
4.9 (12 Ratings)
2h 11min
2h 11min
Cash-to-Accrual Accounting
5 (4 Ratings)
1h 13min
1h 13min
Agriculture Lending Fundamentals
5 (2 Ratings)
1h 17min
1h 17min
Using IBISWorld to Analyze and Benchmark a Business
5 (2 Ratings)
1h 1min
1h 1min
See All Elective Courses
Step 4.

Case Study Challenges

Optional

These case study challenges allow you to apply your knowledge and skills by solving real-world problems.

Woodchucks Ltd. - Owner Occupied Commercial Real Estate
4.8 (12 Ratings)
50min
50min
RockCrusher Rentals
4.9 (10 Ratings)
1h 5min
1h 5min
Rocky Mountain Holdings Ltd. - Commercial Mortgage
4.8 (25 Ratings)
57min
57min
Modeling Taxes for Different Business Structures
5 (1 Ratings)
1h 1min
1h 1min
Widgets Inc. - Adjusting a Business Owner’s Net Worth
5 (2 Ratings)
42min
42min
Boss Brewing Inc. – Connecting Capital Structure & Credit Structure
4.8 (4 Ratings)
55min
55min
See All Case Study Challenges
Step 5.

Step 5: Final Exam

After completing the required courses, take a final exam in credit and lending (with a minimum passing grade of 70%) to earn your program certification.

Step 6.

Step 6: Get CBCA® Certified

Congratulations! Upon completion of the program, you will receive a blockchain-verified digital certificate with your new credentials.

Skills & Learning Objectives in Banking & Credit Analysis

Financial Analysis

  • Understand and project cash flow cycles and a borrower’s working capital funding gap
  • Build a dynamic, logically designed, well structured 3-statement financial model
  • Calculate a borrower risk rating based on historical financial results

Credit Structure & Documentation

  • Recommend appropriate lending structures based on client needs, within the context of the financial institution’s credit policies
  • Explain the administrative process behind credit documentation and work with specific examples of loan agreements and guarantees
  • Complete a formal credit application, step-by-step

Management & Business Analysis

  • Identify best practices and strategies to assess a businesses’ management team
  • Interpret and analyze a borrower’s business plan
  • Compare different forms of business structure and define the unique risks associated with lending to each

Risk Management

  • Recommend collateral security structures to mitigate the risk of loan loss for a lender
  • Define different loan covenants and recommend appropriate uses
  • Identify early warning signs with potential problem accounts

Industry Analysis

  • Explain how macroeconomic factors may affect a borrower’s ability to service debt obligations into the future
  • Recommend adjustments to credit structures based on industry-specific risks
  • Explore industry data providers for sources of benchmarking information

Courses Taught by Banking & Credit Experts

Lisa Dorian

Lisa Dorian is Co-Founder, and formerly Chief Risk Officer and Managing Director, of CFI. As a finance executive, she gained extensive experience in governance, risk, and compliance, as well as business process and strategy.

Kyle Peterdy

Kyle is VP, Commercial Banking & Credit with CFI. Kyle’s background is in commercial lending, including real estate transactions and construction project financing, where he spent significant time assessing physical environmental risks.

Tim Vipond

Tim is the Chair of the Board of CFI Education with an extensive background in entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and investment banking.

Scott Powell

Scott is the Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of CFI. Over the past 30 years, he has focused on designing and delivering learning solutions for clients in the financial services sector, particularly in the areas of commercial banking, investment banking, capital markets, and asset management.

Gabriel Lip

Gabe is a subject matter expert at CFI and was a commercial lender at TD Bank with 15 years of experience. He recently managed a $100 million portfolio of higher-risk and non-performing credits at the restructuring and insolvency group.

Careers in Commercial Banking & Credit Analysis

Over 85% of executives, supervisors, and HR professionals agree that certified individuals bring value, gain credibility, and are seen as top performers.
* Source

  • Risk Manager & Credit Adjudicator

    Risk Manager & Credit Adjudicator

    Assess and approve transactions for banks and other financial institutions.
  • Commercial Loan Broker

    Commercial Loan Broker

    Analyze and package deals more effectively to facilitate quicker turnarounds and better terms for clients.
  • Private Lender

    Private Lender

    Work with capital providers and family offices to underwrite more effective credit transactions, including commercial real estate financing and asset-based lending.
  • Credit Analyst

    Credit Analyst

    Expand your knowledge and expertise to work in corporate or commercial banking, as well as rating agencies.
  • Commercial Loan Officer

    Commercial Loan Officer

    Work with owner-operators and C-level executives on behalf of financial institutions to manage borrowing.

The CBCA®️ program has upskilled teams at:

What Our Students Say

Over 75% of CFI learners report improved productivity or competency within weeks.

The best course to have in depth knowledge of Credit analysis. I would recommend this course to all who are in process to learn credit analysis.

Abhishek Choudhry

CBCA is a very relevant certification for professionals who are or aspire to be in Commercial Banking and for people who want to have a general understanding of finance.

Vikram Singh

I found the CBCA as one of the best certificates in banking, and I recommend all Relationship Managers in SME/Corporate banking, and the credit risk assessors to take this designation.

Subhi Ghazal

All courses of the CBCA program were provided in a very clear and easily understandable way. The lecturers were covering the subjects in a very effective manner. The design of the presentations looks very pleasant too.  

Andrii

Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

Can I download the Excel files and financial modeling templates?
Yes! You can download and edit the Excel models and templates included in your courses. All of the files needed in a course are available for download. Please note that while our study materials can be downloaded, the lecture videos are only available online due to copyright infringement issues.
How long do I have to complete the course?
Take as much time as you need. You will have access to all courses and all future upgrades in your subscription. You can review the video lessons as many times as you like and complete the courses at a pace that is most convenient for you.
Are CFI courses verified?
CFI is accredited by the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) to maintain training standards, and by the CPA Institutions in Canada, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) in the US for CPE credits. You can find more information here.
Are there additional fees or costs?
None! The program tuition includes everything and there are no additional fees required to earn your digital certification.
What currency are your courses priced in?
All of our online courses and programs are priced in USD.
How do I earn my certificates?
You need to complete all the video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments in each course to earn your course certificates. The certificate will then be available on your learner dashboard and also emailed to you as soon as you have completed all of the requirements.
How are the exams conducted?
Learners are required to complete an online assessment (MCQ's, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Excel Questions) at the end of each course. You can take the exams at your own schedule and will need to earn at least 80% to pass the course and earn your certificate of course completion. Please note that course exams can be repeated as many times as you need. Learners are also required to complete the CBCA®️ final exam to earn their certification. See here for more details on the CBCA®️ final exam
Can I email the instructor if I have questions?
While the courses are designed mainly for self-study, we are happy to provide email assistance for general or technical support inquiries. The Full Immersion bundles include a premium email support function which allows you to communicate directly with in-house experts in the area of study you are focusing on. This is one of the key features that sets the Full Immersion bundle apart and makes it a worthwhile upgrade over the more affordable self-study bundle.
Will these courses help me advance my career?
Reviews from learners who have taken CFI courses and the CBCA® certification program include numerous stories about how people have been able to advance their careers. There is a proven track record of CFI graduates making successful transitions into the careers of their dreams and this is based largely on the resources that we make available to our learners upon enrollment. Our training is designed to be fully practical and simulates the experience of being trained as a professional financial analyst. Additionally, we offer a wealth of information through our free career resources. The unique blend of all these elements is what sets us apart from other eLearning platforms when it comes to giving you all the tools you need to create a successful career in commercial lending.
More questions?
You can view more detailed information through our Help Center or simply Email Us and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions!

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

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