- Certification Overview
- How It Works
- Career Paths
- Testimonials
- FAQ
CBCA® At a Glance
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 2710+ 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
The CBCA®️ program has upskilled teams at:
Earning Your Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst Certification
Step 1: Prep CoursesOptional
Choose from 12 optional courses to learn or review the fundamentals.
Careers in Commercial Banking
4.9(256 Ratings)
Level 1
1 hours
Preview
Introduction to Banking
4.9(418 Ratings)
Level 1
2 hours
Preview
Banking Products and Services
4.9(188 Ratings)
Level 1
4 hours
Preview
Accounting Fundamentals
4.9(7,635 Ratings)
Level 2
5 hours
Preview
Forms of Business Structure
4.9(249 Ratings)
Level 1
1.5 hours
Preview
Fundamentals of Credit
4.9(554 Ratings)
Level 1
2 hours
Preview
Analyzing Growth Drivers & Business Risks
4.8(306 Ratings)
Level 1
2 hours
Preview
Excel Fundamentals - Formulas for Finance
4.9(5,258 Ratings)
Level 2
3.5 hours
Preview
Vertical IQ Fundamentals
4.7(17 Ratings)
Level 2
1.5 hours
Preview
Pitch Deck Essentials for Lenders
5(35 Ratings)
Level 1
2 hours
Preview
Introduction to Agribusiness
4.9(35 Ratings)
Level 1
1.5 hours
Preview
Excel Fundamentals - Quick Start Guide
5(20 Ratings)
Level 1
3.5 hours
Preview
See All Prep Courses
Step 2: Core Courses
Complete 16 required core courses to build your skill set in .
5 Cs of Credit
4.9(130 Ratings)
Level 2
1.5 hours
Preview
Reading Business Financial Information
4.9(55 Ratings)
Level 2
3.5 hours
Preview
Assessing Drivers of Business Growth
Preview
Evaluating a Business Plan
4.9(50 Ratings)
Level 2
3 hours
Preview
Assessing Management
4.8(32 Ratings)
Level 2
2.5 hours
Preview
Cash Flow Cycles and Analysis
5(38 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
Financial Analysis for Credit
4.8(37 Ratings)
Level 3
7.5 hours
Preview
3-Statement Modeling
4.9(912 Ratings)
Level 4
6.5 hours
Preview
Loan Security
4.9(33 Ratings)
Level 3
2 hours
Preview
Loan Covenants
4.9(34 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
Credit Administration and Documentation
4.9(31 Ratings)
Level 3
1.5 hours
Preview
Loan Pricing
4.8(31 Ratings)
Level 4
4 hours
Preview
Account Monitoring and Warning Signs
4.9(41 Ratings)
Level 3
1.5 hours
Preview
Effective Business Writing
5(48 Ratings)
Level 2
2.5 hours
Preview
Completing a Credit Application
5(31 Ratings)
Level 3
2 hours
Preview
Professional Ethics
4.9(4,993 Ratings)
Level 1
3 hours
Preview
Hide All Core Courses
Step 3: Elective Courses
Choose a minimum of 3 electives (out of 25 available) to master more advanced topics and specialized lending concepts.
Commercial Mortgages
4.8(19 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
Lending to Complex Structures
5(5 Ratings)
Level 3
4.5 hours
Preview
Retail, Restaurant, & Franchise Lending
5(4 Ratings)
Level 3
4 hours
Preview
Equipment Finance
4.8(11 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
Syndicated Lending
5(21 Ratings)
Level 3
3.5 hours
Preview
Construction Finance Fundamentals
4.9(17 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
Commercial Banking - Debt Modeling
4.9(10 Ratings)
Level 4
4.5 hours
Preview
Real Estate Fundamentals
Preview
Asset-Based Lending & Alternative Finance
5(7 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
Venture Debt
5(3 Ratings)
Level 4
4.5 hours
Preview
Private Banking
5(16 Ratings)
Level 3
4 hours
Preview
Lending to Medical Professionals
5(3 Ratings)
Level 3
4 hours
Preview
Profitable Lead Generation
5(6 Ratings)
Level 3
4.5 hours
Preview
ESG for Commercial Lenders
5(6 Ratings)
Level 4
3.5 hours
Preview
Problem Loans
4.3(4 Ratings)
Level 3
3.5 hours
Preview
Converting Leads to Customers - Negotiation & Closing
5(2 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
Trade Finance
4.8(9 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
Operational Modeling
4.9(178 Ratings)
Level 3
8 hours
Preview
Corporate & Business Strategy
5(809 Ratings)
Level 3
7.5 hours
Preview
FP&A Monthly Cash Flow Forecast Model
5(869 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Modeling
4.9(91 Ratings)
Level 4
8 hours
Preview
Securitized Products
4.8(5 Ratings)
Level 4
3.5 hours
Preview
Origination Fundamentals - Debt Capital Markets Perspective
4.9(8 Ratings)
Level 2
4 hours
Preview
Cash-to-Accrual Accounting
5(4 Ratings)
Level 2
2 hours
Preview
Agriculture Lending Fundamentals
5(1 Ratings)
Level 3
2 hours
Preview
See All Elective Courses
Step 4: Case Study ChallengesOptional
After earning a minimum passing grade of 70% in each course assessment, take a final exam in BI and data analysis to earn your program certification.
Woodchucks Ltd. - Owner Occupied Commercial Real Estate
4.8(12 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
RockCrusher Rentals
4.9(10 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
Rocky Mountain Holdings Ltd. - Commercial Mortgage
4.9(23 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
Modeling Taxes for Different Business Structures
5(1 Ratings)
Level 2
1.5 hours
Preview
Widgets Inc. - Adjusting a Business Owner’s Net Worth
5(1 Ratings)
Level 2
1.5 hours
Preview
Boss Brewing Inc. – Connecting Capital Structure & Credit Structure
5(3 Ratings)
Level 3
1.5 hours
Preview
See All Case Study Challenges
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: 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
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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
See Details
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
See Details
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
See Details
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
See Details
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
Risk Manager & Credit Adjudicator
Assess and approve transactions for banks and other financial institutions.
Commercial Loan Broker
Analyze and package deals more effectively to facilitate quicker turnarounds and better terms for clients.
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
Expand your knowledge and expertise to work in corporate or commercial banking, as well as rating agencies.
Commercial Loan Officer
Work with owner-operators and C-level executives on behalf of financial institutions to manage borrowing.
What Our Students Say
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
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!