A financial model plays a pivotal role in decision-making for an organization. Built on spreadsheet software, it serves as a simple yet effective tool for forecasting a company’s financial performance, evaluating investment opportunities, mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, etc. A financial model typically involves preparing the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and other supporting schedules.
An excellent way to develop a solid foundation of financial models is to enroll in professional financial modeling certifications and courses. Several popular platforms, including the Corporate Finance Institute, are offering some of the best financial modeling certifications that you can pursue online.
To help you select the right course, TangoLearn has compiled a list of the top 7 financial modeling certifications that will cover the different financial models and valuation methods. These are the best financial modeling courses and have been carefully selected in consultation with ten financial experts. So, you can trust our judgment when we say that these are the finest ones available online.
Keep scrolling to discover what these certifications in financial modeling have to offer.
7 Best Financial Modeling Certifications
- Business And Financial Modeling Specialization By University Of Pennsylvania [Coursera]
- Valuation And Financial Analysis For Startups Specialization By YONSEI University [Coursera]
- Beginner To Pro In Excel: Financial Modeling And Valuation [Udemy]
- Learn And Master Financial Modeling With A Project-Based Online Course [Investopedia Academy]
- Become A Certified Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® [Corporate Finance Institute]
- Financial Modeling Foundations [LinkedIn]
- Learn The Core Financial & Valuation Modeling Skill Set [Wall Street Prep]
7 Top Financial Modeling Classes With Certifications
1. Business And Financial Modeling Specialization By University Of Pennsylvania [Coursera]
What Is This Specialization About?
Wharton School’s financial modeling certification on Coursera is a beginner series with four top courses and a capstone project. Covering essential basics, this five-course series teaches building business and financial models, along with using spreadsheet-based models for sound financial decision-making.
Some of the topics that this specialization covers include modeling techniques, common applications for investment analysis, company valuation, and forecasting. After completing this specialization, you will be well-equipped to create your quantitative models, utilize spreadsheets to map and predict data, understand measurement and management of risk, and structure your decision-making to get optimum financial results.
While you can access this financial modeling course free of cost, we insist that you opt for the paid version to obtain your certification in financial modeling. You can either opt for the entire specialization or select from the four courses included in this series.
Nonetheless, opting for any one of these courses will automatically subscribe you to the entire specialization. You will also have to complete the capstone project to be eligible for the certificate. All of these courses are 100% online and also have flexible deadlines. The duration of this specialization is approx. six months, provided that you dedicate two hours per week for its online classes.
Ranked among the top financial modeling certifications, this series boasts a 42% success rate in launching new careers. With a stellar 4.5 rating, it has attracted 57,786 enrolled students.
Courses Included In The Specialization
a. Fundamentals Of Quantitative Modeling
The first financial modeling course will teach you the basics of quantitative modeling and the process to help you create models for your business or enterprise. Different quantitative models taught in this course will be used in the other courses of the series.
b. Introduction To Spreadsheets And Models
Excel financial modeling course will introduce you to the basics of the spreadsheet, which includes different tools and formulas that you can use to map data and build models. Learning spreadsheets will help you in predicting data and making decision trees, which will come in handy in the following courses. This course will require some familiarity with Excel or spreadsheets.
c. Modeling Risk And Realities
The third online financial modeling course will teach you how to build financial models that factor in the elements of risk and uncertainties and reflect complex realities. In this course, you will learn to create predictive models and the basics of risk measurement and management to make well-informed data-based decisions.
d. Decision-Making And Scenarios
The fourth part of this series will discuss how quantitative models can be employed for better decision-making. You will also learn how to structure your decision-making to obtain optimum results. Plus, the instructors will show you step-by-step how to model typical business and financial scenarios to get valuable insights about alternatives. By the end of the fourth course, you will be able to identify the best solution for your business by using the decision-making tools taught in this course.
e. Wharton Business And Financial Modeling Capstone
The fifth course contains the capstone project wherein you will be asked to recommend a business strategy, identify the best opportunities, and minimize risks based on a data set designed by Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS).
Review Harry S. :
I want to learn new things because that’s what brings joy to my life. With Coursera, I can meet and interact with others who feel the same way.
2. Valuation And Financial Analysis For Startups Specialization By YONSEI University [Coursera]
What Is This Specialization About?
This is another best financial modeling course series on Coursera that is suitable for beginners. The courses included in this series will teach you the valuation methods for startups. By enrolling in this financial modeling certification, you will learn how to estimate the founder’s ownership before and after adding funds, analyze financial statements, and, based on that, determine the financial status and future value of the startup. You will also learn to use Net Present Value (NPV) and Individual Rate of Return (IRR) as investment criteria to make business decisions.
This certification offered by YONSEI University has a rating of 4.3 and has already been enrolled by 7,198 students. You can enroll in this specialization for free. However, you will only get a certification in financial modeling under the paid version. This financial modeling certification program also includes a capstone project which you will have to complete to qualify for the completion certificate.
Courses Included In The Specialization
a. Valuation For Startups Using Discounted Cash Flows Approach
The first course of this best financial modeling certification will teach you the time value of money through the discounted cash flow method. You will learn to find the firm value by discounting future cash flows. This financial modeling using Excel course will teach you how to use the tools of Excel to find out the present values of such cash flows.
b. Valuation For Startups Using Multiple Approach
The second course will take you through the multiple methods of firm valuation. You will learn the basic multiple ratios like PER, PBR, and PSR. By undertaking this online financial modeling course, you will be able to answer various questions regarding a startup’s IPO. Plus, you will be well versed in different financial statements like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow calculations.
c. Financial Analysis For Startups
The third course of this financial modeling certification will cover the concepts of financial ratios like profitability, leverage, liquidity, growth, and efficiency to determine the financial health of a startup. You will also learn to create a pro forma financial statement using these ratios to predict future cash flows and the financial status of a startup.
d. Applying Investment Decision Rules For Startups
The fourth course will discuss the investment decision criteria or rules such as NPV and IRR. In addition to evaluating NPV estimates, you will learn about what-if analyses and break-even analyses. This course will also cover the payback period method and profitability method to determine if a project is worth investing in or not.
e. Valuation And Financial Analysis For Startups Capstone
In the last leg of this financial modeling certification program, you will use all the concepts taught in the series to find the value of a firm. This firm can be a startup or a public company. In addition to that, you will be given a hypothetical project, and based on your findings, you will have to decide if the firm of your choice should take up this project when given an opportunity.
Review Loreelei G.:
Gaining new knowledge and skills through Coursera helped me break out of the mold I’d been in for over a decade. Coursera helped open doors for me.
3. Beginner To Pro In Excel: Financial Modeling And Valuation [Udemy]
What Is This Course About?
If you are in search of the best Excel financial modeling course, your search successfully ends here. This comprehensive course is a bestseller on Udemy that has been created to teach you the concepts of financial modeling using MS Excel. By undertaking this Udemy course, you will be able to master Microsoft Excel and use its advanced features.
On the financial side, you will learn how to create profit and loss statements using raw data extractions and building cash flow statements. Plus, you will study how to find the value of a company using different valuation models, creating models with multiple scenarios, and designing professional and advanced data charts.
The duration of this Udemy course is 14 hours and 28 minutes, and it comprises a whopping 271 video lectures. In addition to that, there are nine articles and 595 downloadable resources, making it one of the best financial modeling courses out there. The on-demand video lessons are easy to understand and contain detailed case studies to help you apply the concepts in a real-world context. This course is also updated regularly to keep it relevant.
You can enroll in this course with a one-time fee, which will give you full lifetime access to all its classes and future updates. Plus, the classes are accessible on your mobile or TV. You will also receive a certificate for this financial modeling course free of cost. This course has a rating of 4.6 and has already been enrolled by 145,078 students.
What You Will Learn
The topics taught in this bestseller course include:
- Tools and key functions of Excel
- Keyboard shortcuts for Excel
- Financial functions in Excel
- Pivot tables and Excel charts
- Business analysis techniques applied in Excel
- Financial modeling fundamentals
- Company valuation
- Building discounted cash flow model in Excel
- Capital budgeting
Pre-requisites For This Course
You must have access to MS Excel 2010, 2013, 2016, or 2020.
Review Andrew Lu:
Amazing course! My first Udemy experience and it was a blast. Bonus: the teacher has a good podcast/teaching voice
4. Learn And Master Financial Modeling With A Project-Based Online Course [Investopedia Academy]
What Is This Course About?
Offered by Investopedia Academy, this financial modeling certification is a project-based course led by an experienced financial expert with Fortune 500 and startup experience. Ideal for entrepreneurs, MBA students, or those pursuing a finance career.
Based on the concept of practical learning, this course is the best financial modeling certification that will employ a mix of activities and instructions to cover both financial theory and best practices that will help you succeed in this domain. This online financial modeling course will jump straight into building a financial model right in the first lesson. Then, you will learn and use financial models to evaluate the performance of a project, department, or business.
You will also be able to make realistic projections and create a pro forma valuation for a company. Also, with the help of this certification in financial modeling, you will be able to learn and use the financial vocabulary during your MBA and in your career.
This best financial modeling course comprises more than 40 self-paced lessons that make for eight hours of on-demand video content. Then there are exercises and interactive content to boost your practical knowledge. You can enroll in this course for a one-time fee, which will grant you full lifetime access to all the videos of this course. Plus, you will also bag a certificate for this financial modeling course free of charge. Investopedia even offers financial assistance to students and US military personnel.
What You Will Learn
The topics covered in this financial modeling certification include:
- Concepts of valuation – debt, enterprise value, free cash flow, present value and discounting, terminal value, cost of capital
- Financial model
- Break-even and sensitivity analysis
- Scenario analysis
- Capex and depreciation
- Depreciation schedules
- Working capital
- Shortening the cash cycle
Review Uros Trifunovic :
As I look to transition my career to a role in finance, Investopedia Academy offered an Excel course that was a great value for my money, and helped me learn the skills I needed to change careers.
5. Become A Certified Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® [Corporate Finance Institute]
What Is This Course About?
If you wish to become a Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst and join the league of 800,000+ certified professionals who work for some of the top companies of the world, then you must enroll in this financial modeling certification program FMVA® by CFI.
This online certification program provides the perfect platform for boosting your financial skills and knowledge and getting certified in just a few months. It comprises 28 courses in total including seven optional preparatory courses that you can take up to learn or review finance fundamentals. Then you must complete the 11 compulsory core courses that will help you develop a rock-solid foundation in financial modeling and valuation.
In addition to that, there are ten elective courses out of which you must choose a minimum of three to pursue advanced topics and specialized subjects. The electives also include a real estate financial modeling course if you are interested. The skills or the learning objectives of this best financial modeling certification include accounting, Excel, finance, financial modeling, valuation, budgeting and forecasting, presentation and visuals, and strategy.
You can complete this financial modeling certification in approx. six months. This program is 100% online and includes self-paced video lessons, exercises, and quizzes. There are also 120+ templates that you can download and use for your models.
To enroll in this program, you can select from the two tuition options – self-study or full immersion. Both options will give you two years of access to complete the certification. However, the full immersion plan offers additional benefits like model review and feedback, additional case studies, resume and cover letter review, a PitchBook Data user account, and a Capital IQ user account. Both plans will provide you with a certificate that will verify your financial skills.
Courses Covered In This Program
Core Courses
- Accounting principles and standards
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Building a 3 Statement financial model
- Business valuation modeling
- Dashboards and data visualization
- Financial analysis fundamentals
- FP&A monthly cash flow forecast model
- PowerPoint and PitchBook
- Professional ethics
- Scenario and sensitivity analysis in Excel
Electives
- Advanced Excel formulas
- Corporate and business strategy
- Excel VBA for finance
- Leveraged buyout (LBO) modeling
- Mergers and acquisitions modeling
- Mining financial model and valuation
- Real estate financial modeling course
- Renewable energy – solar financial modeling course
- Startup/e-Commerce financial model and valuation
- The Amazon case study
6. Financial Modeling Foundations [LinkedIn]
What Is This Course About?
This Excel financial modeling course will teach you how to build different financial models using the key financial tool – MS Excel. These models can then be employed in corporate finance, investment banking, portfolio management, or commercial banking. Through this financial modeling using Excel course, you will also learn how to make financial forecasts and evaluate the financial models to answer crucial business questions for a firm.
The financial models taught here include M&A models, buyout models, DCF models, and many more. You will also learn how to avoid circular references and to use advanced tools like scenario analysis.
One can enroll in this course with a Premium LinkedIn membership to access all the classes, and exercise files and receive a certification in financial modeling. This course is accredited by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), so you can also earn 5.8 Continuing Professional Education Credits (CPE).
However, you will be entitled to the course certificate and CPEs only when you complete all the classes and exercises of this course and pass the final exam with more than 70% marks. This LinkedIn financial modeling certification has already been enrolled by 216,624 students.
What You Will Learn
Topics covered in this best financial modeling course are:
- Financial modeling basics
- Three-statement financial model
- Investment models: DFC model
- Banking models
- Buyout models
- Financial modeling across industries
- Building and maintaining models
7. Learn The Core Financial & Valuation Modeling Skill Set [Wall Street Prep]
What Is This Course About?
The Wall Street Prep certification in financial and valuation modeling is one of the best courses for students or professionals pursuing a career in investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, or equity research. Spread over seven hours, the premium package of this program comprises seven foundational courses that are also being taught at the top investment banks and financial institutions.
By enrolling in this best financial modeling course, you will learn everything about building financial models in Excel. In addition to the main courses, this program also offers 36 mini-courses as a bonus, where you can learn a variety of skills like Excel basics, accounting, PowerPoint, and other advanced and industry-specific topics.
Once you are through with all the courses, you can apply for the WSP financial and valuation modeling certification exam within two years of enrolling in this program. Scoring above 70% will make you eligible for the certification. You will also be eligible to receive CPE credits as WSP is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). This best financial modeling certification has already been enrolled by 91,625 students.
What You Will Learn
The courses covered in this financial modeling certification program include:
- Financial statement modeling
- DCF modeling
- M&A modeling
- Trading comps modeling
- Transaction comps modeling
- LBO modeling
Pre-requisites For This Course
You must have basic knowledge of accounting and working knowledge of Excel. In case you are a complete beginner, you can enroll in the mini-crash courses to learn these skills.
Review Shaun Chia :
I’m a sophomore finance student at the University of London. Also, I have only good things to say about the course! The pace is perfect and the model templates help a ton in facilitating and accentuating the lessons. Being a college student, I dare even say this course is better than the lecturers at my school.
Conclusion:
To be a financial modeling and valuation analyst, you must have a strong understanding of accounting, have advanced Excel skills, you must know how to link the three main financial statements, and be able to build a forecast. As soft skills, you must adopt a logical approach to problem-solving and pay attention to detail. If you think you are up for these challenges and are ready to make a career in the financial world, the above financial modeling certifications can be the first step on this path.
Don’t forget to check out our recommendations for some of the best FinTech courses here.
Let us take the liberty to suggest some of the best stock trading courses to you too.
So good luck and keep hustling.