Qualifying Point System Calculator
Assess your personal eligibility for pursuing the CFE credential using this helpful tool and guidance.
Pursuing the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential is a significant decision and investment in your career as an anti-fraud professional. The requirements are structured to recognize a wide range of professional experiences and educational backgrounds in fields such as accounting, auditing, criminology, fraud investigation, loss prevention and law.
The following guidance and Qualifying Point System Calculator are designed to help evaluate your qualifications for the CFE credential program to ensure you meet the necessary criteria before submitting a CFE Exam Application.
The Eligibility Points System
Eligibility for the CFE credential is determined by a qualifying point system that awards credit for education and fraud-related professional experience.
To qualify to take the CFE Exam, you must have 40 or more points. To earn the CFE credential after passing the exam, you must have at least two years of fraud-related experience and 50 points.
Professional Experience
Points can be earned from professional experience based on your work in fraud-related roles. Fraud-related experience refers to full-time work in a role that contributes to the prevention, detection or deterrence of fraud. For experience to be considered fraud-related, the majority of the role’s responsibilities must be related to the fraud examination body of knowledge.
To determine if a role meets this requirement, examine the core areas of the body of knowledge and compare them with the role’s professional responsibilities. Look for tasks or projects that relate to fraud examination. For example, does your work involve conducting audits, performing risk assessments, investigating fraudulent activity or implementing policies to prevent fraud? Identifying overlaps can help gauge alignment with the requirements.
Education & Certifications
Points can be claimed for degrees or coursework completed at a recognized institution of higher learning, with no specific field of study required. You can claim credit for each full year of study completed. For candidates without an academic background, fraud-related experience can supplement academic points. Two years of experience can substitute for each year of study.
In addition, certain approved certifications/credentials are equivalent to 10 academic points. These certifications cannot replace the fraud-related professional experience requirement.
View the CFE Credential Exam Candidate Handbook for more in-depth information about the eligibility requirements for becoming a CFE.
Calculate Your Points
Use the following calculator to assess whether you have enough points to qualify to take the CFE Exam and earn the CFE credential.
| Experience | Quantity | Points | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Experience | ||||||||
| Each full year* of fraud-related experience | 0 | |||||||
| Education | ||||||||
| Bachelor’s Degree | 0 | |||||||
| Each full year of college (if no degree, maximum of 40 points) | 0 | |||||||
| Master’s degree or equivalent | 0 | |||||||
| Ph.D., J.D. or equivalent | 0 | |||||||
| Professional Certifications and Credentials | ||||||||
| Approved professional certifications and credentials | 0 | |||||||
| Total Points | 0 | |||||||
* “Full year” is defined by 40 hours per work week. Part-time work might not be eligible for full points but will still be considered. Concurrent experience (overlapping positions/employment dates) cannot be claimed.