Exam Preparation
How Much Time Should You Dedicate to FRM Prep with Coaching? A Realistic Weekly Study Plan

If you are planning to join a structured coaching program like MidhaFin, one of the most common questions that comes up is:
“How many hours should I be studying each week?”
The answer depends on whether you just want to survive the exam — or clear it with confidence. Over the years, based on hundreds of real student journeys, we have refined a preparation timeline that balances consistency with depth.
Here is what we recommend.
The 6-Month Study Structure
Our FRM Part 1 coaching generally runs for 20 weeks, spread across 5 months. We also include 1 planned break week after every 4 weeks, which gives students a chance to pause, revise, or catch up if needed.
This means your full preparation window — including revision — spans around 6 months.
How Much Time Should You Study?
🗓️ Phase 1: Live Class Phase (First 5 Months)
➡️ Recommended: 25 hours per week
This includes:
- 3 to 4 hours of live weekend classes
- Around 20+ hours of your own study time, revision, and solving questions
Think of it as roughly 3.5 hours per day — not too much to ask, but enough to make steady progress. Students who treat this as part of their daily routine often see the best results.
🗓️ Phase 2: Final Revision Month
➡️ Recommended: 30+ hours per week
This phase is all about:
- Full-length mock exams
- Identifying weak areas
- Quick revision of theory-heavy chapters
- Strengthening conceptual recall under time pressure
This month is your exam rehearsal — so it needs more intensity, but by this time, you are already in rhythm.
Total Time Commitment
- ✅ Minimum: 250 to 300 hours — enough if your basics are solid and you are disciplined
- ✅ Ideal: 500 to 600 hours — gives you time to revise, practice deeply, and retain better
Why Most Students Struggle — And How to Avoid That
It is rarely because the syllabus is too difficult. The actual reasons are:
- Skipping revision in early months
- Piling up missed classes and falling behind
- Underestimating how quickly older topics fade without reinforcement
If you follow the class plan, stay regular with your weekly targets, and start your mocks on time — you will not feel overwhelmed in the last few weeks.
Final Advice
Start early. Be consistent. Use your weekends well.
Even if you cannot give 4–5 hours every day, just showing up daily for 2–3 hours can completely change the outcome over 5–6 months.
Remember — the goal is not just to complete the syllabus.
The goal is to internalise it, retain it, and apply it under pressure. And that takes time.
So give yourself that time — and the exam will not feel like a monster.