The Executive Diploma in Applied Trading & Advanced Capital Markets is ISFT's flagship 6-month programme designed to transform you into a professional, market-ready trader. It combines structured academic learning with real-time market exposure, live trading sessions, and access to a funded trading account — culminating in an internationally recognised VTCT Level 5 qualification, regulated by OfQual (UK).

This programme is built for anyone who is serious about building a career in financial markets — whether you're a fresh graduate, a working professional looking to pivot, a business owner wanting to understand capital markets, or an aspiring trader who has tried self-learning and hit a ceiling. If you want structured, professional-grade training with real skin in the game, this is for you.

Absolutely. The programme is structured to start from first principles and progressively build to advanced levels. No prior finance or trading knowledge is required. We have successfully trained students from engineering, arts, commerce, and other non-finance backgrounds.

There is no specific academic stream requirement. The minimum qualification is a 10+2 (higher secondary) pass. What matters more is your commitment to learning and your willingness to engage with the markets seriously.

ISFT operates in academic partnership with a UK-based academic institution and delivers the VTCT Level 5 qualification — regulated by OfQual, the UK's official qualifications regulator. Our trading partner is Zenithwave Capital, a proprietary trading firm based in London. Together, these partnerships ensure the programme meets international professional standards.

The programme runs for 6 months. Live online sessions are conducted regularly throughout the week. Please speak with our admissions team for the specific weekly session schedule and total contact hours.

The programme is fully online with live instructor-led sessions. You get the rigour of a classroom experience with the flexibility of learning from anywhere.

We understand that many of our students are working professionals. Batch timings are structured to accommodate different schedules. Please speak with our admissions team to find a batch that works best for you.

It is a blend of both — but heavily weighted towards application. You will learn concepts in the classroom and immediately apply them in live market environments, simulated trading sessions, and eventually on a funded account. Theory without practice produces analysts; we produce traders.

Yes. Live market sessions are a core part of the programme. You will observe and participate in real-time market analysis, trade setups, and execution during actual market hours — not just post-session reviews.

Our faculty are active market professionals with decades of combined experience across global equities, derivatives, Forex, and commodity markets. They include practitioners who have traded for institutional desks in the UK and India.

Three things set us apart: first, an internationally regulated qualification (VTCT Level 5, Of-Qual UK) — not a self-certified certificate; second, a funded live trading account of $25,000 — you trade real capital, not a simulator; and third, direct access to a London-based proprietary trading firm for top performers. No other programme in India offers this combination.

We do not currently offer a public demo session. However, our admissions team is happy to walk you through the programme in detail, answer all your questions, and help you make an informed decision. Reach out to us directly to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Markets do not wait — and neither does opportunity. Every month you delay is a month without building the skills, the track record, and the professional network that compound over time. Batch sizes are limited to ensure quality mentoring, and seats fill quickly. The sooner you start, the sooner you are earning.

You can apply directly through our website or by contacting our admissions team. The process involves a brief counselling call to ensure the programme is the right fit for you, followed by enrolment and fee payment.

The programme covers the full spectrum — from the foundations of how financial markets work, to advanced technical analysis, price action strategies, risk management, derivatives, Forex, algorithmic trading concepts, and professional trade execution. You enter as a learner and leave as a practitioner.

The programme covers global equity markets, indices, commodities, Forex (currency markets), and derivatives including options and futures. Both Indian and international markets are covered, giving you the ability to trade across multiple asset classes and geographies.

You will be trained on industry-standard platforms and charting tools used by professional traders globally. This includes trading terminals, technical analysis software, screeners, and risk management tools. Please speak with our admissions team for specific platform details.

Both. You will be taught proven, institutional-grade strategies as a foundation. Over the course of the programme, you will also be guided to adapt, refine, and develop strategies that suit your own trading style and risk profile. The goal is for you to be strategy-independent — not dependent on someone else's calls.

Yes. While the qualification and framework are international, the application is grounded in Indian market realities. Live sessions include Indian market instruments, and strategies are taught in a way that is applicable across both Indian and global exchanges.

Yes, you can. The skills you develop are transferable across markets. If you choose to focus only on Indian equities, F&O, or commodities, the programme equips you fully for that. At the same time, the programme opens doors to global markets — giving you a broader opportunity set than most Indian traders ever access.

INFORMATION ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES CONJURED AND FUNDED ACCOUNT INFORMATION.

You will get hands-on exposure through live market sessions, simulated trading exercises, strategy back-testing, and eventually live trading on a funded account. By the time you complete the programme, you will have months of real market experience — not just theoretical knowledge.

The funded trading track with Zenithwave Capital effectively functions as a professional trading internship. Top-performing students are assessed for direct placement opportunities with Zenithwave Capital in London, which includes trading their capital under supervision.

Upon meeting the performance benchmarks set during the programme, you gain access to a $25,000 funded trading account. This is real capital — not a simulation. You trade it, manage risk, and retain a share of the profits you generate. Eligibility is based on your demonstrated skill and discipline during the programme.

Specific benchmarks include defined profit targets, maximum drawdown limits, and consistency requirements over a set evaluation period. These are designed to mirror the standards of a professional proprietary trading firm. Please speak with our admissions team for the exact figures.

Funded account access is ongoing as long as you continue to trade within the defined risk parameters. Please confirm exact duration and terms with our admissions team.

The funded account comes with strict risk management rules — including daily loss limits and maximum drawdown thresholds. If these are breached, the account is paused. This is not a penalty; it is a professional discipline mechanism. You are not personally liable for the capital — it belongs to the firm. The programme trains you extensively in risk management precisely to prevent this.

It is possible. Once you qualify for the funded account, any profits you generate are shared with you per the agreed profit-split arrangement. However, earning during the programme depends entirely on your performance — it is not guaranteed. The programme's primary purpose during these 6 months is to build the skills and discipline that lead to sustainable earning.

That is the goal of everything we do. The programme is built to make you self-sufficient — with your own strategy, your own risk framework, and your own market instincts. While profitability always depends on consistent execution and market conditions, you will leave with the knowledge, tools, and track record to trade professionally and independently.

You will receive the VTCT Level 5 Award in Financial Trading — regulated by OfQual, the UK's official qualifications regulator. This is the only OfQual-regulated trading qualification delivered in India, and it carries genuine international academic standing.

Yes, in practical terms. The VTCT Level 5 certification formally validates your competence as a trader at a professional level. While trading in India does not require a licence in the same way as fund management does, this certification serves as your professional credential — the equivalent of a degree in your field — and is recognised by employers, trading firms, and financial institutions globally.

You can trade without a certification — but you cannot build a professional career without one. A certification is what separates a retail trader from a professional one in the eyes of employers, prop firms, and institutions. It is your proof of competence, your career passport, and your differentiator in a market full of self-taught traders

Yes. The VTCT Level 5 is regulated by OfQual (UK) — the same regulatory body that oversees A-levels and vocational qualifications in the United Kingdom. It is recognised by employers, financial institutions, and academic institutions internationally.

Yes. As an OfQual-regulated UK qualification, it carries strong credibility with Indian firms that operate internationally, foreign institutional players with offices in India, and any employer that values globally benchmarked credentials. It is the highest-standard trading qualification available in India today.

The certification and the funded account track are integrated — you cannot separate one from the other. The certification process is what validates your skills and makes you eligible for the funded account. It is not optional paperwork; it is the professional standard we hold all our students to.

Graduates are qualified for roles including Equity Trader, Derivatives Trader, Forex Trader, Proprietary Trader, Research Analyst, Trading Desk Associate, Risk Analyst, Portfolio Management Associate, and Wealth Management professional — across broking firms, prop trading desks, AMCs, and financial advisory companies.

India's financial markets are growing rapidly — with NSE and BSE among the most active exchanges globally. Opportunities exist across stockbroking firms, investment banks, AMCs, portfolio management services, financial advisory firms, and increasingly, domestic prop trading desks. Our graduates are equipped for all of these

Compensation in trading varies significantly with skill and performance. Entry-level roles at broking and financial firms typically start in the range of ₹4–8 LPA. Proprietary traders and those placed with international trading desks can earn significantly more, with performance-linked income that has no fixed ceiling.

We offer 100% job assistance to all graduates — including resume building, interview preparation, and active referrals to our hiring partners. For top performers, we provide direct placement opportunities with our trading partners in London. Placement with international trading firms is performance-based — we cannot guarantee outcomes, but we guarantee our full effort and network behind every graduate.

There are three earning pathways the programme opens up: profit-sharing on your funded trading account during and after the programme; job placement with broking firms, trading desks, or financial companies; and independent trading with the skills and capital access to manage your own book. Most graduates pursue more than one of these simultaneously.

The course fee is ₹4,00,000 + GST. Payment can be made in instalments — please speak with our admissions team for the exact EMI structure and schedule

The fee reflects what you actually receive: an internationally regulated qualification (VTCT Level 5, OfQual UK), live training from active market professionals, access to a $25,000 funded trading account, 100% job assistance, and direct access to a London proprietary trading firm. No university degree, no YouTube course, and no certification programme in India delivers this combination. When you weigh the lifetime earning potential of a trading career against a one-time investment, ₹4 lakh is not a cost — it is a return on investment.

Because without training, ₹4 lakh in the markets is not an investment — it is a donation. Studies consistently show that over 90% of retail traders lose money. They lose because they lack structured knowledge, risk discipline, and professional guidance. This programme gives you all three — and then gives you a $25,000 funded account to trade with on top of it. You are not choosing between the course and trading. You are choosing between trading blind and trading professionally.

Free and low-cost courses give you information. We give you transformation. The difference is an internationally regulated qualification, real capital to trade, live mentoring from practitioners, a structured career pathway, and placement support. Anyone can watch YouTube videos. Very few can say they hold a UK OfQual-regulated trading qualification and have traded a $25,000 professional account.

We are actively working on financing partnerships to make the programme more accessible. Please speak with our admissions team for the latest available options including EMI plans and third-party loan facilitation

All live sessions are recorded and made available for revision, so missing a class does not mean missing content. Additionally, dedicated doubt-clearing sessions are scheduled regularly where you can raise any queries directly with faculty. No student is left behind — we follow up to ensure everyone stays on track.

Yes. Post-completion, graduates become part of the ISFT alumni community — a growing network of traders and finance professionals. You continue to have access to doubt sessions, job referral support through our placement network, and peer connections that last well beyond the programme itself