Learn finance and fintech in this order: accounting and financial statements, Excel modelling, markets and valuation, how payments and lending products work, data skills in SQL and Python, then regulation. Build one financial model and one fintech analysis before applying.
- 1Accountingthree statements
- 2Excel modellingformulas, models
- 3Marketsvaluation, risk
- 4Fintech productspayments, lending
- 5Data skillsSQL, Python
- 6RegulationRBI, SEBI, KYC
Learning path: free resources in order
| Stage | Free resource | Industry tool you will meet |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Accounting and statements | Khan Academy: Core finance · Zerodha Varsity | Annual reports, spreadsheets |
| 2. Excel and modelling | Microsoft Excel training · CFI free courses | Excel, Google Sheets |
| 3. Markets and valuation | Yale Financial Markets (Coursera, audit free) · NSE Academy resources | Screeners, valuation templates |
| 4. Fintech products | NPCI: UPI overview · Stripe docs: payments | Payment gateways, lending stacks |
| 5. Data skills | SQLBolt · pandas: 10 minutes | SQL, Python, yfinance |
| 6. Regulation | RBI · SEBI investor education | KYC, AML frameworks |
A realistic 12 to 24 week plan
| Weeks | Focus | Output you can show |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 3 | Accounting and Excel | Ratio analysis of one listed company |
| Weeks 4 to 7 | Modelling and valuation | A three-statement model with a DCF |
| Weeks 8 to 10 | Fintech and data | A payments funnel analysis in SQL |
| Weeks 11 to 12 | Portfolio | A fintech product teardown with regulatory notes |
Roles in the industry
| Role | What the work looks like | Core tools |
|---|---|---|
| Financial analyst | Models, budgets, variance analysis | Excel, PowerPoint, ERP data |
| Credit or risk analyst | Scorecards, underwriting, portfolio risk | SQL, Excel, statistics |
| Fintech product or ops | Payments, lending, KYC flows | Analytics, APIs, regulation |
| Data analyst (finance) | Dashboards and fraud or risk analytics | SQL, Python, Power BI |
Mistakes to avoid
- Learning trading tips instead of accounting and valuation fundamentals.
- Building models you cannot explain line by line in an interview.
- Ignoring regulation; KYC, AML and data rules shape every fintech product.
- Treating a backtest as proof; markets punish overfitting.
Build as you learn
Finance projects
Financial models, DCF, scorecards and fintech analyses.
Data analytics projects
SQL, cohorts, A/B tests and dashboards on real datasets.
Free tools for this field
Free data analytics tools
SQL engines, notebooks and dashboards you can use for free.
Free AI tools for builders
Run, build and test AI projects without paying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a finance degree for fintech?
No. Technology, data and product skills with finance literacy get many fintech roles.
What is the best free resource to learn finance in India?
Zerodha Varsity for markets and Khan Academy for fundamentals; read a few annual reports alongside.
Which skills do fintech companies hire for?
SQL and analytics, product thinking, risk and credit basics, and an understanding of payments and regulation.
Is Excel still important?
Yes. Modelling, budgeting and most analyst interviews still run on Excel.
Learn this with mentors
Finance programmes with admissions open: live classes, mentors and project work.
