Financial Literacy Programme

The Financial Literacy Programme is centred around the McGill Personal Finance Essentials course.

The McGill Personal Finance Essentials is an online course comprised of eight core modules and two bonus modules.  By completing the Programme, it is intended that Caymanians between the ages of 14 to 25 develop their comprehension and confidence in the fields of finance and investing. 

Taught by Professors from the McGill Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University, the course is free to all registrants and covers the following areas of study:

• Introduction to Personal Finance
• Budgeting and Saving
• Your Money: Today and Tomorrow
• Understanding Debt and Borrowing
• The Art of Investing 
• Retirement Planning
• The Realities of Real Estate
• Behavioural Finance
• Bonus Module: Responsible Investing
• Bonus Module: Cryptocurrencies and Crypto Tokens

The course is available in three-month blocks and can be done at the student’s own pace, providing flexibility around work and study.

Steps of the Programme

Step 1

Registration for the McGill Personal Finance Essentials Course

Eligible Caymanian candidates aged between 14 to 25 must first register for the NYC Financial Literacy Programme here.

Step 2

Completion of the McGill Course

The candidate has three months to complete all modules and pass each module test with a minimum mark of 80%.

Step 3

Submission of Completion Certificate

Upon successfully passing the course, the candidate must email their certificate of completion to the NYC for review to .

Step 4

Assessment Registration and Booking

Once you have successfully completed the McGill Personal Finance Essentials course and submitted your Certificate of Completion to the NYC for verification, eligible candidates can schedule their final assessment.

Please click the booking link here to schedule your assessment.

Candidates should complete the booking form in full and ensure that all information submitted is accurate and up to date.

Please arrive 10–15 minutes before your scheduled assessment time to allow sufficient time for check-in and verification of the required documentation.

Step 5

Final Assessment with the Youth Services Unit (YSU)

After verification of the candidate’s eligibility, the candidate will sit the final assessment in person at the Intergenerational Hub, located at 131 MacLendon Drive, George Town, Grand Cayman.

The final assessment consists of multiple-choice questions and must be completed using a designated computer at the Hub. The assessment is 60 minutes in duration, and a minimum pass mark of 80% is required to proceed.

Candidates must bring the following to their assessment:

• Proof of Caymanian status, such as an Acknowledgement Letter, Status Letter, or Right to be Caymanian documentation.
• A valid government-issued form of identification, such as a driver’s licence, passport, or other official document showing the candidate’s date of birth. This is required to confirm that the candidate falls within the eligible age range of 14 to 25 years.
• A calculator, if desired.

Original documentation will be checked for verification purposes but will not be retained or copied.

Step 6

Notification of Passing Candidates

If the approved candidate successfully passes the final examination, the YSU will notify the NYC of the candidate’s name.

Step 7

Award of Certificate and Cash Prize

The passing candidate will receive a certificate of completion from NYC via email, along with details of the next quarterly awards ceremony at the Hub. To receive the KYD 250 award, the passing candidate must attend the awards ceremony in person.