The CFA Institute, which bestows the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification upon thousands of eager would-be finance pros every year, has cancelled its exams in 37 cities in Asia and the Americas.

The CFA Institute’s exams are regarded as a rite of passage for many people seeking to enter financial services. The institute had already put many applicants’ plans on hold when it postponed exams originally scheduled for June back to the end of the year. Now, applicants have until 20 October to switch their exam dates to May next year.