MQL5 Expert Advisor Development Course

Overview

An advanced programming course for traders who use MetaTrader 5. Learners write MQL5 from the language fundamentals up, build custom indicators and two complete Expert Advisors with risk management in code, test and optimise them in the Strategy Tester with walk-forward validation, and deploy to a demo account on a VPS. The capstone is an Expert Advisor of the learner’s own design.

Part of Algo Developer (advanced capability).

Who this course is for

Forex and CFD traders on MetaTrader who want to automate their manual strategies
Python algorithmic traders who want to add MetaTrader skills
Traders who have bought Expert Advisors and want to understand, audit and modify the code
Developers who trade and want to move into financial software development
Manual traders who want to remove execution errors by automating

Who this course is not designed for

People looking for tips, calls or recommendations on what to trade
Anyone seeking personalised investment advice
Anyone expecting a course to produce profits or income
Learners who want to automate NSE/BSE equities — MetaTrader is mainly used for forex, CFDs and commodities; see Algorithmic Trading with Python

Prerequisites

Basic programming knowledge in any language — variables, loops, if/else and functions
MetaTrader 5 installed with a demo account
Understanding of chart reading, candlesticks and basic technical indicators
A Windows PC or a cloud Windows instance
No prior MQL knowledge required — the language is taught from scratch in Module 1

What you will be able to do

Write MQL5 programs — Expert Advisors, custom indicators and scripts — using MetaEditor
Implement a rule-based trading strategy in code: entry conditions, exits, trailing stops and break-even logic
Build reusable risk management functions: fixed lot, percentage-of-equity and ATR-based position sizing
Code custom indicators in MQL5 and call them from within an Expert Advisor
Run and interpret back-tests and optimisations in the Strategy Tester with realistic spread and slippage
Implement multi-timeframe logic using a higher-timeframe filter
Deploy a working Expert Advisor to a demo account on a Windows VPS
Debug common Expert Advisor failures — re-quotes, off-quotes, context-busy errors and drawdown emergencies

Curriculum

6 modules · 36 lessons

Module 01 · MQL5 Language Foundations & MetaTrader ArchitectureWeek 1 · 7 lessons

1.1MetaTrader 5 Architecture — How EAs, Indicators & Scripts Differ
1.2MetaEditor IDE — Setup, Compilation & Debugging
1.3MQL5 Syntax — Data Types, Variables & Constants
1.4Control Flow — Conditions, Loops & Functions
1.5The Event Model — OnInit, OnTick & OnDeinit
1.6Accessing Price Data — CopyRates, CopyBuffer & Arrays
1.7MQL4 vs. MQL5 — Key Differences for Migration

Module 02 · Indicators in MQL5 — Built-in & CustomWeek 1–2 · 6 lessons

2.1Calling Built-in Indicators — iMA, iRSI, iATR, iMACD
2.2Multi-Timeframe Indicators — Using HTF Data in Your EA
2.3Writing Your First Custom Indicator
2.4Calling a Custom Indicator from an EA
2.5Coding a Volatility Indicator — ATR Bands
2.6Indicator Quality — Repainting, Look-Ahead & Lag

Module 03 · EA 1 — Trend-Following EMA Crossover Expert AdvisorWeek 2–3 · 7 lessons

3.1Trade Execution with CTrade — OrderSend, Modify & Close
3.2Position Management — Reading Open Positions
3.3Strategy Logic — EMA Crossover with HTF Trend Filter
3.4Risk Management Module — ATR Stop-Loss & Fixed-Risk Sizing
3.5Trailing Stop & Break-Even Logic
3.6Input Parameters & EA Configuration Panel
3.7EA 1 Completion — Code Review & First Back-Test

Module 04 · EA 2 — RSI Mean-Reversion Expert AdvisorWeek 3–4 · 6 lessons

4.1Mean-Reversion Strategy Design in Code
4.2Using the ATR Bands Custom Indicator Inside an EA
4.3Session Filter — Trading Only During Specific Market Hours
4.4Max Daily Loss Limit & Drawdown Protection
4.5Handling News Events — Economic Calendar Filter
4.6EA 2 Completion — Back-Test on USDJPY & GBPUSD

Module 05 · Back-Testing, Optimisation & Strategy Tester MasteryWeek 4–5 · 5 lessons

5.1Strategy Tester Deep Dive — Tick Models & Data Quality
5.2Reading the Back-Test Report — Metrics That Matter
5.3Optimisation — Grid Search in the Strategy Tester
5.4Walk-Forward Testing — Validating the Out-of-Sample Edge
5.5Custom Optimisation Criteria — Writing Your Own Fitness Function

Module 06 · Deployment, VPS & Capstone EAWeek 5–6 · 5 lessons

6.1Pre-Deployment Checklist — From Back-Test to Demo
6.2VPS Setup — Running Your EA Without Your PC
6.3Monitoring & Incident Response
6.4Capstone — Build Your Own EA
6.5MQL5 Resources & Continuing Development

Projects

Project 1Advanced
MT5 Expert Advisor
A trend-following Expert Advisor with an EMA crossover signal, a higher-timeframe trend filter, ATR-based stop-loss, percentage-of-equity sizing and a trailing stop.
Skills
MQL5 · Risk management in code · Strategy Tester
Technology
MQL5 · MetaTrader 5
Deliverable
Source code and a Strategy Tester report with written commentary.

Capstone

Build Your Own Expert Advisor

Design and build an Expert Advisor based on a strategy of your own choice (or one of eight documented classic strategies). It must include at least one indicator signal, a percentage-based risk module, a session or time filter and a daily loss limit. Submit the source code and a Strategy Tester report for instructor code review and written feedback.

Practice on AlphaSync

Coming Soon

Practice exercises in AlphaSync's simulated environment are planned for this course. Until AlphaSync is available, practice uses paper trading and the tools named in the curriculum.

Instructors

Instructor profiles are published once each instructor has approved their profile and credentials have been verified.

Assessment

Two Expert Advisors submitted with Strategy Tester reports, and a capstone Expert Advisor code review.

Certification

Certification details available soon.

Frequently asked questions

I know Python but have never coded in C++ or MQL. Will this course work for me?

Yes — Python programmers adapt to MQL5 quickly. The syntax is more verbose and strictly typed, but loops, conditionals and functions transfer directly. The main adjustment is MetaTrader's event model, the handle-based indicator system and the CTrade execution API. Module 1 is designed to bridge that gap.

Does the course cover MT4 or only MT5?

The primary language is MQL5 on MetaTrader 5. Module 1 covers the key differences between MQL4 and MQL5, and a reference guide maps common MQL4 patterns to MQL5 so you can read and adapt MQL4 code. MQL4 is not taught as a primary language.

Can I use the Expert Advisors from this course on a live account?

They are functional, but we strongly caution against going live with any automated strategy without at least 2–3 months of forward testing on a demo account. Back-tests cannot predict future market conditions. The Expert Advisors in the course are educational demonstrations of sound architecture, not ready-made trading systems.

Is this course relevant for NSE/BSE Indian markets?

MetaTrader is primarily used for forex, CFD indices and commodities — not NSE or BSE equities, which use Indian broker platforms and their own APIs. If your goal is to automate Indian equity or F&O strategies, Algorithmic Trading with Python is more appropriate.

Fees and enrolment

Ask about fees, batch dates, format or whether the course fits your experience. The Academy will reply by email.