Overview

The Certificate in Financial Administration and Planning (CeFAP®) has been developed to meet the needs of individuals working, or aspiring to work, in financial administration or paraplanning roles, and provides comprehensive foundation knowledge of products, services, regulation and legislation in the financial advice industry.
Studying CeFAP® will enable you to:

• develop the skills required to support and maintain appropriate and ethical client relationships
• meet clients’ priorities by considering a range of protection, investment and retirement funding products
• demonstrate a commitment to career progression and evidence the necessary skills and knowledge to perform a variety of roles to a higher standard

Key facts

• CeFAP® is a UK specific qualification and comprises four mandatory units
• CeFAP® has been accredited by Ofqual at Level 3 into the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)*
• Upon successful completion of CeFAP® you can use the designation ‘CeFAP®’ after your name. 
• Comprehensive distance-learning support is provided
• Examinations are available on demand at over 150 centres countrywide, with confirmation of the result provided on the day
• CeFAP® is mapped to the occupational standards for paraplanning and acts as a stepping stone to becoming a financial adviser.

*Read more about the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

Cost

Units

CeFAP® consists of four mandatory units:

Unit 1 – Understanding the Financial Services Industry (UFSI) T/503/1264
UFSI explores the regulation and legal framework underpinning the UK financial services industry.

View the UFSI aims, learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

Unit 2 – Understanding the Financial Services Environment (UFSE) F/503/1266
UFSE explores the main financial priorities of consumers and introduces the range of financial products that could meet these priorities. The unit also considers the impact of socio-economic factors and taxation on consumers.

View the UFSE aims, learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

Unit 3 – Understanding Financial Services Products (UFSP) A/503/1265
UFSP explores the purpose and associated considerations of the different type of financial products, with particular emphasis on protection, investment and retirement  funding products.

View the UFSP aims, learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

Unit 4 – Working with Clients in a Financial Planning Environment (WCFP) J/503/1267
WCFP considers the research and skills required to support and maintain appropriate client relationships. WCFP examines the ethical considerations of working with clients and introduces the concept of on-going personal development within the financial services industry.

View the WCFP aims, learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

Assessment

UFSI, UFSE and UFSP each comprise of a 30 minute objective test with 25 multiple choice questions. WCFP is a 30 minute objective test with three case studies – each with five attached multiple choice questions.

All of the units that comprise the CeFAP® qualification can be examined at over 150 Pearson VUE test centres nationwide with the result provided on the day. You only need to resit  failed units.

Studying

On average, students spend 220 learning hours of study time on CeFAP®. The complete course is achievable within 12 months.

All students who learn direct with the Institute will receive online and printed study resources that cover all the units that make up the CeFAP® qualification. Students will receive online access to the study texts and will also be sent printed copies of the study texts. The study text will also contain review questions and activities.  A specimen examination paper is available to support your studies.

Please note that in order to reflect any changes to syllabuses, including matters arising from the annual Budget, the study materials for some units are updated annually, usually in July. It is your responsibility to ensure you are studying from the most up-to-date materials. The most up-to-date learning materials, updates and amendments can be found on my ifslearning.

Registration

You can register for CeFAP® at any time.

Online - complete the online registration and payment form.

By phone - call Further Education Customer and Student Enquiries on +44 (0) 1227 818609 (option 1). Please have your VISA/MasterCard/debit card to hand when you call.

By post/fax - download and complete the registration form. To view this file you need to have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. This is free and available from the Adobe website. When you have completed the form either send it to the address stated on the form or fax it to +44 (0) 1227 784331.

Membership

Membership of the Institute of Financial Services provides access to cost-effective and appropriate services that meet the very specific needs of the financial and mortgage adviser community and costs just £66 per annum. 

Progression

Upon successful completion of CeFAP®, for those wishing to pursue a career in retail financial advice, the ifs Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA®) is the most effective pathway into the industry. 

The DipFA® meets the FSA’s Retail Distribution Review (RDR) qualification requirement for retail financial services advice and provides a practically oriented and cost-effective approach to study and assessment. The DipFA® is a benchmark qualification that meets the standards required for those giving professional advice on retail investment products.