Why study Financial Planning with the CISI?

Consumers worldwide are challenged by their finances. Despite the challenges, consumers don’t know who to trust for professional financial advice. We're always working to raise the standards of the financial planning profession so consumers receive quality advice that meets their needs from financial professionals whom they can trust.

With our defined financial planning study pathway, you can lead the way and achieve the highest global certification available to financial planners in the UK - the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

Why Financial Planning is important

Even the most money-savvy consumers can find managing their finances stressful. Global research by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) has found that most consumers feel challenged by their finances as they become more responsible for their long-term financial well-being.

Consumers find themselves relying on friends, family and websites more than financial professionals for information on financial matters. That's why it is so important for consumers to find someone who they can trust with their finances.

Only 19% of consumers feel very successful at sticking to their financial strategies1

Only 22% of consumers are very confident they will achieve their financial goals1

Only 1/3 of consumers have a written financial plan1

If you're looking for a career in financial planning or looking to elevate your skills to meet the increasingly complex and demanding nature of today's financial advice, then start your journey towards becoming a CFP professional with us.

Our Financial Planning qualifications

Level 4 Investment Advice Diploma (IAD) +

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Level 4 Certificate in Paraplanning

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Level 6 Certificate in Pension Transfers & Planning Advice +

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CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification

Level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning
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Ofqual regulated qualifications are marked +

Why become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional?

The CFP certification is recognised globally as the gold standard for financial planning professionals. It will give you the necessary skills to build trust and help consumers in an increasingly complex advice world. The CFP process equips individuals with the following:

  • A financial planning framework that is robust and repeatable
  • Allows you to deliver a pure financial planning proposition consistently for each client
  • Allows you to easily evidence decisions that will help reduce your compliance risk
  • Increased client confidence that you can help them meet their life goals
  • Improved relationships with clients that will ultimately lead to client referrals
Keep reading for further information on how to become a CFP professional with us, the only route to CFP certification in the UK.

 

How to become a Certified Financial Planner

To earn the CFP certification, you must meet the following requirements.

Entry requirements

To begin the process of becoming a CFP professional, you must first hold an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6. This can be either:

Investment Advice Diploma (IAD)
Must include either the Financial Planning & Advice or Retail Advice & Planning module
Or An RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 (with gap-fill if required)

Education & Examinations

Candidates for CFP certification must master theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study that meets standards set by FPSB.

Candidates for CFP certification must achieve the CISI’s level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning, which assesses their ability to apply integrated financial planning knowledge to real-world client situations.

Ethics

Candidates for CFP certification must agree to abide by the CISI’s Code of Conduct which defines their ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers.2

CISI membership at MCSI level or above Complete the CISI IntegrityMatters test

Experience

Candidates for CFP certification must meet relevant work experience standards (one-year supervised experience or a minimum of three years of unsupervised practice experience) in the financial planning process prior to being awarded CFP certification to ensure they possess financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.

1-3 years experience

 

Exam Details

Next available exam

Pass Mark / Pass Rate

The current pass rate for this exam is and the pass mark is .

 

Regulated Qualifications Framework

credits on the Regulated Qualifications Framework are awarded upon successfully passing this exam

Feedback and Appeals

For further details on how to give us your feedback and / or Appeal your result, please refer to our Exam Policies.

Route to CFP certification for CII/PFS Chartered Financial Planners

Holders of the CII Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning can take an online assessment, removing the need to pass the L6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning exam. Once candidates have passed the assessment, they can progress to the Financial Plan Case Study, the final step in completing the L7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning.

Subject to the ethics and experience requirements being met, candidates can apply to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER.

Complement your Chartered Financial Planner status with the globally recognised CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification to deliver a holistic financial planning service to your clients.

Find out more


Getting started

I already meet the entry requirements

If you already hold an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 (with gap-fill if required), such as our Investment Advice Diploma (Financial Planning & Advice), then you can start your journey to becoming a CFP professional.

View price breakdown on becoming a CFP professional 3

Level 6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning £538
Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study £549
CISI Membership Annual Fee (MCSI) £290
QRF Fee £66
CFP Licence Annual Fee £66
Total £1,509

Step 1 - Complete the entry form to confirm your eligibility
Step 2 - A member of our team will contact you and help you start your journey to CFP certification

Register now (Eligibility Form)

I need to meet the entry requirements

If you currently don’t hold an RDR-compliant qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 (with gap-fill if required), our Investment Advice Diploma (Financial Planning & Advice) qualification will allow you to meet the entry requirements to becoming a CFP professional.

View price breakdown on becoming a CFP professional 3

IAD - UK Regulation & Professional Integrity £395
IAD - Investment, Risk & Taxation £395
IAD - Financial Planning & Advice £395
Level 6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning £538
Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study £549
CISI Membership Annual Fee (MCSI) £290
QRF Fee £66
CFP Licence Annual Fee £66
Total £2,694

Step 1 - Achieve our Investment Advice Diploma (Financial Planning & Advice)
Step 2 - Complete the entry form to confirm your eligibility
Step 3 - A member of our team will contact you and help you start your journey to CFP certification
Book the CISI Investment Advice Diploma now

I am currently an Investment Manager

Do you have an approved qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 (Packaged Products)?

Yes

Great! You meet the entry requirements for the CFP pathway!
You can start the pathway with the Level 6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning exam, and then the Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study.

How to get started
Step 1 - Complete the entry form to confirm your eligibility
Step 2 - A member of our team will contact you and help you start your journey to CFP certification

No

If you currently don’t hold an approved qualification for FCA Activities 4 and 6 (Packaged Products), our Investment Advice Diploma qualification with either the Retail Advice & Planning module or the Financial Planning & Advice module will allow you to meet the entry requirements to becoming a CFP professional.

How do I get started?
Find out more about our Investment Advice Diploma



Our learning materials and resources

We’ve included a preview of the content and resources that will be available to you if you choose to study financial planning with us.

Workbook and ebook

Control your learning experience with a printed workbook or ebook

CISI Financial Planning Mentoring Scheme

Speak to passionate CFP professionals who can deliver mentoring on your journey towards CFP certification

Independent Training

We work with independent Accredited Training Partners (ATP) who offer formal training for the CFP certification, online or face-to-face



Frequently asked questions

We have created a set of FAQs to help answer some of your most pressing questions, as well as to provide further information about any transitional arrangements or exemptions for the new qualification.

I want to study to become a CFP professional I am an existing CFP professional

If you have any questions that were not answered in our FAQs please email Financial.Planning@cisi.org.



Apply to become a CFP professional

Once you have met the above requirements, to apply for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification, please complete the application form and return it to cfp@cisi.org.

The annual CFP renewal fee is £66. Once your application is approved by us, you will be sent a certificate. 4

CFPTM Application form
CFPTM policy
Financial Planning Practice Standards



Renew my CFP certification

CFP professionals are required to maintain technical competence and fulfil ethical obligations. This includes completing at least 35 hours of continuing professional development education each year to stay current with developments in the financial planning profession. In addition, CFP professionals must disclose any public, civil, criminal or disciplinary actions that may have been taken against them during the certification period.5

The annual CFP licence fee is £66 and is payable with your CISI membership renewal from March.

CFP™ Renewal form

The home of Financial Planning

Our financial planning community (known as the Financial Planning Forum) is home to over 4,500 professionals working or interested in financial planning. Once you start your financial planning journey, we’ll welcome you with open arms to where the leading financial planning professionals are, with us – the home of pure financial planning.

Join over 4,500 members who form our financial planning community

Regular conferences and events for financial planners across the UK

Our Financial Planning Forum Committee, comprised of practicing planners, provide us guidance to drive the profession forward

Meet other like-minded financial planners and share ideas

Development & CPD

Our work to raise the standards of the financial profession does not just stop once a qualification is achieved - it's all about Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In addition to our qualification pathway, we offer various first-class resources to help you build on your knowledge.

Professional Refresher

Elearning modules designed to help you tackle topics to build on or refresh your knowledge of various topics.

Find out more about Professional Refresher

The Review

Our quarterly members' magazine is available digitally, with exclusive articles on the latest trends and changes affecting the profession.

View the Review

Conferences & Events

Dedicated conferences and events where you can network with like-minded individuals and earn CPD.

Find out more about all the events we offer

CFPTM, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and are certification marks owned outside the U.S. by Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd.
The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment is the marks licensing authority for the CFP marks in the United Kingdom, through agreement with FPSB.

1. FPSB partnered with GfK, a global research firm, to survey more than 19,000 people in 19 territories.
2. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals must disclose any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional or business conduct and agree to place the interest of clients first, act fairly, diligently and with integrity, and offer clients professional services that are objective and based on clients’ needs. CFP professionals must disclose in writing to clients information about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest.
3. Total price assumes no exam resits required
4. The standard processing timescale for all applications is up to 15 working days, including three to five days required to post any confirmations or certificates. If you have sent your form to the CISI and you have not received an email confirmation of receipt within 28 days please contact us.
5. It is necessary for every CFP certificant, once certified, to renew their certification every year. Those seeking to maintain their certification must attain a minimum of 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) in order to keep up to date with changes and better serve their clients. To continue using the designation you must renew your membership on an annual basis and adhere to all the CISI’s requirements for membership. If you wish to lapse the designation you can do this for a period of up to five years (see below).

Application to rejoin or reinstate CFP professional designation within five years: No reassessment will be required as long as the individual can provide suitable CPD records. If CPD records are not available and there is no valid reason then the process for rejoining after five years will apply.