1. Education

Sign up for a degree, diploma or certificate program at a college or university offering an FP Canada™-approved financial planning curriculum.

If you’re pursuing QAFP^® certification, you’ll take the Core Curriculum, which provides you with the foundations of key concepts in tax planning, retirement planning, and insurance and risk management (among others). Once completed, sign up for the Professional Education Program with the FP Canada Institute™.

For CFP^® certification, you need to take the Core and Advanced Curriculum. Building on the Core Curriculum, the Advanced Curriculum provides you with a deeper understanding of key financial planning concepts and prepares you to examine your clients’ financial circumstances at the highest level of complexity.
Once completed, sign up for the CFP Professional Education Program which includes the prerequisite Introduction to Professional Ethics Course with the FP Canada Institute™. 

2. Exam

After you’ve completed your education, you’re ready to take the CFP exam or QAFP exam. FP Canada provides a variety of online study tools to help you prepare.

3. Work Experience

If you pursue QAFP certification, you’ll need one year of qualifying work experience before you can apply for certification. For CFP certification, you need three years.

4. Apply for Certification

Once you have completed your education, have passed the exam and have the required work experience, you can apply to be certified. To qualify for QAFP certification, you must hold a post-secondary diploma. For CFP certification, you need a post-secondary degree.