The CFP Professional Education Program teaches students how to apply learning achieved through their Core and Advanced Curriculum programs to the practice of financial planning.
While the technical content learned in Core and Advanced Curriculum courses is essential, it is critical for financial planners to focus on the holistic nature of people’s lives, develop behavioural and relationship skills to effectively connect with clients, and above all, to always act in the client’s best interest maintaining the highest standards of professional responsibility.
The CFP Professional Education Program uses real-world case scenarios to develop a deep understanding of, and competence in Holistic Financial Planning, Human Behaviour and Honesty and Ethics (3H) to help financial planners see their clients’ entire financial picture, no matter how complex.
Students will be awarded the Advanced Certificate in 3H Financial Planning™ upon successful completion of the program, with easy-to-share digital credentials.
$1,500
Scheduled monthly on the first business day of each month. When you register, you will be prompted to select your preferred program start date.
The CFP Professional Education Program is equivalent to a one-semester university course. It is expected that it will take between 75 to 95 hours to complete.
To complete your registration for the CFP Professional Education Program, you must:
at least 10 business days prior to your scheduled start date.
To register for the CFP Professional Education Program, you must first create an account on the FP Canada Portal. Once logged in to the FP Canada Portal, you may register by completing the FP Canada Institute Education Application available on the "My Applications" page.
The CFP Professional Education Program begins on scheduled start dates. When you register, you will be prompted to select your preferred program start date. Please enrol early to reserve a seat in an upcoming session; spots are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
The CFP Professional Education Program includes seven end-of-unit assignments and one final assessment.
The assignments and final assessment are culminating activities based on realistic client scenarios that require students to demonstrate knowledge and skills in financial planning, professional responsibility and human behaviour. Students will be asked to complete specific tasks throughout the financial planning process along with constructed response questions to evaluate their critical thinking, analysis and judgement, in addition to completing a final assessment.
To successfully complete the CFP Professional Education Program, students must achieve a minimum grade of 60%.
12 months from the CFP Professional Education Program start date. Students who do not complete an assignment/assessment by the required due date will be marked as “incomplete” and receive a grade of zero. Exceptions may be granted at the FP Canada Institute’s sole discretion.
Students may progress through the program at their own pace; however, they must complete each assignment and the final assessment by the following required due dates:
| Assignment | Due Date |
| Unit 1 Assignment | End of month 1* |
| Unit 2 Assignment | End of month 2 |
| Unit 3 Assignment | End of month 4 |
| Unit 4 Assignment | End of month 6 |
| Unit 5 Assignment | End of month 8 |
| Unit 6 Assignment | End of month 9 |
| Unit 7 Assignment | End of month 10 |
| Final Assessment | End of month 12 |
Students who do not complete an assignment by the required due date will receive an “incomplete” (fail grade) for that assignment.
Students who would like to write the October 2022 CFP exam must submit the CFP Professional Education Program final assessment by August 16, 2022.
Unit 1 through Unit 7 Assignments: 50%
Final Assessment: 50%
Students will be notified through the FP Canada Institute Learning Platform when their grade for each assignment is available. Written feedback will be provided on assignments where students are not successful, to support their success on future assignments.
Students who do not successfully complete the CFP Professional Education Program and wish to reattempt it must re-enrol at the full program fee, subject to continuing to meet prerequisite education requirements.
Students registered in the QAFP Professional Education Program or CFP Professional Education Program may postpone prior to their program start date for a fee of $150.
Students who choose to withdraw from the program may be eligible for a refund, depending on when they withdraw, as follows:
| Date of Withdrawal | Refund |
| More than 10 business days prior to program start date | 100% |
| Between 10 business days prior to and 20 business days after program start date | 75% |
| More than 20 business days after program start date | No Refund |
For more information on the CFP Professional Education Program, refer to the FP Canada Institute Student Handbook.
For assistance with your continuing education registration or for questions about the course, contact our FP Canada Certificant and Student Services at info@fpcanada.ca, 416-593-8587 or 1-800-305-9886. Our office is open from Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.