Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning

What you will study

To be eligible for the award of Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning, a student must gain 40 credit points (CP). Each course is valued at 10 CP.

Core courses

• Ethics and Professionalism (10 CP)
• Behavioural Finance and Wealth Management (10 CP)
• Principles of Business and Corporations Law (10 CP)

Electives

You may choose electives that are relevant to your program of study from across the university provided prerequisites are met. This requires prior consultation with (and approval from) the Program Director.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning, a student must have one of the following:

• A bachelor's degree (or higher) from a recognised university (or another tertiary education institution of equivalent standing) with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (using a 7.0 scale).
• A minimum of five years of equivalent full-time professional work experience in a relevant field.
• A combination of alternative admission criteria such as formal, informal and non-formal learning deemed to be equivalent to either of the above.
• Be an 'existing provider' as defined in the Professional Standards legislation.

English language requirements

English language requirements apply to international applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0.
• A minimum score of 575 on TOEFL.
• An internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19).
• No score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only).
• A minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English).
• An overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

English test results must be no more than two years old.

If you do not meet the university's specified English language requirements, you may wish to contact the Griffith English Language Institute to increase your eligibility for entering a Griffith University program. This institute offers a number of English language and other courses at both its Brisbane and Gold Coast branches.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. The university's Credit Precedent Database allows you to find out what credit decisions have been made in the past. These precedents will give you an idea of what you can expect. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Upon completion of the program you may find career opportunities in the financial services industry (namely, banks, funds management and financial planning companies) in various roles including client services officers, business development, client administration officers and trainee para-planners.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated fee in 2025: $16,250 (domestic full-fee paying place)

The indicative annual tuition fee is calculated based on a standard full-time study load which is usually 80 CP.

The indicative annual tuition fee is based on current conditions and available data and should only be used as a guide. These fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• The number of courses studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of courses.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.