QFA Professional Financial Advice
By completing this online course you gain a wide understanding of professions in finance.
| Award Name | Special Purpose Certificate (Level 7 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Special Purpose |
| Awarding Body | Atlantic Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 7 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Purpose Certificate (Level 7 NFQ) | Special Purpose | Atlantic Technological University | Level 7 NFQ |
Entry Requirements
Minimum Entry Requirements
Institution
LIA
Leaving Cert or Equivalent
5 x O6/H7 or higher
Leaving Cert English
Minimum of Grade O6/H7
Leaving Cert Maths
Minimum of Grade O6/H7
RPL
Yes – see below
Alternative Qualifications
Yes – see below
English Language
IELTS 5.5
or
An equivalent qualification at the same level (e.g. A levels; Highers/Advanced Highers (Scotland), International Baccalaureate; European Baccalaureate etc).
Any QQI level 5/6 FE qualification is acceptable.
All applicants are required to have competency in English endorsed by the Irish Leaving Certificate or other equivalent award.
All learners are required to be proficient in English. Where a candidate’s mother tongue is not English, he or she is required to provide a proof of proficiency in the English language through satisfactory performance on an internationally recognised test (e.g. IELTS 5.5) or other similar English Language qualifications.
Mature applicants who do not have a Leaving Certificate will be assessed for entry based on work experience along with a demonstrated commitment towards the academic requirements for the programme. This may be assessed using a written application from the candidate and/or by interview. Such learners will have relevant employment and will have access to the IT facilities necessary to participate in the programme. RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) applicants will be required to complete a personal statement which addresses how the applicant has met the minimum standard by reference to QQI’s Business Standards at Level 6.
All other applicants, who do not meet these criteria, will be dealt with on their individual merits and on a case-by-case basis. Decisions made under this mechanism will not set a precedent for adjudicating similar applications.
Further information
21 July 2024 Closing Date for Registrations
Next Exam September 2024
Exam Timetable can be found at https://www.lia.ie/images/uploads/resources/Exam_Timetable_2023-2024.pdf
Module Pricing
The registration fee for each module is €350 and includes examination entry, textbook, and a suite of learning resources provided in our student log-in area such as your study guide, pre-recorded webinars and more.
Study Fee
If you are not already paying an annual LIA membership fee, you are required to pay one study fee (€100) in addition to your first module fee. This covers you for 12 months study i.e. you can enrol on any number of modules during that time without being charged the study fee again. Those who hold annual membership with LIA are not required to pay the study fee if enrolling on modules.
The QFA is renowned as the gold standard designation for finance professionals.
The QFA is a professional designation which meets the Central Bank’s Minimum Competency Code (MCC) requirements for selling and advising on five of the eight categories of retail financial products set out in the Code.
By completing this online course you gain a wide understanding of professions in finance. The QFA is renowned as one of the leading designations for finance professionals with over 22,000 QFAs in Ireland, and is ideal for anyone working or seeking work in life assurance, credit unions, mortgage lending, pensions or investments.
To hold the QFA with LIA, you must complete an online course consisting of six modules offered by LIA’s academic education partner, Atlantic Technological University (ATU). All our courses are provided online via distance and self-directed learning, meaning you can study from home or work before sitting your exams online.
QFA Loans, QFA Life Assurance, QFA Investment, QFA Pensions and QFA Regulation are 2-hour multiple choice exams with 100 questions. The final module, QFA Financial Advice, is a 2 hour 30 minute written exam paper.
Once the course is completed you can apply to LIA for your QFA designation and will receive the Certificate in Professional Financial Advice by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) – a 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) qualification at level 7 of the National Framework of Qualifications.
The QFA is designed to provide you with the ability to:
assess the needs of consumers for protection policies, including life assurance cover, serious illness cover and business insurances;
evaluate the needs of consumers for investment linked pension policies, including retirement annuity contracts, PRSAs, employer pension schemes;
appraise the needs of consumers for savings and investment products, including life assurance investment policies, collective investment funds, tracker bonds, Exchange Traded Funds, derivatives and unquoted transferable shares;
evaluate the needs of consumers for mortgage credit agreements, housing loans, home reversion agreements, and consumer credit agreements;
evaluate the main regulatory requirements relating to the marketing of and sales / advisory process of financial services products;
assess the suitability of financial products in meeting the needs of consumers.
Modules
QFA Regulation
QFA Loans
QFA Pensions
QFA Life Assurance
QFA Investment
QFA Financial Advice
Phone 01 456 3890
Email queries@lia.ie