The QFA qualification for a career in financial services

If you want to work in financial services, you need to be Qualified Financial Adviser. The QFA meets the Central Bank of Ireland’s Minimum Competency Code. In other words, if you advise consumers on financial products or carry out other work in relation to financial services you’ll have to have a QFA. This is because it is the only benchmark qualification for those working in an advisory capacity in the retail finance sector in Ireland.

Qualified Financial Advisor Diploma

The Institute of Bankers, in partnership with LIA as well as the Insurance Institute of Ireland, offers the Qualified Financial Advisor Diploma. This satisfies the educational requirements for the QFA designation. Once you have successfully completed the course, then the Financial Regulator will regard you as having the skills as well as knowledge to advise consumers on financial services and products.

These five categories are:

• Savings, investment and pension products
• Housing loans and associated insurances
• Consumer credit and associated insurances
• Life assurance protection products
• Shares and bonds and other investment instruments

However, to gain a QFA, students must successfully complete six modules. These are:

• Life Assurance
• Regulation
• Pensions
• Loans
• Investments
• Financial Planning

Each module also has a written examination.

All six modules are offered over three terms within an academic year. Typically students take either one or two modules per term. In addition, they must take the QFA Financial Planning module after all the other modules. This is the summative module for the course.

Who may register for the Diploma?

The QFA Diploma is a first step on the financial services career ladder. Therefore, anyone who wants to work in the financial services industry can take the QFA programme. The diploma is also a general entry point for both school leavers and graduates to the Institute of Bankers education structure.