The number of financial advisers enrolled in education courses has increased during 2024 as they aim to meet the deadline imposed on practitioners who do not meet the 10-year experience exemption at the end of 2025.
Kaplan Professional chief executive Brian Knight said total subject enrolments for 2024 with the education provider were at their highest levels since 2021 and more than 300 people started studying for the first time in each one of six study periods this year, highlighting many still had a number of topics to pass before 31 December 2025.
“There have been large numbers of subject enrolments every study period and the number of inquiries about education pathways and individual requirements has increased significantly,” Knight said.
“The feedback from advisers is that they are keen to avoid a last-minute scramble – we are seeing many who are enrolling in multiple subjects per study period or consecutive intakes.”
He noted the increase in enrolments was largely due to the 2025 deadline, but some practitioners were choosing to take on further study at higher levels.
“There are still large numbers of new entrants enrolling in postgraduate financial planning courses for the first time in each study period, which is a positive sign for the future of the profession,” he added.
“Now that thousands have met the standard required of them before the deadline, they are not stopping. Large numbers are going on to complete the Master of Financial Planning, whether that be to stand out from their peers, interest in specialist elective subjects or to achieve a professional designation with the Financial Advice Association Australia and SMSF Association.”
He said existing advisers who still had to meet the 31 December 2025 education deadline should consider looking into it now as providers had limited and set times to commence the courses that will allow practitioners to meet the qualification standards set out in the Corporations Act.
While Kaplan had six study periods a year, there were only five remaining across the next 10 months that would allow advisers to meet the deadline, he pointed out.
