Begin your financial advisor career
Begin your financial advisor career
- Complete one of the many government-approved financial advisor courses, like a Bachelor of Business (Finance) or a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance).
- Tick off a supervised professional year, including a minimum of 1,500 hours of work activities and 100 hours of structured training at a financial advisory organisation that holds an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
- Pass the financial adviser exam set by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA).
- Join a recognised industry body such as the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) or the Association of Financial Planners (AFA) to pursue relevant certifications.
- Comply with the Financial Planners and Advisers Code of Ethics 2019 (Code of Ethics).
What does a financial advisor do?
Financial advisors help both individuals and organisations meet their financial goals. To ensure any advice you supply is correct and up-to-date, financial advisors must hold a high level of financial literacy (understanding what finance terms and policies mean) and an in-depth understanding of market performance and investment strategies.
The finance industry is heavily regulated, meaning financial advisor qualifications are essential for anyone wanting to pursue a career as a financial advisor.
Duties and tasks
- Analyse and understand clients’ financial objectives
- Monitor client investments and make recommendations
- Conduct market research and analysis
- Assist clients with managing their money and investments to achieve financial goals
- Follow relevant professional standards and keep abreast of regulatory changes
Industry bodies
Association of Financial Planners (AFA)
Established in 1946, the Association of Financial Planners is the longest-standing association representing financial advisers and their clients in Australia. The AFA’s mission is to encourage financial advice professionals to collaborate, advocate, innovate and learn in order to provide Australians with high-quality financial advice.
Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA)
With over 12,000 members, FPA is Australia’s leading professional association for financial planners. The FPA endeavours to foster high professional standards through continued professional development to best preserve the financial wellbeing of Australians.
The Profession of Independent Financial Advisors (PIFA)
PIFA is home to the PIFA Gold Standard of Independence, which provides practicing members with a symbol as evidence they have satisfied the most stringent standard of independence in the profession.
Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA)
With roughly 8000 members across Australia and New Zealand, FINSIA is the professional not-for-profit membership body for financial services. Their goal is to raise professional standards for those working in the industry through education.
Financial advisor jobs
With the right finance degree, you will be able to explore the following roles:
- Accountant
- Asset manager
- Budget analysts
- Client services manager
- Financial advisor
- Financial analysts
- Financial broker
- Financial consultant
- Investment advisor
- Mortgage broker
- Paraplanner
- Portfolio manager
- Risk analyst
- Stockbroker
- Wealth advisor
Discover online finance degrees
Undergraduate SCU-BFS-DEG-2023
Postgraduate GRF-FIN-GDI-2023
Postgraduate ECU-FBN-MAS-2023
Discover online finance subjects
Undergraduate USA-BANK1010-2023
Postgraduate UNE-AFM531-2023
Related degrees
Undergraduate CUR-BAN23-2023
Undergraduate LTU-FIN1FOF-2023
Step up your career with these resources
We're here to guide you there
Our student advisors can assist you with enrolment, help you plan your studies, and answer questions about how studying through Open Universities Australia can get you from where you are today, to where you want to be tomorrow.