Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning

For those new to financial planning including career changers or non-degree holders, the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning provides the foundation level of knowledge and skills required by modern financial advisors to start and progress their career. This includes the practice and theory of financial planning including financial markets, risk management and taxation.

For experienced advisers holding a related degree, the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning provides an opportunity to meet the new regulatory requirements and advance knowledge in areas such as finance, leadership, consumer behaviour and more. A choice of electives is packaged with the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) bridging courses into a program of study.

You will graduate with a degree accredited under the new standards set out by FASEA.

Award requirements

To be eligible for the award of Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (GDipFinPlan), a student must acquire 80 credit points as prescribed below:

• Pathway 1 (For those who are not an existing adviser):
  • gain 30 credit points for core courses;
  • gain 50 credit points for listed electives.
• Pathway 2 (Existing Adviser - No Degree):
  • gain 30 credit points for core courses;
  • gain 50 credit points for listed electives.
• Pathway 3 (Existing Adviser - Non-Relevant/Other Degree):
  • gain 30 credit points for core courses;
  • gain 50 credit points for listed electives.
• Pathway 4 (Existing Adviser - Relevant Degree/Related University Program):
  • gain 40 credit points for advanced standing;
  • gain 30 credit points for core courses;
  • gain 10 credit points for a listed elective.

Degree structure can be found here

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Indicative total fee $26,500

The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.

Learn more about Griffith University.

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QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

18

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

20

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning, a student must:

• hold any Bachelor 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) OR
• have a minimum of five years equivalent full-time professional work experience in a relevant field OR
• have a combination of alternative admission criteria such as formal, informal and non-formal learning deemed to be equivalent to either of the above OR
• meet the definition of an 'existing provider' as detailed in the Professional Standards legislation.

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
• OR a minimum score of 575 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19)
• OR no score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR 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)
• OR 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.

Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. For more information, please visit the following website:

• Credit transfer