• Completion of an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a similar discipline; OR
• Completion of an Australian Graduate Certificate (or equivalent) in a similar discipline; OR
• Completion of an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in any discipline and five (5) years of managerial experience; OR
• Applicants without an undergraduate qualification may be admitted to the Graduate Certificate (in the same discipline) based on approved work experience. Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate, graduates will be eligible for admission to this course with credit granted for completed units.

This information outlines the educational requirements for existing financial advisers in order to become FASEA accredited. It also outlines the requirements for new financial advisers wishing to enter the field.

New entrant

• New entrant Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (8 units)

Existing adviser with approved degree

• Existing adviser with approved degree Bridging Course (1 unit) - Professionalism and Ethics

Existing adviser with relevant degree

• Existing adviser with relevant degree Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning (4 units)

Existing adviser with non-relevant degree

• Existing adviser with non-relevant degree Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (8 units)

Existing adviser with no degree

• Existing adviser with no degree Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (8 units)

*Approved degrees can vary depending on the university. Visit FASEA’s website to check their list of approved courses.

Whether you are currently a financial planner who wants to progress in your industry, or you want to move into a new career in a growing field, VU Online will help you succeed.

Potential careers include middle to senior management roles in the financial planning industry. This can include roles such as:

Typical job titles

• Financial adviser
• Financial planner
• Insurance adviser
• Superannuation consultant
• Risk adviser
• Business development manager
• Client service officer

VU Online provides you with the support you need, when you need it, during your course. Our support network has a single focus on ensuring you are entirely supported to succeed in your studies.

Our highly experienced academics are responsive and accessible and understand how to deliver a quality online learning experience. You will also be introduced to your very own Student Success Advisor, who provides motivation and one-on-one personalised assistance with non-academic matters throughout your course.

You’ll experience the support of your community through chat, virtual seminars and discussion board activity. Remember, your support network is only a phone call and email away.

A Master of Financial Planning from VU Online costs $2,995-$3,995 per unit*, taking the total for 12 units to $39,940*.

This depends on the number of units you study and whether you are eligible for Advanced Standing, which is assessed after you submit your application.

Note that you may be eligible for the Australian Government’s loan scheme, FEE-HELP. The loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying students with the cost of a university program. It can be used for all or part of the tuition. To determine your eligibility, visit the FEE-HELP website.

If you are a member of FAAA, you may be eligible for a 15% discount on some or all of your Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma level units. To find out more, speak to one of our Student Enrolment Advisors

*2025 student fees are shown and are subject to change.

For more information on fees and student support, download a brochure.

As an FAAA member, you are eligible for a 15% discount on selected units within the Master of Financial Planning program. This discount applies to 8 specific units that make up the Graduate Diploma portion of the course.

To qualify for the discount, FAAA members must apply initially for the Graduate Diploma. The discount is only available for these 8 units and cannot be applied to units in the Master’s program itself. Once you have completed the Graduate Diploma, you can choose to progress to the Master’s program for the final 4 units, though these will not be eligible for the 15% discount.

To find out more, speak to one of our Student Enrolment Advisors.

Studying with VU Online means that you can undertake postgraduate study without having to attend on-campus classes. This makes it easy to fit study around existing commitments including work and family. You will be able to access your coursework, resources, assignment details and individual feedback from facilitators, all from your online learning environment, VU Collaborate.

Chat with fellow students, compare research notes and collaborate on group tasks – it’s all possible with our seamless, community-focused platform.

With VU Online, you will study just one unit at a time under the award-winning VU Block Model®. Learn about our postgraduate online Block Model with this YouTube video.

With VU Online, you can rest assured you will find support from our responsive academics and facilitators, as well as your dedicated Student Success Advisor throughout your study.

VU online has simplified the application process, involving just three key steps.

1. Speak to one of our Student Enrolment Advisors, who will help you determine your eligibility for the program and whether it suits your career goals. Our advisor will keep you informed of all the application requirements and what to expect during the process. They can also suggest flexible study plans for your circumstances.
2. Begin your online application and submit the required documentation. This may include a copy of your CV and academic transcript.
3. Upon completing your application, you will receive a confirmation email or an email letting you know if you need to provide any additional information.

This unit applies risk management knowledge and methodologies to the protection and distribution of wealth with effective personal insurances and estate planning. Analysis and exploration of the insurance policies and risk management products is undertaken and matched to the spectrum of client situations in the process of constructing insurance planning advice. The concept of protecting wealth is expanded to include a strong awareness of the role of estate planning. Applications of related law and compliance are built into practical client situations and a Statement of Advice, with insurance and estate planning advice recommendations will be undertaken. Professional skills including negotiating insurance analysis outcomes against costs, succession planning challenges and interpersonal skills related to difficult estate planning conversations, are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussions and metacognitive interactions.

This unit is designed to meet the approved degree requirements of Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA]. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of an approved degree and may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

In this unit students will critically review superannuation and retirement planning trends, compare superannuation and self-managed superannuation funds with non-superannuation options, and role play the presentation of retirement planning advice to a mock client. Technical knowledge of superannuation, related tax legislation, building retirement capital, income stream options and social security will be applied to client scenarios and modelled using financial planning software and tools. Client communication skills will be applied to negotiating retirement planning preparation and problems. Professional skills including business awareness and interpersonal skills are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the approved degree requirements of Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA]. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of an approved degree and may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

The unit combines the higher-order responsibilities and legislative framework governing the provision of financial planning advice with the principles and functions of investing in financial markets. Matters, such as compliance and the relational role of the financial advisor are placed in the context of assessing client investment risk and defending a best-interest, multi-asset portfolio as part of a client’s financial plan. Lessons from economic events and the impact of financial advice failures provide a backdrop to a range of activities including managed fund research, aligning client risk profiles and preferences with investment choices and borrowing strategies for investing. Professional skills including interpersonal skills are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction to develop the narratives associated with informing clients of risk, returns, costs and benefits of investing. The design and content of this unit meets the requirements of a FASEA approved degree and is suited for existing advisers, new entrants and career changers entering the profession of financial planning.

In this unit, students will acquire technical and working knowledge of the key provisions of Australian Tax Law and apply to a range of problems to determine taxation consequences. Comparisons of tax implications relating to business, individuals and trusts will be undertaken along with research and analysis to develop strategic tax planning solutions. Case scenarios will be employed to develop the students’ understanding of tax avoidance legislation and awareness of the consequences of tax avoidance and their ability to construct tax recommendations and explicate the consequences of unresolved tax problems. Professional skills including business awareness, obligations of the TPB and interpersonal skills related to presenting tax advice are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the requirements of a Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA] approved degree and successful completion of this unit may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement for the financial advisers and planners, to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

This unit aligns to the knowledge requirements of the Tax Practitioners Board.

This unit will explore the ethical and professional capacities required of financial planning advisers. The FASEA Code of Ethics and the origins of ethics are investigated along with reflective practice exercises aimed at betterment of the client-adviser relationship and related compliance. Professional skills including leadership, and interpersonal skills are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the requirements of a Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA] education pathway for new entrants, career changers and existing financial advisers in the financial planning profession. VU will allow students to enrol in unit as a standalone unit provided their enrolment meets what is stated in VU’s Admissions Policy, Admissions Procedure and English Language Admission Requirements Procedure. The unit contains a mandatory pass component. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of a bridging unit within an approved degree and may count towards the annual CPD requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

This unit will examine the Australian legal system, contract and commercial law and significant elements of Corporations Law related to the licensing requirements of a financial planner and the provision of financial planning advice. The unit has a strong focus on practical applications and uses relevant case law to contextualise the law for financial planning professionals. Professional skills including negotiating on commercial law matters are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the requirements of a Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA] education pathway for new entrants, career changers and existing financial advisers in the financial planning profession. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of a bridging unit within an approved degree and may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

This unit will contextualise behavioural finance theory to the practise of professional financial planning. Established and contemporary research will be explored to build deeper understanding of the motivations, fears, preferences, decision-making biases of clients and advisers. Behavioural finance theories will be used to learn communication techniques, negotiate client uncertainties, manage the ongoing client-adviser relationship and client literacy and financial literacy. Extending this, is an examination of efficient market theory to develop understanding of the irrationalities of investor behaviour and how it applies to client investment planning. The psychology of client engagement will be combined with behavioural finance to build interpersonal skills that empower client engagement and better negotiation of conflict. The content is supported by podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the requirements of a Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA] bridging course and extend the meaning of a client’s wealth to include their behavioural bias for investment. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of a bridging unit within an approved degree and may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

This capstone unit applies prior knowledge to all elements of the financial planning process including conducting an initial client interview, planning and constructing a full statement of advice and presenting a financial plan to a client. There is a higher-order focus on written and presentation communication aimed at building and managing the client relationship, as well as meet industry standards and expectations of professional financial planning advice. Professional skills including leadership and interpersonal skills, are given attention via podcast interviews with practitioners, structured discussion and metacognitive interaction.

This unit is designed to meet the approved degree requirements of Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority [FASEA]. Successful completion of this unit has the added advantage of satisfying the relevant FASEA education requirements of an approved degree and may count towards the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement to a maximum of 30 CPD hours per year.

This unit focuses on the key knowledge and skills required for successful business consulting. It will synthesise and leverage the competencies you have acquired in your earlier studies, which encompass accounting and finance, marketing, human resources and organisational change management, strategy and data analysis. The unit aims to develop capabilities which will allow you to pursue a career in consulting, or act as an effective internal consultant within an organisation. You will apply knowledge and skills acquired in the previous units of the course to effectively design, research and manage a business consulting project, deliver solutions and present practical recommendations to meet the needs of a real-world client, in an ethical manner. You will be involved in authentic engagement with a client and receive industry feedback, or draw on an industry case study, to address a complex business challenge. You will enhance your research and interpersonal skills, including problem-solving, collaboration, communication, customer-orientation and influencing.

This unit focuses on the understanding and use of financial information and the composition and meaning of financial statements. It is designed from a user-perspective for those who use accounting information, rather than those whose task it is to prepare information. The unit covers accounting reports prepared for external users, as well as accounting reports used by managers to plan, control and make decisions. Students will demonstrate skills in accounting techniques used to gain intelligence to plan and control business operations and plan future business activity.

This unit provides students with an understanding of how organisations make investment and financing decisions. Students will demonstrate how to apply various valuation methods and theories to real-world settings. Students will also learn to appreciate the limitations of tools in practical settings. Specific topics include capital budgeting, investment decision rules, discounted cash flow, real options valuation, cost of capital, capital structure, dividend policy and evaluation methods such as WACC and APV. Students will demonstrate the necessary skills for making value-changing financial decisions to maximise an organisation’s value.

Uncertainty and changes call for unique leadership in businesses. The core learning in this unit is to understand the development of leadership capacity and prepare for critical transformation or transition in complex situations. A unique learning model that aims for students to increase to close the gap between their understanding and effective leadership action. The unit examines the contextual challenges facing leaders today, seeking to develop a deep personal understanding of leadership as a complex process of scanning the environment and setting the direction, and achieving organisational goals through influencing people both inside and outside the organisation. The dynamics of interpersonal power are investigated, with particular attention given to the leader as a social architect, implicit in the concepts of transformational and values-based authentic leadership.