New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5)

NZ2315

The New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) is the qualification you need to meet the legal requirements for giving financial advice in New Zealand.

Availability

Our qualifications are delivered on either a Trimesterised or Open basis.

  • Trimesterised qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study over set periods, three times a year - Trimester 1, 2 or 3.
  • Open qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study every month throughout the year. Courses start on the first Monday of the month you select for enrolment. 

Enrolment dates

Cost

  • Course costs can be found on all course pages.  The fees may increase annually.
  • Annual administration fees. In addition to your course fees, you will need to pay an annual administration fee of $60.00 for your first enrolment each calendar year
  • Qualification cost – to give you an idea of how much a qualification may cost in total over the duration of your studies, an approximate cost is provided for many of our qualifications. This is based on the required number of courses to complete the qualification and the average cost of those courses. It does not include annual administration fees, text books and course materials or external exam fees, and is subject to annual course fee increases. 

Credits

Courses are assigned credits depending on how much time and effort is needed to complete their learning outcomes. In general, each credit represents approximately 10 hours of study time.

Delivery type

  • Online – The course materials for online courses are delivered in an online format and all assignments are submitted online.
  • Online/Print – These courses are delivered using a mix of online and paper based course materials. This may include receiving paper course materials, submitting  assignments online, or being required to participate in online forums and learning activities.
  • Print Only - The course will be delivered using paper based courses materials, and assignments may need to be submitted in hard copy rather than online. This will depend on the course.

Whether courses are delivered online, on paper or a mixture of both, there may also be components such as workshops, noho marae, work experience and practicum to participate in. To find out what your course involves check the course information page.

EFTS

EFTS stands for equivalent full-time student. An EFTS is the study time required for each course and is used by the Tertiary Education Commission to decide if a course is part-time or full-time. 

One year of full-time study is generally between 0.8 and 1.2 EFTS.

Level

You can tell how hard a course or qualification is by the level it is set at:

  • Levels 1-4 are about the same as secondary school and basic trades training.
  • Levels 5-7 are the same as university study.

Prerequisites

  • Prerequisites are courses that must be completed before another course can be studied. 
  • Co-requisites are courses that can be studied at the same time as another course.

If a course has a specific prerequisite or co-requisite course, it will be listed on the course page under the title 'Prerequisites'. If no courses are listed, check the entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying for. Some courses require you to have studied at a particular level prior to enrolling.

Student loans

Not all qualifications or students are eligible for student loans. You will need to meet criteria such as studying a minimum number of credits over a specific study period. 

Information about student loans and eligibility

StudyLink website

Study type

Our qualifications are delivered on either a Trimesterised or Open basis.

  • Trimesterised qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study over set periods, three times a year - Trimester 1, 2 or 3. Some courses many not be available every Trimester, and some may run longer than the standard 16-18 week period.  
  • Open qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study every month throughout the year. Courses start on the first Monday of the month you select for enrolment. 

Enrolment dates

Workload

  • Open course workload - all our open courses have a credit value. For each credit, allow about 10 hours of study. Your workload may be higher around assessment due dates.
  • Trimester course workload - allow approximately 10-12 hours study time per week for each 20 credit course. Your workload may be higher around assessment due dates or exam time.
  •  
    Level
    5
  •  
    Credits
    75
  •  
    Workload

    Approximately 10-12 hours study per course per week.

  •  
    Study type Open
  •  
    Student loan

    Available. 

    Student loans and eligibility

About this qualification

This qualification It is delivered by distance, so if you’re already working in the industry, you won’t need to give up your job to get ahead in your career. Areas of specialisation within the programme include:

  • investment
  • insurance (life and health)
  • Insurance (general)
  • residential property lending advice
  • financial advice.

It is suitable for individuals who are working in or who wish to enter the financial services industry. It will help you advance to specialist roles, and enhance your skills and knowledge within retail and personal services areas of the financial services industry.

The financial advice strand is of particular relevance to those seeking to provide personalised financial advice.

Legal and competency requirements for giving financial advice - Code Committee website (opens in new window)

 

What you will learn

When you complete this certificate you will be able to demonstrate the knowledge and application of:

  • professional practice, requirements of regulations, professional practice standards and operational guidelines as a financial adviser
  • an understanding of the stages of financial advice and products
  • an understanding of the relationships between economic environments and the financial market
  • the steps in giving financial advice.

Depending on which elective set you study, you will be able to demonstrate competence in:

  • the principles of investment, investment risk and return, investment products and investment advice, OR
  • the principles of risk, risk management and underwriting, and specialist knowledge in at least one area of insurance, OR
  • the principles of lending, home loan products, the loan application process, and external factors that impact on the residential property market.

Career opportunities

When you complete this qualification you will qualified to work in a range of specialist areas and roles.

Financial advice:

  • financial advisers, including becoming an Authorised Financial Advisers (this strand is a regulatory requirement).

Investment:

  • paraplanning
  • investment/adviser support
  • custody officer
  • financial services regulator
  • investment product manager
  • business development manager

Life and health insurance, and general insurance:

  • senior underwriter
  • accounts manager (customer/client)
  • product specialist
  • claims specialist
  • senior risk advisor
  • risk advisor
  • branch manager
  • broker, domestic broker or senior broker.

Residential property lending:

  • credit manager
  • private banker
  • mortgage broker
  • financial adviser.

Personal lending:

  • bank lending consultants
  • credit managers.

Banking:

  • branch manager (retail)
  • relationship manager (small business and wholesale inclusive)
  • senior relationship manager (small business and wholesale inclusive)
  • investment specialists
  • associate private bankers
  • private bankers
  • risk and compliance managers.

Trustee services:

  • branch managers
  • relationship managers
  • senior relationship managers
  • investment specialists
  • regional managers
  • operations manager
  • authorised financial adviser
  • senior trust officer
  • senior trust manager
  • risk and compliance managers.

Academic pathways

This qualification may follow on from the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 4), with strands in Banking, Family/Personal Budgeting, and Insurance. That qualification is not a prerequisite for entry into this one.

On completion of this qualification you could progress onto higher level qualifications in financial services, or other business and management including:

Availability

Our qualifications are delivered on either a Trimesterised or Open basis.

  • Trimesterised qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study over set periods, three times a year - Trimester 1, 2 or 3.
  • Open qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study every month throughout the year. Courses start on the first Monday of the month you select for enrolment. 

Enrolment dates

Cost

  • Course costs can be found on all course pages.  The fees may increase annually.
  • Annual administration fees. In addition to your course fees, you will need to pay an annual administration fee of $60.00 for your first enrolment each calendar year
  • Qualification cost – to give you an idea of how much a qualification may cost in total over the duration of your studies, an approximate cost is provided for many of our qualifications. This is based on the required number of courses to complete the qualification and the average cost of those courses. It does not include annual administration fees, text books and course materials or external exam fees, and is subject to annual course fee increases. 

Credits

Courses are assigned credits depending on how much time and effort is needed to complete their learning outcomes. In general, each credit represents approximately 10 hours of study time.

Delivery type

  • Online – The course materials for online courses are delivered in an online format and all assignments are submitted online.
  • Online/Print – These courses are delivered using a mix of online and paper based course materials. This may include receiving paper course materials, submitting  assignments online, or being required to participate in online forums and learning activities.
  • Print Only - The course will be delivered using paper based courses materials, and assignments may need to be submitted in hard copy rather than online. This will depend on the course.

Whether courses are delivered online, on paper or a mixture of both, there may also be components such as workshops, noho marae, work experience and practicum to participate in. To find out what your course involves check the course information page.

EFTS

EFTS stands for equivalent full-time student. An EFTS is the study time required for each course and is used by the Tertiary Education Commission to decide if a course is part-time or full-time. 

One year of full-time study is generally between 0.8 and 1.2 EFTS.

Level

You can tell how hard a course or qualification is by the level it is set at:

  • Levels 1-4 are about the same as secondary school and basic trades training.
  • Levels 5-7 are the same as university study.

Prerequisites

  • Prerequisites are courses that must be completed before another course can be studied. 
  • Co-requisites are courses that can be studied at the same time as another course.

If a course has a specific prerequisite or co-requisite course, it will be listed on the course page under the title 'Prerequisites'. If no courses are listed, check the entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying for. Some courses require you to have studied at a particular level prior to enrolling.

Student loans

Not all qualifications or students are eligible for student loans. You will need to meet criteria such as studying a minimum number of credits over a specific study period. 

Information about student loans and eligibility

StudyLink website

Study type

Our qualifications are delivered on either a Trimesterised or Open basis.

  • Trimesterised qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study over set periods, three times a year - Trimester 1, 2 or 3. Some courses many not be available every Trimester, and some may run longer than the standard 16-18 week period.  
  • Open qualifications have courses available to enrol in and study every month throughout the year. Courses start on the first Monday of the month you select for enrolment. 

Enrolment dates

Workload

  • Open course workload - all our open courses have a credit value. For each credit, allow about 10 hours of study. Your workload may be higher around assessment due dates.
  • Trimester course workload - allow approximately 10-12 hours study time per week for each 20 credit course. Your workload may be higher around assessment due dates or exam time.
  •  
    Level
    5
  •  
    Credits
    75
  •  
    Workload

    Approximately 10-12 hours study per course per week.

  •  
    Study type Open
  •  
    Student loan

    Available. 

    Student loans and eligibility

We're here to help you - enquire with us now

Contact us for advice about our NZ2315 : New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) qualification.

Got a question about this qualification? Ask an advisor by filling in the form below.

freephone 0508 650 200

New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5)

NZ2315

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