QAFP® Exam

The QAFP exam is a four-hour examination consisting of up to 100 multiple-choice questions, with stand-alone questions and case studies with related questions. The test specifications are published in the FP Canada Blueprint: QAFP Examination. Each question on the QAFP exam focuses on specific elements of the FP Canada Standards Council™ Competency Profile and may also require integration across several financial planning areas to address the needs of clients with relatively less complex financial planning situations. The QAFP examination is administered three times a year and is available in English and French.

The next sitting of the QAFP exam will be held on October 19, 2023.

 


 

Select a topic below to learn more:
Important Dates
Fees
Eligibility
Exam Locations
Online Proctoring
Practice Exam
Study Toolkit
Preparation Checklist

 

Important Dates


 

October 2023 QAFP exam

July 4Registration opens
August 9Exam Preparation Webinar
August 16Last day to request testing accommodation or French exam
Early bird registration closes
September 13Exam registration closes
Last day to withdraw from an exam sitting, change location
or change writing format
September 20Transcript & IPE deadline
Last day to select online proctored exam connection start time
October 19QAFP exam administration
TBDResults released for the October 2023 QAFP exam. Date will be published approximately two weeks prior to the results release date.



 

Fees

 

Early Bird Discounted
Rate ends two months
before exam sitting		After Early Bird
Registration
closes one month
before exam sitting
Exam Registration & Practice Exam   $675 + tax$775 + tax
Exam Registration$550 + tax$650 + tax

To view a complete list of examination fees, including alternate location, postponement or withdrawal fees, click here.

 

Eligibility

To write the QAFP examination, you must have successfully completed an FP Canada-Approved Core Curriculum Program and the FP Canada Institute™ Introduction to Professional Ethics (IPE) course within the past four years.

Submit Your Transcript

 

If you hold a relevant professional qualification in good standing in Canada, you may be eligible for exemption from FP Canada-Approved Core Curriculum and FP Canada Institute Introduction to Professional Ethics, and may proceed directly to the QAFP Examination. Relevant professional qualifications include:

  • CPA
  • CFA
  • FCIA
  • LL.B./J.D.

Submit Your Documentation

You must successfully complete the QAFP examination within four years (or four attempts) of successfully completing an FP Canada-Approved Core Curriculum Program or the Introduction to Professional Ethics course, whichever comes first. If you are not successful on the exam within four years (or four attempts), you will need to successfully repeat the Core Curriculum Program and/or Introduction to Professional Ethics course.

 

Exam Locations

Candidates have two options for the administration of the QAFP exam: writing the exam at an in-person testing centre, or via online proctoring with their own computer from home or another private location. You will be asked to select an in-person test centre or online proctoring as your exam location as part of the registration process for the QAFP exam.

Online proctoring provides candidates with the opportunity to write the exam from home or another private location using their own computer, webcam, microphone and internet connection. The exam is written in a secure environment on downloaded software – the same exam software that is used at in-person test centres. Before selecting online proctoring as an option, consider if your computer system meets the technology and system requirements necessary for participation in online proctoring. Note that there are no exceptions for these requirements. More information on technology and system requirements can be found in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination and by clicking here.

You will be asked to indicate your preferred exam location on the QAFP exam application. FP Canada will strive to accommodate your preferred location, but if the location has reached capacity your second preferred location will be assigned to you. In the rare event that your first and second preferred locations are at capacity, an alternate exam location will be proposed to you. A list of standard locations is available in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.

 

Practice Exam

The Practice Exam is a study tool to help prepare you for the QAFP examination. It allows you to experience how the actual exam looks and feels – and most importantly provides feedback on your performance. Candidates who prepared with FP Canada Practice Exams in the past often said they were more familiar with the exam software, felt the diagnostic report provided useful feedback on their performance and felt better prepared to write the exam. We encourage you to take advantage of this essential study tool and we recommend that you complete the Practice Exam early in your preparation process.

Order the Practice Exam

 

Based on the FP Canada Blueprint: QAFP Examination, the Practice Exam has the same structure, format and types of questions as the actual exam and uses the same software that you’ll use on exam day.

After purchase, you have a total of six hours to complete the four-hour exam and you may only write it once. You can log in and out as many times as you wish provided total time logged in does not exceed six hours. You can view the Practice Exam questions, their response options and the rationales for each correct and incorrect answer as often as you like until exam day.

Following completion of the Practice Exam, you will receive detailed rationales for all exam questions as well as a diagnostic report to help identify areas that may require more study. You’re encouraged to refer to the information provided in the diagnostic report while preparing for the QAFP examination. You can view the Practice Exam and the rationales for each correct and incorrect answer as often as you like until exam day.

You may perceive that the level of difficulty of the actual exam varies from the Practice Exam; however, materials on the Practice Exam have appeared on actual FP Canada examinations. With more time to write the Practice Exam than the actual exam, access to study materials while you write it and that your performance on the Practice Exam has no direct consequences may impact your perception of the level of difficulty. When you write the actual exam, there may be some differences in administration settings and there are tighter time constraints for writing; these factors could make the actual exam seem more difficult than the Practice Exam.

Refunds are not provided for the purchase of the Practice Exam. Use of the Practice Exam is restricted to candidates who have registered or are registering to write the QAFP examination and is for personal study use only. The Practice Exam is updated annually for currency. The Practice Exam is available in English and French.

View the Terms & Conditions

If you have questions about the Practice Exam, please contact us at info@fpcanada.ca. Questions or comments received less than two days prior to the QAFP examination will be answered after the examination. There are no additional explanations or tutoring on the Practice Exam content. Please refer to your study materials to better understand the concepts presented in the Practice Exam.

 

Study Toolkit

Tips and tools to help you prepare to write the QAFP exam.

Maximize your study efforts for the QAFP exam with an exclusive webinar facilitated by FP Canada Standards Council’s Examinations department. To help exam candidates gain insight into the exam and exam processes, the webinar answers frequently asked questions such as:

View the QAFP Examination Webinar

If you’re registered for the QAFP examination, you have access to more than 50 sample exam questions on your FP Canada Portal including sample case studies, retired exam questions, keys to competency and much more.

Access These Tools

Familiarize yourself with the examination software by using our software tutorial. The tutorial gives you an opportunity to experience how the software will work.

Try the Software Tutorial

Arriving to your exam prepared and knowing what to expect is your best strategy for success. For detailed information about the QAFP examination, refer to the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.

We strongly encourage you to use the FP Canada Standards Council Competency Profile, and materials from your FP Canada-Approved Core Curriculum Program and Introduction to Professional Ethics course to prepare for the QAFP examination. It’s important to understand that the elements of financial planning competency focus not only on knowledge required, but on how QAFP professionals must behave in practice. The questions on the QAFP examination will refer to one or more elements of competency. You’ll be expected to understand the competencies and how they should be applied in practice.

Please note: FP Canada Standards Council does not review, recommend or endorse any external study help providers, courses or materials as representative of the QAFP examination.

 

Preparation Checklist

This checklist will help you prepare to write the QAFP examination. For more detailed information, please refer to the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.

Log in to your FP Canada Portal to register for the exam.

  • Review the FP Canada Blueprint: QAFP Examination, which details the weightings and financial planning functions and components that will be covered on the exam.
  • Review the FP Standards Council Competency Profile, which outlines the competencies that are being assessed on the exam (i.e. the application of your learned technical knowledge to a client situation).
  • The FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination is required reading for all FP Canada examination candidates.
  • View the Examination Preparation Webinar, facilitated by FP Canada Standards Council’s Examinations department, to gain insight into the exam and exam processes.
  • Purchase the Practice Exam. Candidates who have prepared with FP Canada Practice Exams in the past often reported feeling more familiar with the exam software, said the diagnostic report provided useful feedback on their performance and said they felt better prepared to write the exam.
  • Review more than 50 multiple-choice sample exam questions, as well as a case study - these are available on your FP Canada Portal.
  • Familiarize yourself with the exam software by accessing the Software Tutorial.

In-Person Test Centre

  • Bring your Admission Ticket. Approximately two weeks prior to the exam, you will receive an email directing you to download and print your Admission Ticket from your FP Canada Portal. The address of your exam location will be printed on the Admission Ticket.
  • Bring photo identification. Along with your printed Admission Ticket, you must bring valid, government-issued photo identification containing both your photograph and signature. The name on your identification must match the name on your exam application, Core Curriculum Program transcripts and Admission Ticket. For examples of acceptable pieces of identification, please refer to page 18 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.
  • Bring a noiseless, non-programmable financial calculator. For a listing of approved calculator models, please refer to pages 19-21 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.
  • Arrive early. Please report to the examination centre by 8:15 a.m. and be registered and seated to hear instructions by 8:45 a.m. The writing of the exam will begin at 9:00 a.m.
  • For instructions on what to bring, what not to bring, what you may keep on your desk during the exam and other important details, please refer to pages 22-23 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.

 

Online Proctoring

  • Bring your Admission Ticket. Approximately two weeks prior to the exam, you will receive an emailed Admission Ticket with log-in details and information related to preparing your exam location and accessing your exam during your scheduled time. If you change your exam time, a new Admission Ticket will be generated.
  • Along with your printed Admission Ticket, you must bring valid, government-issued photo identification containing both your photograph and signature. The name on your identification must match the name on your exam application, Core Curriculum Program transcripts and Admission Ticket. For examples of acceptable pieces of identification, refer to page 19 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.
  • Bring a noiseless, non-programmable financial calculator. For a listing of approved calculator models, refer to pages 20-22 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.
  • Ensure your computer station is prepared 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time to reduce potential connection issues. The first 15 minutes of the booked time will be for the onboarding process with an onboarding associate from ProctorU. Candidates should begin the log-in process at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Note that there may be a wait-time for an onboarding associate but candidates should stay connected should a delay occur – any onboarding delay will not impact the time allocated for exam writing.
  • For instructions on what to bring, what not to bring, what you may keep on your desk during the exam and other important details, refer to pages 22-24 in the FP Canada Guide to the QAFP Examination.

 

Key Resources

Guide to the QAFP Examination
FP Canada Blueprint: QAFP Examination
FP Canada Standards Council Competency Profiles
QAFP® Certification Policies
CFP® Certification Policies
FAQ: QAFP Examination

 

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding the QAFP examination or your responsibilities or rights as a candidate, contact FP Canada's Certificant and Student Services at info@fpcanada.ca, 416-593-8587 or 1-800-305-9886.