United States
Hong KongWhat is a CFP Board Registered Program?
An education provider whose program CFP Board has registered as covering the Principal Knowledge Topics and including a capstone. Completing one satisfies the education requirement to sit the exam.
The gate to the exam, and the one requirement that must be complete before you sit.
What registration means
CFP Board reviews the program against the Principal Knowledge Topics and registers it if it covers them and includes a financial plan development capstone. Content is fixed.
So the content is effectively fixed. Programs differ on format, pace, cost and support, not on what is taught.
How to check
CFP Board maintains a directory of registered programs. Check the specific program rather than the institution, because a university may offer both registered and unregistered courses. Check the program, not the school.
That check takes a minute and is the one thing that genuinely must be verified before paying anything.
Plenty of well-run courses in personal finance and planning are not CFP Board Registered Programs. They may be excellent and they do not satisfy the education requirement, which makes the directory check non-negotiable.
The types available
- University programs - semester-based, often awarding academic credit.
- Professional education providers - self-paced or cohort, no academic credit.
- Online self-paced providers - most flexible, least support.
- Master's degrees in financial planning structured as registered programs.
The last option satisfies the coursework, the degree requirement and a graduate qualification at once, which is efficient for anyone who wanted a master's anyway.
Verification
Completion must be verified with CFP Board before you sit, and providers vary in how quickly they report. Build in a buffer.
Leaving the final course to the weeks before a window is a real risk that has nothing to do with your knowledge, and it is worth building a buffer in.
The accelerated path
Holders of certain credentials - CPA, CFA, ChFC, CLU, an attorney license, some doctorates - may satisfy the coursework through transcript review instead.
The capstone generally still applies, and the exam certainly does. It removes twelve to eighteen months of coursework, not the preparation required.
CFP® is a registered mark of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, CFP Board. Confirm details against cfp.net, which is the authority.
Common questions
What is a CFP Board Registered Program?
An education provider whose program CFP Board has registered as covering the Principal Knowledge Topics and including a capstone. Completing one satisfies the education requirement.
How do you check a program is registered?
Against CFP Board's directory of registered programs, checking the specific program rather than the institution - a university may offer both registered and unregistered courses.
Do all planning courses count?
No. Plenty of well-run personal finance and planning courses are not registered programs. They may be excellent and they do not satisfy the requirement.
Do programs differ in content?
Not materially. The content is effectively fixed by CFP Board, so programs differ on format, pace, cost, academic credit and support.
Can you skip the coursework?
Holders of certain credentials may satisfy it through transcript review under the accelerated path. The capstone generally still applies and the exam certainly does.