{"id":"F2020L00085","name":"Corporations (Relevant Providers Degrees, Qualifications and Courses Standard) Determination 2020","slug":"corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100631,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2020L00085-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"Preliminary","content":"## Part 1—Preliminary","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of instrument","content":"#### 1 Name of instrument\n\n This instrument is the Corporations (Relevant Providers Degrees, Qualifications and Courses Standard) Determination 2020.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n This instrument is made under subparagraph 921U(2)(a)(i) and paragraph 1546B(1)(b) of the Corporations Act 2001.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 5 Definitions\n\n> Note: Code of Ethics and relevant provider are defined in section 910A of the Act. Existing provider is defined in section 1546A of the Act.\n\n Definitions\n (1) In this determination:\n\n> Act means the Corporations Act 2001.\n\n> advanced diploma of financial planning means:\n\n (a) a diploma awarded by an NVR registered training organisation within the meaning of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011, being a diploma that:\n (i) satisfies the AQF criteria for AQF level 6 or higher; and\n (ii) includes 8 units of study that are specific to financial planning or financial advice; or\n (b) the Advanced Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning); or\n (c) the 8 unit Diploma of Financial Planning offered by Financial Planning Association of Australia Limited; or\n (d) the 8 unit Diploma of Financial Advising offered by the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (formerly Securities Institute Australia); or\n (e) the 8 unit Diploma of Financial Markets offered by the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (formerly Securities Institute Australia).\n\n> approved bridging unit means a unit of study identified in Schedule 2 as:\n\n (a) a Financial Advice Regulatory & Legal Obligations bridging unit; or\n (b) an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit; or\n (c) a Behavioural Finance: Client and Consumer Behaviour, Engagement and Decision-Making bridging unit.\n\n> approved unit of study means a unit of study listed in column 4 of the table in Schedule 1 in respect of a particular degree or qualification.\n\n> AQF means Australian Qualifications Framework, 2nd edition (January 2013) published by the Australian Qualifications Framework Council.\n\n> Note: On the day the Corporations (Relevant Providers Degrees, Qualifications and Courses Standard) Determination 2020 was registered, this publication was available at https://www.aqf.edu.au/.\n\n> AQF criteria, for a specified AQF level, means the criteria for the AQF level specified in AQF.\n\n> AQF level means a level identified as such in AQF.\n\n> completed approved study to attain a professional designation—see subsections (2) and (3).\n\n> designated area of study means each of the following:\n\n (a) financial planning (including financial advice in the areas of superannuation, retirement, insurance or estate planning);\n (b) investments (for example, shares, derivatives, foreign exchange, options);\n (c) finance;\n (d) finance law;\n (e) business law or commercial law (if the relevant course is approved by the Tax Practitioners Board);\n (f) taxation and tax law (if the relevant course is approved by the Tax Practitioners Board);\n (g) accounting;\n (h) estate law;\n (i) banking;\n (j) economics.\n\n> higher education provider has the meaning given in the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.\n\n> post-graduate relevant degree means a qualification that:\n\n (a) is awarded by a higher education provider; and\n (b) is a graduate diploma or Masters degree; and\n (c) satisfies the AQF criteria for AQF level 8 or higher; and\n (d) includes at least 6 units of study in designated areas of study.\n\n> relevant degree means a qualification that:\n\n (a) is awarded by a higher education provider; and\n (b) satisfies the AQF criteria for AQF level 7 or higher; and\n (c) includes at least 8 units of study in designated areas of study.\n Completing approved study to attain a professional designation (1 credit)\n (2) For this Part, an existing provider has completed approved study to attain a professional designation, recognised as equivalent to AQF level 7 or higher, which is worth 1 credit, if he or she has:\n (a) completed, during or after 1972, the Chartered Accountant Program offered by the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA); or\n (b) completed, during or after 1989, the Certified Practicing Accountants Program offered by the Certified Public Accountants of Australia Pty Ltd (CPA); or\n (c) completed, during or after 2005, SMSF Specialist Advisor Program offered by the SMSF Association Ltd (SMSF); or\n (d) completed the Chartered Financial Analyst Program offered by the CFA Institute (CFA); or\n (e) completed, during or after 2001, the Certified Investment Management Analyst Program offered by Portfolio Constructions Forum Pty Ltd (CIMA).\n (f) completed the SAFAA Professional Diploma in Stockbroking offered by the Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers Association (SAFAA); or\n (g) commenced, during or after 2009 and before December 2013, the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (offered by Mentor Education) (FChFP -ME) offered by the Association of Financial Advisers Ltd; or\n (h) commenced, during or after 2009 and before December 2013, the Chartered Life Practitioner (offered by Mentor Education) (ChLP\\-ME) offered by the Association of Financial Advisers Ltd; or\n (i) completed, during or after 2009 and before December 2018 the Life Risk Specialist (LRS), offered by the Financial Planning Association of Australia Limited; or\n (j) completed, during or after 2010 and before December 2013 the Accredited Estate Planning strategists (AEPS) offered by the Financial Planning Association of Australia Limited; or\n (k) completed, during or after 1985 to December 1988, the Certified Practicing Accountants Associate Designation Program, offered by the CPA Australia Ltd (CPA\\-AD).\n (d) completed, after 2013, all the following units of study as part of the Chartered Life Practitioner course offered by Association of Financial Advisers Ltd:\n (i) AFA 1—Business Strategy for Financial Advisers;\n (ii) AFA 2—Client Experience Strategy;\n (iii) AFA 3—Advanced Risk Solutions;\n (iv) AFA 4—Professional Conduct & Governance for Financial Advisers;","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"Part 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"Approvals of degrees and qualifications","content":"## Part 2—Approvals of degrees and qualifications","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Approvals of degrees and qualifications","content":"#### 6 Approvals of degrees and qualifications\n\n (1) Each of the degrees and qualifications specified in an item in Schedule 1 is approved for the purposes of paragraph 921B(2)(a) of the Act.\n (2) The approval of a degree or qualification under subsection (1) for a relevant provider is subject to the following conditions being satisfied:\n (a) the relevant provider completes an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit, but this paragraph does not apply if the relevant item in Schedule 1 states that this paragraph does not apply;\n (b) any other condition specified in the item in Schedule 1 for the degree or qualification.\n (a) Australian Catholic University: Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 70B); Master of Finance (item 71);\n (b) Central Queensland University: Master of Financial Planning (item 71A); Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 71B);\n (c) Charles Sturt University: Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 75B);\n (ca) Curtin University: Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Financial Planning) (item 20);\n (d) Deakin University: M300 Bachelor of Commerce / Any Bachelors degree (item 26A); M669 Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 77G); Master of Financial Planning (item 80AA);\n (e) Griffith University: Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning) (item 28A); Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (4185/4186) (item 80D); Master of Financial Planning (5685/5686) (item 83A)\n (f) Kaplan Higher Education Pty Limited: GDFP19 Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 88B);\n (fa) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology: Master of Financial Planning (item 90A); Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 90B);\n (g) Swinburne University of Technology: Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 90C);\n (ga) University of Canberra: Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning major) (item 43A);\n (h) University of New England: Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 92A);\n (i) University of South Australia: DGFP Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 99A); XGFP Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 99B);\n (j) Western Sydney University: Bachelor of Accounting (Financial Planning) or (Financial Planning and Taxation) (item 70); Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (item 106C); Graduate Diploma in Stockbroking and Financial Advising (item 106D);\n (ja) University of New South Wales: 5273 Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 99AB); 9273 Master of Financial Planning; 8404 Master of Commerce / 8417 Master of Commerce (Extension) (item 99AA);\n (k) University of Technology Sydney: Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (item 111);\n (l) New South Wales Technical and Further Education Commission (TAFE NSW): Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (item 112).","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"Part 3","sectionType":"part","heading":"Existing providers: qualifications equivalent to the education and training standard","content":"## Part 3—Existing providers: qualifications equivalent to the education and training standard\n\n> Note: Requirements for new entrants (that is, relevant providers who are not existing providers) are set out in Part 2.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Summary of requirements","content":"#### 7 Summary of requirements\n\n (1) A summary of the requirements for an existing provider to achieve qualifications equivalent to the education and training standard is set out below.\n\n```html\n

An existing adviser with …

must complete this number of additional units of study …

1

Approved Degree*

1

2

Relevant degree +ADFP

1

3

Relevant degree + professional study (2 credits)

1

4

Non-relevant degree + 4-7 units + an ADFP + professional study (2 credits)

1

5

Relevant degree + professional study (CPA, CA, SMSF) (1 credit)

2

5A

Relevant degree + post-graduate relevant degree

2

6

Non-relevant degree + 4-7 units + ADFP + professional study (1 credit)

2

7

Relevant degree + professional study (CIMA, CFA) (1 credit)

3

8

Non-relevant degree + 2 of the following: 4-7 units or ADFP or professional study (2 credits)

3

9

Non-relevant degree + 4-7 units + ADFP

3

10

Non-relevant degree + (4-7 units or ADFP) + professional study (1 credit)

4

11

Relevant degree

4

12

No degree + ADFP + professional study (2 credits)

4

13

No degree + ADFP + professional study (1 credit)

5

14

Non-relevant degree + 4-7 units

5

15

Non-relevant degree + ADFP

5

16

Non-relevant degree + professional study (2 credits)

5

17

Non-relevant degree + professional study (1 credit)

6

18

No degree + ADFP

6

19

No degree + professional study (2 credits)

6

20

No degree + professional study (1 credit)

7

21

Non-relevant degree

7

22

No degree

8

\n```\n\n> Note: The requirement for an existing provider with an approved degree to complete 1 additional unit of study is subject to section 6(2).\n\n (2) In the table:\n\n> ADFP means advanced diploma of financial planning.\n\n> professional study means completed approved study to attain a professional designation worth 1 credit or 2 credits, as indicated.\n\n> 4-7 units means completed 4-7 units of study in a designated area of study.\n\n> CA means completed approved study to attain the professional designation, during or after 1972, being the Chartered Accountant Program offered by the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.\n\n> CFA means completed approved study to attain the professional designation, being the Chartered Financial Analyst Program offered by the CFA Institute.\n\n> CIMA means completed approved study to attain the professional designation, during or after 2001, the Certified Investment Management Analyst Program offered by Portfolio Constructions Forum Pty Ltd. CPA means completed approved study to attain the professional designation, during or after 1989, the CPA Program offered by the Certified Public Accountants of Australia Pty.\n\n> SMSF means completed approved study to attain the professional designation, during or after 2005, the SMSF Specialist Advisor Program offered by the SMSF Association Ltd.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Determination","content":"#### 8 Determination\n\n For the purposes of paragraph 1546B(1)(b) of the Act, for an existing adviser described in column 2 of the following table, the course or unit of study, or all the courses or units of study, specified in column 3 of the table for the adviser are determined to be courses that give the provider qualifications equivalent to the education and training standard in subsection 921B(2).\n\n| | Column 2 | Column 3 |\n| ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Item | An existing adviser who has… | must complete these courses or units of study … |\n| 1 | an approved degree | an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit |\n| 2 | both:(a) a relevant degree; and(b) an advanced diploma of financial planning. | an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit |\n| 3 | both:(a) a relevant degree; and(b) completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits)Note: See subsection 5(3). | an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit |\n| 4 | all of the following:(a) a non-relevant degree;(b) an advanced diploma of financial planning;(c) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study;(d) completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits) | an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit |\n| 5 | both:(a) a relevant degree; and(b) completed approved study to attain a professional designation described in paragraph 5(2)(a), (b) or (c) worth 1 creditNote: These paragraphs relate to the Chartered Accountant Program, the CPA Program and the SMSF Specialist Advisor Program. | both:(a) an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit; and(b) 1 of the following:(i) another approved bridging unit;(ii) an approved unit of study that is a capstone unit of study. |\n| 5A | both:(a) a relevant degree; and(b) a post-graduate relevant degree | both:(a) an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit; and(b) 1 of the following:(i) another approved bridging unit;(ii) an approved unit of study that is a capstone unit of study. |\n| 6 | all of the following:(a) a non-relevant degree;(b) an advanced diploma of financial planning;(c) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study;(d) completed approved study to attain a professional designation described in paragraph 5(2)(a), (b) or (c) worth 1 credit | both:(a) an Ethics for Professional Advisers bridging unit; and(b) 1 of the following:(i) another approved bridging unit;(ii) an approved unit of study that is a capstone unit of study. |\n| 7 | both:(a) a relevant degree; and(b) completed approved study to attain a professional designation described in paragraph 5(2)(d) or (e) worth 1 creditNote: These paragraphs relate to the Chartered Financial Analyst Program and the Certified Investment Analyst Program. | all 3 approved bridging units. |\n| 8 | both:(a) a non-relevant degree; and(b) any 2 of the following:(i) an advanced diploma of financial planning;(ii) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study;(iii) completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits) | all 3 approved bridging units. |\n| 9 | all of the following:(a) a non-relevant degree;(b) an advanced diploma of financial planning;(c) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study | all 3 approved bridging units. |\n| 10 | all of the following:(a) a non-relevant degree;(b) either:(i) an advanced diploma of financial planning; or(ii) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study;(c) completed approved study to attain a professional designation worth 1 credit | all the following:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) an approved unit of study. |\n| 11 | a relevant degree but is not covered by another item in this table | all the following:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) an approved unit of study. |\n| 12 | no degree but has both:(a) an advanced diploma of financial planning; and(b) completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits) | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 1 approved unit of study. |\n| 13 | no degree but has both:(a) an advanced diploma of financial planning; and(b) completed approved study to attain a professional designation worth 1 credit | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 2 approved units of study. |\n| 14 | both:(a) a non-relevant degree; and(b) completed at least 4 and not more than 7 units of study in a designated area of study | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 2 approved units of study. |\n| 15 | both:(a) a non-relevant degree; and(b) an advanced diploma of financial planning | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 2 approved units of study. |\n| 16 | both:(a) a non-relevant degree; and(b) completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits) | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 2 approved units of study. |\n| 17 | both:(a) a non-relevant degree; and(b) completed approved study to attain a professional designation worth 1 credit | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 3 approved units of study. |\n| 18 | no degree but has an advanced diploma of financial planning | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 3 approved units of study. |\n| 19 | no degree but has completed approved study to attain 1 or more professional designation (worth 2 credits) | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 3 approved units of study. |\n| 20 | no degree but has completed approved study to attain a professional designation worth 1 credit | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 4 approved units of study. |\n| 21 | a non-relevant degree but is not covered by another item in this table | all the following within a graduate diploma approved under Part 2:(a) all 3 approved bridging units;(b) 4 approved units of study. |\n| 22 | no degree and is not covered by another item in this table | a graduate diploma program approved under Part 2. |","sortOrder":8}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":3903},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains tightly focused on its original purpose of specifying approved degrees and creating transition pathways for existing financial advisers to meet the new education standards under the Corporations Act. There is no evidence of scope creep beyond implementing the education requirements for relevant providers."},"complexity_factors":["22 distinct pathway items in the existing provider table (section 8) requiring assessment of multiple variables","15+ defined terms including nested definitions for 'completed approved study', 'advanced diploma of financial planning', and 'designated area of study'","Multi-variable conditional logic combining: degree relevance (relevant vs non-relevant), diploma status, professional designation credits (1 vs 2), and unit counts (4-7 units)","Cross-references to multiple sections of the Corporations Act 2001 (ss 910A, 921B, 921U, 1546A, 1546B)","References to external documents including the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and two Schedules (1 and 2) containing approved courses and units","Nested exceptions (e.g., ethics requirement does not apply if Schedule 1 states it does not apply)","Complex table formatting with HTML markup in section 7 attempting to visualise the 22 different pathways"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is**\n\nThis Determination sets the education and training standards that financial advisers (called **\"relevant providers\"** in the law) must meet to give personal advice to retail clients. It operates under the *Corporations Act 2001*.\n\n**Who it affects**\n\n* **New entrants**: People entering the profession who must hold an approved degree.\n* **Existing providers**: Experienced advisers already working in the industry who can use \"bridging\" pathways to meet the new standards without starting their education from scratch.\n\n**What it does**\n\nThe instrument creates a two-part system:\n\n**Part 2 – Approved Qualifications** \nLists specific university degrees, graduate diplomas, and Masters qualifications from approved higher education providers (including universities like Deakin, UNSW, and RMIT, and institutions like Kaplan) that satisfy the education standard. Most require completion of an **\"Ethics for Professional Advisers\" bridging unit** unless specifically exempted.\n\n**Part 3 – Pathways for Existing Advisers** \nEstablishes a complex \"credit\" system based on existing qualifications. It recognises:\n\n* **Professional designations**: Prior learning from programs like Chartered Accountant (CA), CPA, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), SMSF Specialist Advisor, and others (worth 1 or 2 credits depending on the program).\n* **Degree types**: Distinguishes between **\"relevant degrees\"** (finance, financial planning, economics, law, etc.) and **\"non-relevant degrees\"**.\n* **Advanced Diplomas**: Recognises specific financial planning diplomas (such as the Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning).\n* **Partial study**: Credits advisers who have completed 4–7 units in designated study areas.\n\nDepending on their specific combination of existing qualifications, existing advisers must complete between **1 and 8 additional units** (covering ethics, regulatory obligations, and behavioural finance) to reach the equivalent standard.\n\n**Why it matters**\n\nThis legislation implements the education reforms recommended by the Hayne Royal Commission. It ensures financial advisers meet minimum bachelor-level education standards while providing fair transition arrangements for existing practitioners, ensuring they don’t need to abandon their careers to comply with the new requirements."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":8,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Determination defines which degrees, units and professional programs count as meeting the Corporations Act education and training standard and prescribes remedial study for existing advisers. The instrument itself does not indicate any expansion or narrowing of that statutory purpose beyond enumerating approved qualifications, credits and required bridging units (see s.5, s.6, s.7 and s.8). There is no text in the instrument supplied that states it alters the original statutory scope; rather it operationalises equivalence within the existing legislative framework (see s.3 for authority)."},"complexity_factors":["Many interdependent definitions and credit categories (definitions of 'relevant degree', 'post-graduate relevant degree', 'ADFP', 'professional study' with 1- or 2-credit treatment) (see s.5).","A large mapping table with 22 distinct items enumerating multiple permutations of prior qualifications and prescribed remedial study (see s.7 and s.8).","Conditional approvals and exceptions (e.g., requirement to complete the Ethics bridging unit unless Schedule 1 states otherwise) that change obligations by item (see s.6(2)).","Dependence on external professional programs with time windows and program-specific credit rules (e.g., CA, CPA, SMSF, CFA, CIMA and date limits) requiring historical verification (see s.5(2)).","Multiple alternative compliance paths within items (choices between additional bridging units, capstone units, approved units or full graduate diploma), increasing decision complexity for advisers (see s.8 items 5, 5A, 6, 10, 11, etc.).","Cross-references to Schedules and the Corporations Act provisions that create layers of legal interpretation (see s.3, s.6 and references to Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 in s.5 and s.8).","Granularity of requirements (from a single bridging unit up to a full graduate diploma), producing a wide range of time and cost implications for advisers (see s.8 items 1 and 22).","Administrative verification burden for regulators and advisers to prove prior study, unit counts, program dates and credit equivalence (see s.5(2), s.6(2), s.7 and s.8)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Determination lists specific degrees, professional programs and approved bridging units that count toward the Corporations Act education-and-training standard for financial advisers, and prescribes which extra bridging units or an approved graduate diploma existing advisers must complete to achieve equivalence. It affects existing advisers whose prior qualifications fall short, and the listed higher‑education and training providers whose courses are recognised. It matters because it fixes who gets credited, what additional study advisers must pay for, and which providers will supply that study."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020","history":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/corporations-relevant-providers-degrees-qualifications-and-courses-standard-determination-2020/documents"}}