At Moonstone Business School of Excellence, we are proud to offer greatly recognised financial planning courses. The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (ACFP) provides the skills and knowledge required to provide holistic financial planning services to the ‘man in the street’ and prepares you for further specialised studies in financial planning. A Financial Advisor Course: The ACFP also addresses the education requirement to obtain the FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISORTM (FSATM) designation awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI). The certified financial planner course will prepare and enable students to assist companies and individuals create programs to meet long-term financial goals.
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- Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 8)
- Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (NQF 6)
- Occupational Certificate: Compliance Officer (NQF 6)
- Higher Certificate: Wealth Management (NQF 5)
- Higher Certificate in Short-Term Insurance (NQF 5)
- Further Education and Training (FETC): Short Term Insurance (NQF 4)
- Further Education and Training (FETC): Wealth Management (NQF 4)
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Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning
At Moonstone Business School of Excellence, we are proud to offer greatly recognised financial planning courses. The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (ACFP) provides the skills and knowledge required to provide holistic financial planning services to the ‘man in the street’ and prepares you for further specialised studies in financial planning. A Financial Advisor Course: The ACFP also addresses the education requirement to obtain the FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISORTM (FSATM) designation awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI). The certified financial planner course will prepare and enable students to assist companies and individuals create programs to meet long-term financial goals.
What will the qualification enable you to do?
Upon successful completion of the students will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of legislation, compliance and ethics in a financial planning context in South Africa.
- Examine and comment on the changing nature of the financial planning environment in South Africa in terms of structure and role players, regulation and consumer needs.
- Apply knowledge of legislation, taxation, economics and accepted financial planning principles to best meet the financial requirements and goals of an individual.
- Apply knowledge of legislation, taxation and business principles to advise an entity on insurance and investment solutions.
Who should apply?
Self-employed brokers, tied agents; or employed personnel rendering advice and/ or intermediary services who want to further their professional status as financial advisors.
Admission Requirements
An appropriate, accredited NQF Level 5 equivalent that provides students with the required literacy, numerical ability, and competence to undertake studies at NQF Level 6.
Individuals who do not meet the entry requirement for this qualification, can enrol with MBSE for the Higher Certificate in Wealth Management (HCWM) at NQF5.
After successful completion, applicants can continue with this qualification.
System and Other Requirements for Online Distance Learning:
(These requirements remain the responsibility of the student to arrange and maintain
General:
- Even though students can access their study material from any device connected to the internet, we strongly advise students to rather use an up-to-date and functioning computer,
- Stable internet connectivity at all times, at the place of study,
- Sufficient data to access study material and resources and to complete online assessments,
- Up-to-date Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and a PDF reader,
- Google Chrome as your internet browser, and
- A suitable environment in which to conduct online assessments.
Online webinars:
- We conduct online sessions via Zoom and/ or Microsoft Teams
Online Exams (where applicable):
- A functioning webcam,
- A functioning microphone,
- Fibre internet with minimum 10 MB up- and download speeds.
Duration
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Fees
Click here for fees, payment options and finance providers.
Method of training
Online learning (Material and submission will be done online)
Learning Material
Students will have online access to their study material which will include a study guide, self-assessments and relevant additional resources.
Content
Students complete four compulsory modules.
Financial Planning Environment
Credits: 20
Enables students to comply with and apply required legal principles to financial plan- ning contexts and discuss current issues and changes, and the impact of such changes in the financial services industry.
Business Management
Credits: 20
Enables students to identify the systems and processes required to start and grow their financial planning practices, as well as put in place mechanisms for risk management and business continuity planning. Students will also be able to explain the importance of ethics and compliance in a financial services environment.
Corporate Financial Planning
Credits: 20
Enables students to evaluate the financial statements of a business in order to deter- mine business assurance needs with specific reference to its structure, implementation, tax consequences and legal requirements. Students will also be able to explain the structure and workings of the different types of employee benefits, and to demonstrate an understanding of the South African healthcare system and its challenges.
Personal Financial Planning
Credits: 40
Provides the required skills and knowledge on time value of money calculations, the financial planning process, financial needs of individual clients and knowledge on tax and legislation to enable students to advise individual clients on taxation, personal financial management, personal risk and estate planning, investment planning and retirement planning needs in a particular scenario, as well as provide recommendations on appropriate instruments and products available to meet those needs.
Financial Planning Case Study
Credits: 20
Provides students with the ability to consolidate their skills and knowledge from the other modules in this programme and apply the technical knowledge of financial planning to client scenarios in order to make recommendations and give advice.
- This qualification is offered on a Full-time and Part-time basis.
- To be considered a full-time student, you must be enrolled in modules totalling 60 credits in a semester and 120 credits in the academic year. If you are enrolled in modules totalling less than 120 credits across the academic year and less than 60 credits in a semester, you are considered to be part-time student.
- Full-time students can complete the qualification in one Academic year and Part-time students can complete it in 2 Academic years.
Schedule
Financial Planning Environment
Full-Time students: Semester 1
Part-Time students: Semester 1
Business Management
Full-Time students: Semester 1
Part-Time students: Semester 1
Corporate Financial Planning
Full-Time students: Semester 1
Part-Time students: Semester 2
Personal Financial Planning
Full-Time students: Semester 2
Part-Time students: Semester 3
Financial Planning Case Stud
Full-Time students: Semester 2
Part-Time students: Semester 4
Assessments
Students will have to complete online Formative Assessments and a final invigilated written Summative Assessment.
How to Apply
Accreditation and Certification
Moonstone Business School of Excellence (Pty) Ltd acknowledges that, certification in vocational education and training and the content of the certificate, are regulated by the National Board of Education and governed by the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No 101 of 1997) as well as Regulation 1 of the Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions, 2002 (hereafter referred to as “the Regulations”).
overview
Closing date for Applications:
Semester 1: 27 January 2025
Semester 2: 30 June 2025
Method of Training:
Online Learning
Qualification Duration:
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Admission Requirements:
An appropriate accredited NQF Level 5 equivalent that provides students with the required literacy, numerical ability, and competence to undertake studies at NQF Level 6.
FEES:
Click here for fees, payment options and finance providers.
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QUALIFICATIONS
- Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 8)
The qualification is designed to provide advanced financial planning skills, knowledge, attitudes and values in the areas of Financial Management, Asset Management, Investment Planning, Risk Management, Tax Planning, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning and Ethics in order to produce graduates to meet the growing need for financial planning professionals in SA.
- Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (NQF 6)
The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (ACFP) provides the skills and knowledge required to provide holistic financial planning services to the ‘man in the street’ and prepares you for further specialised studies in financial planning. The ACFP also addresses the education requirement to obtain the FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISOR™ (FSA™) designation awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI). Please visit: www.fpi.co.za for more information on ‘a career in financial planning’.
- Occupational Certificate: Compliance Officer (NQF 6)
Companies and organisations are required to comply with various regulations and legislative requirements. Moonstone Business School of Excellence’s Occupational Certificate: Compliance Officer (NQF level 6) qualification equips students with these expert skills, and practical experience in legal matters, compliance risk management as well as the compilation, implementation and reporting of compliance strategies.
- Higher Certificate in Wealth Management (NQF 5)
The Higher Certificate in Wealth Management (HCWM) provides an ideal entry point into the financial services industry in various roles, or to kickstart your career in financial planning. The HCWM is recognised by the Financial Services Conduct Authority for all product sub-categories of Category I FSPs, and can be used to fulfil fit and proper requirements for FAIS roles in Category I FSPs.
- Higher Certificate in Short-Term Insurance (NQF 5)
The qualification covers Short-term Insurance related learning and provides a framework for students to develop competencies that will give them insight into the short-term sub-sector. It introduces a basic understanding of the key terms, rules, concepts and principles of the fields that will prepare them for the industry.
- Further Education and Training (FETC): Short Term Insurance (NQF 4)
The qualification covers Short-term related learning and provides a framework for students to develop competencies that will give them insight into the Short-term insurance sub-sector. It introduces a basic understanding of the key terms, rules, concepts and principles of the fields that will ready them for the industry.
- Further Education and Training (FETC): Wealth Management (NQF 4)
The Qualification is a holistic introduction to Wealth Management and Wealth Creation. It enables intermediaries to understand the Wealth Management environment, the legislative requirements and product-related information. Our qualification is aimed at students with less than four years’ experience, newcomers to the industry, or those who have lots of experience, but would like to brush up on their product knowledge. We developed the Skills Programmes, covered in this qualification, to provide intermediaries with more options to comply with the requirements of the FAIS Act.
Short Courses
- National Credit Act
The National Credit Act No 34 of 2005 was passed by Parliament on the 10th of March 2006. It is designed to achieve a number of objectives, most of which are to benefit and protect the consumer. The aim is to introduce a single, functional system of regulation that will apply to all credit activities, thereby ensuring that all credit providers and credit consumers are treated equally.
- FICA Courses
FICA is a crucial piece of legislation in South Africa. Its primary purpose is to combat financial crimes, including money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, terrorist financing activities, and identity theft. To be FICA compliant in South Africa, both organizations and individuals need to adhere to specific requirements and obligations.
- POPIA Courses
The Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) is South Africa’s data protection law. The purpose of the legislation is to ensure all South African institutions conduct themselves in a responsible manner when collecting, processing, storing and sharing another entity’s personal information, by holding them accountable should they abuse or compromise personal information in any way.
- Entrepreneurship
An entrepreneur is someone who creates new business in the face of risk and uncertainty for the purpose of achieving profit and growth by identifying business opportunities and assembling the necessary resources, structures and procedures to capitalize on those opportunities.