Education
Education

Diploma of Financial Counselling

Quick Info

Cost i
Standard course fee:
$14,100.00
Estimated fee: $0.00 to $4,930.00

You may qualify for a range of discounts including fully-subsidised courses

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Delivery Mode
Online Work-Based Mixed Face-to-Face
Program Type
Full qualification
Estimated Duration i Indicative duration range based on actual student completion. For apprenticeships and traineeships, the duration includes study and employment under a training contract. A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

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Course Outcome i Indicates expected outcome following course completion.
  • Further study: This qualification will prepare you for further study.
  • Entry-level employment: This qualification will prepare you for entry-level employment.
  • Mid-career employment: This qualification will prepare you for mid-career employment. Previous education or industry experience may be required.

A dash indicates insufficient data is available.

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Course overview

This qualification reflects the role of financial counsellors working in the following two contexts:

  • Generalist financial counsellors who work in agencies that meet the requirements for exemptions from holding both an Australian Financial Services Licence and an Australian Credit Licence. Financial counsellors work across a variety of metropolitan, regional and remote settings. Generalist financial counsellors can assist both individuals and small businesses.
  • Rural financial counsellors undertake specialised financial counselling work that assists primary producers and rural small businesses, and are employed in agencies funded for this purpose. These agencies meet the requirements for an exemption from holding an Australian Credit Licence.

All financial counsellors are experts in financial difficulty and provide advice and support to help clients get back on top of their financial issues. They work from a model of social justice and client empowerment.

This qualification is NOT related to the work performed by financial planners or financial advisers whose role is to provide clients with strategies to address their investment options and requires a financial services licence. This qualification is also not appropriate for financial capability workers.

This qualification does NOT refer to therapeutic counselling. Psychological issues, which affect individuals, families and groups such as gambling, substance abuse, child abuse and mental or physical health problems require referral to a professionally qualified practitioner However, a recognition of, and an ability to work within, a counselling framework and the way in which other issues may interact with financial issues is highly relevant to financial counselling practice.

To achieve this qualification, the individual must have completed a total of at least 220 hours of work in an industry workplace or simulated industry environment as detailed in the relevant assessment requirements of the units of competency. The total number of hours may be applied collectively across all units of competency that include the requirement for workplace hours.

The skills in this qualification must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.

How to apply

How to apply

  • Some training providers will let you enrol online while others may not. All training providers will need to see some documentation, like personal identification or school results, and all will ask you to have a Unique Student Identifier. Once you've found a training provider you like the look of, get in touch with them to see how they can help you enrol.
  • You can visit this provider’s course offering/s on provider’s website.
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For lifelong careers information and to access free professional career guidance visit Careers NSW.

Not sure what courses are available or how to enrol? Contact your nearest Training Services NSW office on 13 28 11 to help you make connections with the right organisations and people in your region.

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Contact us

For more support contact your nearest Training Services centre on 13 28 11 or reach out.

Training Services

Not sure what courses are available or how to enrol? Contact your nearest office for help making connections in your region.

Careers NSW

For other career related information and support.

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How long will it take to complete this qualification?

Short Course

All short courses are currently shown as under 4 months duration, based on the Department of Education's internal data analysis. Ask your provider for more information.

Qualification

Duration information is based on 20 hours of class time per week and uses aggregated data reported to the Department by Smart and Skilled providers.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

The duration indicates contract term which includes both formal training and full-time employment under a training contract. This is based on aggregated data reported to the Department by Smart and Skilled providers. Click here for more information about doing an apprenticeship or traineeship and ask your provider for guidance on your individual circumstances.