Professional qualifications

Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA®)

Start on the path to a lucrative new career and become a qualified financial adviser, 100% online. 

Study a 100% online DipFA qualification

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Designed to develop the fundamental skills, knowledge, and expertise you need to start your journey towards becoming a qualified financial adviser, the Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA) will help you progress your career forward by:

  • providing an in-depth understanding of the UK financial services industry
  • addressing the aims of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in line with current rules and regulations
  • offering comprehensive insight into how risk affects customers’ needs
  • providing you with an understanding of how to find and analyse important data
  • guiding you on how to formulate and communicate financial advice successfully

It will take up to nine months to complete DipFA, but you'll have 17 months of study support. There are six modules to complete (11 units in total). These include: 

  • Module 1: Financial Services Regulation and Ethics (FSRE)
  • Module 2: Advanced Financial Advice – Taxation (AFAT)
  • Module 3: Advanced Financial Advice – Investment (AFAI)
  • Module 4: Advanced Financial Advice – Protection (AFAP)
  • Module 5: Advanced Financial Advice – Retirement Planning (AFAR)
  • Module 6: Advanced Financial Advice – Coursework (AFAC)

You’ll be assessed for each unit by a mixture of multiple-choice online exams and coursework.

You can study Module 1 separately from Modules 2 to 6. Contact our LIBF course advisors for more details.

Please keep in mind that before you can study your course content online with ICS Learn, you must pay a registration fee of £1,430 to The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) directly.

How much does it cost?

Now: HK$6,607

Was: £1,250

Full price: HK$6,607

This price does not include your £1,380 registration fee.

Do we offer a payment plan?

Yes, we offer an interest-free* payment plan for your flexibility and convenience. 

HK$709 Deposit

HK$656 payments for 9 months

Average time to complete

Up to 9 months with 17 months of study support 

Number of units

6 modules (with 11 units in total) 

How will I be assessed?

Like your course, your DipFA assessments can be taken 100% online. You will be assessed for each unit by a mixture of exams and coursework:

  • Module 1:  Financial Services Regulation and Ethics (FSRE) – one two-hour exam, split into 2 units. 
  • Module 2 to 5: Taxation, Investment, Protection Retirement Planning – for each module, you will complete a 1.5-hour exam, also split into 2 units.
  • Module 6: Coursework – the assessment for this module consists of a pre-release fact find and will require an essay response. When you register you will choose your coursework submission date. Please note, however, that a new coursework session starts every 6 weeks and you will have 4 weeks to complete the coursework assignment.

How do I enrol?

Get in touch with our course advisers on:
0333 920 8694

Try DipFA® for FREE today and get 50% OFF

To showcase the value of learning with us, we're excited to offer you an exclusive FREE trial of our virtual learning platform, mystudyspace, so you can see what it's like to study the LIBF Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA®) 100% online

This free trial will give you the chance to try before you buy this supplementary online DipFA course, granting you full access to the first two topics of Module 1 - Financial Services Regulations and Ethics (FRSE):

  • The Role and Structure of Financial Markets
  • The Role of Government​​​​

If you choose to continue studying LIBF's DipFA online with us, we'll also offer you an additional 50% discount on mystudyspace once you register with LIBF for the full qualification.

Sign up today to begin your free trial using referral code LIBF-trial50.

Accelerate your learning with ICS Learn, our Trusted Partner 

We know carrying around a bunch of heavy textbooks can be tedious when you’re trying to find time to study between commitments. That’s why we’re proud to announce a different approach to learning with mystudyspace, an innovative virtual learning platform powered by ICS Learn.

This is the first opportunity for students to study the Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA) entirely online in the UK. By utilising mystudyspace, you'll gain a variety of exceptional benefits, including:

  • Paperless learning: eliminating the need for unnecessary textbooks
  • Multi-device access: enabling you to learn on-the-go with access from your phone, tablet or laptop 
  • Engaging and easy-to-absorb content: offering industry-leading content in bite-sized chunks catered to you 
  • Recorded online webinars: to help you ace your DipFA exams
  • Dedicated tutor support: where you can connect with your DipFA tutor online if you need it

Offered as a fully digital and self-paced programme, ICS Learn helps support aspiring financial advisers enrolled on the full DipFA qualification with LIBF. 

When you register for the DipFA, you’ll also become a Member of The London Institute of Banking and Finance (MLIBF) throughout your programme. This means that on top of the benefits gained from the study support of mystudyspace, you’ll automatically gain access to several other exciting benefits, including career support and membership discounts.

Unit Overview

Take a look at a more in-depth review of the modules you'll cover in the 100% online DipFA course here.

Module 1: Financial Services Regulation and Ethics (FSRE)

  • learn about the UK financial services industry in a global context
  • understand the legal concepts necessary to distribute sound financial advice
  • study the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure ethical outcomes
  • learn about the development of financial regulation
  • discover the nature of both personal and financial risk
  • gain the comprehensive skills required to advise clients

Modules 2 to 6: Advanced Financial Advice (AFA)

  • study the UK taxation system and how it relates to individuals and trusts
  • discover the main sources of financial protection, as well as the limitations
  • understand the main features of various types of insurances, including critical illness and long-term care
  • learn about pensions law and regulations, as well as pension planning
  • master how to create and maintain successful financial plans

Interested in becoming a financial adviser? 

Enrol with ICS Learn and learn 100% online with the support of the all-new LIBF digital academy. 

A different way to study with ICS Learn

ICS Learn is the world’s most experienced online learning provider, having been a pioneer in professional distance learning for 130 years and a leading CIPD provider for 30 years.

ICS Learn’s flexible online courses are trusted by more than 21,000 current students across 100+ countries, including major organisations such as Marriott, Sony, and the Gulf Monetary Council.

As well as CIPD HR and L&D courses, ICS Learn offers a range of accredited qualifications in IT, finance, management, procurement and marketing, and most recently, banking and finance.

That’s why ICS Learn is the top-rated distance learning provider on Trustpilot with more than 10,000 reviews.


It covers everything you need to know, including:

  • breakdown of the DipFA units
  • answers to all your DipFA FAQs questions

Our students rate us 4.7/5 on Trustpilot from 9,000+ independent reviews.

When you learn with us, you'll join thousands of ambitious students just like you.

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