The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) AF exams form part of the RQF level 6 Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning. They can be taken as stand-alone units to develop specialist knowledge and understanding. They can also be studied with a view to achieving Chartered Financial Planner status.
Members of the CII with five years’ experience in the sector can apply for Chartered Financial Planner status after completion of the Advanced Diploma.
To complete the Advanced Diploma, candidates must already hold either the CII Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning or the Diploma in Financial Planning. BTS offer support for each R0 unit on the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. To find out more about the R0 exams, head over to our What are the R0 exams? page.
The Advanced Diploma is made up of a selection of units totalling 290 credits. Candidates must sit one mandatory unit, the AF5 Financial planning process (30 credits). The remaining credits can be made up of a combination of units. A total of 120 credits must be at level 6, taken from the AF exams (including the AF5), a further 40 credits must be at level 4 or above (the J0 and R0 exams), and the remaining 130 credits can come from any unit except LF1. To find out more about the unit options and credit weighting, have a look at the Personal Finance Qualifications Framework.
There are six AF exam units, these are listed in the table below along with the 2022 pass rates. The AF5 Financial planning process unit is a mandatory paper worth 30 credits.
| Exam | Recommended study hours | Credits | Pass mark | National pass rate (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AF1 Personal tax and trust planning | 150 | 30 | 55% | 43% |
| AF4 Investment planning | 150 | 30 | 55% | 50% |
| AF5 Financial planning process (mandatory) | 150 | 30 | 55% | 63% |
| AF6 Senior management and supervision | 150 | 30 | 50% | 97% |
| AF7 Pension transfers | 100 | 20 | 60% | 56% |
| AF8 Retirement income planning | 150 | 30 | 50% | 75.3% |
