Complete the Education Requirement for CFP® Certification in Under a Year
The Seidman Financial Planning Certificate Program is a CFP Board-Registered Program. Finish two online courses, one in fall and one in winter, and you've met the education requirement to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination. Classes are taught by Seidman College of Business finance faculty and practicing attorneys, CPAs, and chartered financial analysts. No application to GVSU. Register online.
Fall 2026 registration is closed.
Who This Program Is For
This program is for people working toward CFP® certification: financial advisors, insurance and investment professionals, accountants, attorneys, and career changers who want to add financial planning to their practice. A bachelor's degree in any field is required to earn CFP® certification (not to take the exam), and we normally ask for one to enter the program. Exceptions are considered case by case, including for students finishing a degree and for professionals who want the knowledge without pursuing certification.
This program does not provide continuing education credit. If you already hold a CFP® mark or a Michigan insurance license and need CE hours for renewal, this isn't the right program. Contact us and we'll point you to options.
What You'll Learn
The curriculum follows CFP Board guidelines and covers all required topic areas across two courses, each with three units.
Finishing in April sets you up to register for the July CFP® exam if you choose. Estate Planning must be taken last, and the Capstone is required for anyone who started financial planning coursework after January 1, 2012.
Certified Financial Planning - Fall 2027
Units: Insurance Planning, Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits, Personal Income Tax Planning
When: Fall - last week of August through mid-December
Registration is closed.
Certified Financial Planning - Winter 2027
Units: Investment Planning, Estate Planning, Capstone Course in Financial Planning
When: Winter - second week of January through mid-April
Format, Time, and Cost
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Format |
Online. Three hours of recorded instruction per unit each week, plus weekly discussion boards, a quiz, and graded problems. Log in about four days a week; first discussion post due Thursday at midnight ET. |
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Time |
51 contact hours per unit, three units per course. Most students finish both courses within a year. |
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Class size |
Typically 15 to 30 students. |
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Cost |
$2,300 per course, $4,600 for the full program. Textbooks are extra: three per course, averaging about $170 each. You'll also need a financial calculator that computes IRR and NPV (TI BA II Plus, HP 10B or 12C, or similar; alpha-numeric calculators aren't allowed on the CFP® exam). |
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Passing |
75% minimum course score. Grading: 24% discussions, 24% weekly quizzes, 24% weekly problems, 28% final exam. Students below 75% may retake the exam within one week of the course end; after that the course must be retaken at full cost. |
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Refunds |
Full refund if you withdraw at least 14 days before the posted start date. No refunds after that. |
What You Receive
When you complete both courses you receive a certificate of completion from Grand Valley State University, and CFP Board is notified that you've satisfied the education requirement to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.
Grand Valley State University does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and certification marks. CFP® certification is granted only by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
Common Questions
No. The Seidman Financial Planning Certificate Program is exam-preparation education for people pursuing CFP® certification. It does not provide CE credit for Michigan insurance licensees or for CFP® renewal.
You need a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution to earn CFP® certification, but not to sit for the exam. We normally require one to enter the program; exceptions are decided by the program director.
Two courses, fall and winter. Most students complete the program within a year and are eligible for the July exam.
Recorded lectures released weekly, with weekly discussions, quizzes, and problem sets. There's no fixed meeting time, but you should log in about four days a week.
You must complete both FPC 340 and FPC 440 to meet the CFP Board education requirement. Contact the program director about taking a single course for your own knowledge.
Have Questions About the Program?
Contact Program Director Eric Hoogstra at (616) 331-7422 or Program Coordinator Jo Ann Shelton at (616) 331-7427.