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Applicants seeking Accredited Membership (Employed) must meet the following requirements:

• hold a Diploma of Financial Counselling; and
• with 24 months full-time experience, or 36 months part-time post qualification experience
  • if practising as a financial counsellor, meet requirements for continuing professional development and supervision; or
  • if not currently practising as a financial counsellor, meets requirements for continuing professional development.
  • If newly qualified after 1 July 2024, has satisfactorily completed an additional accreditation process covering technical, skills and ethics topics relevant to the financial counselling profession.

All members must abide by:

• The National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• The Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• The rules and policies set by SAFCA

Applicants seeking Accredited Membership (Volunteer/Unemployed) must meet the following requirements: 

• hold a Diploma of Financial Counselling; and 
• have 24 months full-time post qualification experience, or 36 months part-time post qualification experience, practising as a financial counsellor
  • if practising as a financial counsellor, meet requirements for continuing professional development and supervision; or
  • if not practising as a financial counsellor, meet continuing professional development requirements.

All members must abide by:

• The National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• The Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and Policies set by SAFCA

Applicants seeking Associate Membership (Employed)  must meet the following requirements: 

Practising as a Financial Counsellor

• Qualified financial counsellor and has not yet had 24 months full-time experience, or 36 months part-time experience,  however meet the requirements for continuing professional development and supervision.

If not currently practising as a Financial Counsellor 

• Qualified financial counsellor and meets the requirements for continuing professional development

With effect from 1st July 2024: The maximum time a new Associate member can remain in this category of membership, without consideration of additional requirements, is 4 years.  An Association may impose additional requirements on an Associate after this period.

All members must abide by:

• The National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• The Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and policies set by SAFCA

Applicants seeking Associate Membership (Volunteer/Unemployed) must meet the following requirements: 

Practising Financial Counsellor:

• Qualified financial counsellor and has not yet had 24 months full-time practice, or 36 months part-time practice, however meets the requirements for continuing professional development and supervision.

If not currently practising as a Financial Counsellor:

• Qualified financial counsellor and meets the requirements for continuing professional development.

With effect from 1st July 2024: The maximum time a new Associate member can remain in this category of membership, without consideration of additional requirements is 4 years.  An Association may impose additional requirements on an Associate after this period.

All members must abide by:

• The National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• The Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• The Rules and policies set by SAFCA

Applicants seeking Affiliate Membership (Employed) must meet the following requirements: 

Any person, or organisation, affiliated to the financial counselling sector in a related role, for example financial counselling agencies, retired financial counsellors, financial capability workers, registered training organisation staff, agency managers, consumer lawyers, mental health workers, youth workers.  This list is not exhaustive (please email admin@safca.org.au in not sure)

All members must abide by:

• National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and policies set by SAFCA

This membership does not provide voting rights. 

Applicants seeking Affiliate Membership (Volunteer/Unemployed) must meet the following requirements: 

Any person or organisation affiliated to the financial counselling sector in a related role, for example, financial counselling agencies, retired financial counsellors, financial capability workers, registered training organisation staff, agency managers, consumer lawyers, mental health workers, youth workers.  This list is not exhaustive (email admin@safca.org.au if not sure)

All members must abide by:

• National Standards for Membership & Accreditation
• Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and Policies set by SAFCA

This membership does not provide voting rights.

Actively studying the Diploma of Financial Counselling AND working as a Student Financial Counsellor

Must meet the equivalent supervision and Continuing Professional Development requirements, as those for practising financial counsellors

Must abide by:

• National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• Australian Financial Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and policies set by SAFCA

Actively studying the Diploma of Financial Counselling

Must abide by:

• National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice
• Rules and policies set by SAFCA