Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete the program and what will I receive upon completion?
The accelerated program takes approximately 12 months to complete and the standard program takes approximately 21 months to complete. Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from The School of Continuing Studies at Northwestern University after successfully completing the program.

Which courses are required in order to receive a Certificate of Completion?
You must complete all courses with a grade of “C” or higher in order to receive a certificate from Northwestern University.

What are the tuition and fees for the program?
Please see the course listings for tuition and fee information.

What are the class locations and times?
Classes are taught simultaneously on the Chicago Loop campus and the Evanston campus for the standard program. Students must select a single location when they register, but can attend classes on an alternate campus if they miss a class. The accelerated program classes are held only at the Loop campus.

Chicago Loop Campus
210 S. Clark Street (Clark/Adams Building), 16th Floor
Chicago, IL

Standard program classes are held from 6-9pm and accelerated program classes are from 9am-5pm.

Can I enroll in individual courses without having to complete the program?
Yes, you can enroll in individual courses. Challenge status students often enroll in individual courses before taking the CFP® Certification Examination.

Can I enroll in the program at any time during the year?
Courses are designed to be taken in sequence, but students may enroll at any time and will have the opportunity to complete a missed course when the course is offered again.

Can I take classes in both the accelerated and standard program?
Students are required to register in either the accelerated or standard program. If you would like to transfer between programs, you may do so.

Where can I purchase books and materials?
Required textbooks and study guides are listed in the course materials section under each respective course. Please order only the edition and ISBN that is posted on our website.

Be sure to print out the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility (Code of Ethics) at: http://www.cfp.net/certificants/conduct.asp. You will be tested on this material.

Who are the instructors that teach in the program?
All of our instructors are experienced financial planning practitioners who bring strong financial planning backgrounds and experiences to the classroom and represent a cross section of the financial services industry.

For instructor biographical information, please see the course listings.

What is the enrollment deadline?
Students may register up until 5:00 p.m. the day that class begins, provided space is available. Early bird registration ends 7 calendar days prior to the first class meeting. Students who register after this date will be charged a $50.00 late registration fee.

How can I register?
Students may register online, by mail or fax

Is there a cancellation policy/ fee?
The University reserves the right to cancel classes due to insufficient enrollments, instructor illness, severe weather or natural disaster. In the event of cancellation due to insufficient enrollment, registrants will be notified immediately and all fees are returned.

Student generated cancellations must be reported by completing a withdrawal form (PDF Format). This form must be faxed to us before the first meeting of the course; however, a $50 processing fee will be withheld from the refunded amount. Please note that no refunds will be issued after the class begins.

Who do I contact for registration questions?
For registration questions, please contact the registration department at (312) 503-1582.

Who should enroll in this program?
Professionals currently working in a variety of finance-related disciplines will find this certificate program beneficial to their efforts to build business and understand their clients' concerns. The benefits of this program extend to individuals whose work overlaps into other financial sectors including; accounting, banking, brokerage, insurance and law. Individuals considering a change of career are also encouraged to enroll in the program.

Can I receive continuing education credit for these courses?
Insurance professionals are eligible for 15 CE's for each of the 5 core courses and CPA's are eligible for CPE's for the number of hours spent in each class. However, the program is not designed for continuing legal education (CLE) credits.

How do I get my Certificate of Completion?
Within three months following the completion of your final course, complete and return the Certificate Completion form (PDF Format) to the Registration Office on the Chicago Campus.

What do I need to do after I complete the program in order to apply to take the CFP® Certification Examination?
After completion of your program, we will review your records and send an electronic confirmation to the CFP Board to notify the board that you have completed all educational requirements to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.

You must contact the CFP Board at www.cfp.net to schedule your exam. You will NOT need to present your Certificate of Completion or grade reports to the board to take your exam. Once again, we will electronically submit a notification to the board once we receive your request.

Who can I contact for more information about the program?
For questions regarding Northwestern's CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ Certification Education Program, students can contact Matt Hlinak at (312) 503-0714 or m-hlinak@northwestern.edu.

For other questions pertaining to CFP®, students may contact The CFP Board of Standards, Inc. directly at: (1800) 487-1497 or visit their website at: www.cfp.net.