QFA

hoff1

Hi, I was looking at the QFAs and was wondering could anyone offer me any advice on the exam such as how many modules could you study for in one go ,how to apply , how much for each exam , are they hard? thanks

Danae1

Hi there!
Cost is €275 per module, tough enough in that questions are quite precise and can be phrased oddly. Also the correcting structure has changed = bit more tricky.
Few things to note : yes to deal with the public counter staff must be qualified in that area by Jan 1st.... BUT.....do you see them hiring or letting people go at the moment?
All the banks/financial institutions are shedding LOADS of people at the moment, withthe exception of insurance companies whose pay base is heavily commission based; if going for such a job a sales training course might be more useful.

If you do go ahead, loans module is the first section I would recommend. Also Institute of Bankers site is easier to use & updated more promptly than the LIA one... hope this helps !!

hoff1

thanks,I am looking for a job since I finished college in may and thought if I did something like this it would look good to potential employers (and it wud be better than sitting at home) I have a degree in accounting do you think the exams would be easier with my background, thought the exams were multiple choice ?

Danae1

hoff1 wrote: »

I have a degree in accounting do you think the exams would be easier with my background, thought the exams were multiple choice ?

Hi again,

The exams are multiple choice but there is negative marking attached..!
I've known ppl with accounting backgrounds who have found it hard because it's very different to debtors ledgers, contracts for difference, job costings and all the rest of that sort of stuff normally part of the a/c degree...
Like I said, part of the difficulty lies in the way the questions are asked.
Although you may your stuff inside out (significant amounts of memorising information IS required), the phrasing of them can really catch you out! The time given SEEMS generous until you get in there and see how closely you've to read the questions.
When you're confident on the stuff you've learned, try the specimen tests -not many available so wait til you're that confident first! You'll then get an idea of how important the phrasing can be.

I had the same idea re. 'good for CV, time doing nothing at home, get me in the door etc etc' but as previously mentioned, jobs are'nt there at the moment. Re. current staff: they ARE doing the exams (begrudgingly in some cases), as its seen as the only chance of keeping jobs and they too see how hard it is to get another position at the minute. I just don't see it as a way of getting your foot in the door anymore.....so figured why waste the money on that course when I could spend it on another instead....
Good luck with your decision though whatever you choose; my opinion could of course be way off base.....

gogo

The QFA is a minimum competency requirement [MCR] that was announced by the Financial Regulator in July 2006 and introduced on the 1st of January 2007. It is now the single benchmark qualification for those working in an advisory capacity in the retail finance sector in the Republic of Ireland.

if you are giving advise on financial products then you need the qfa. You have four years to complete it once you register and can give advise during that four years under "a new to role" basis.

The 1st of Jan deadiine is for people who first registered in jan 07 and these people will have to leave their roles (not there jobs) unless they complete it by then. of course it will help you to get your foot in the door, its a competency requirement from the Financial Regulator and has to be followed. Banks are not using this to push people out of jobs, we've being informed that we will have to step down from our roles to other posts until we pass the exams, which is fair enough. Four years is more than enough time to pass six exams to be honest. Also i havent seen anyone pushed out of there job in the institution I work in. But for sure they are not hiring at the moment either, I still think the qfa would be way more beneficial than a sales course.

Having done them, you will find that if you are coming straight from college, you will have no bother. One girl in work completed all six exams in a year. It took me two years, but I had a baby in the middle of that so..

marking had changed and the negative marking has had a hugh impact, it means that you have make certain you know that answer and not guess. also they have answers a,b,c,d where a=point i, b=point ii, c=point i and ii, so even when you think you know the answer, there will nearly be another question contained within the answer if you knlow what I mean.

The final exam (financial planning) is written and the pass mark has been reduced to 50% with the recent involvement of ucd so this makes it a bit easier.

Agreeing with Danane1, loans is the best one to start with, followed with life assurance as they tend to be slightly easier and not as comprensive as the other exams. A load of people on here have sat the exams and most have previous copies of sample papers so you should put a shout out. I'll have a look for you as well.
Best of Luck!!

phunkymonk

Hey,

just wondering if anyone has any previous exams/sample papers saved on their computer for loans and pensions exams could you send em on? would be a big help!

PM me for my email.

danbohan

phunkymonk wrote: »

Hey,

just wondering if anyone has any previous exams/sample papers saved on their computer for loans and pensions exams could you send em on? would be a big help!

PM me for my email.

Hi
past papers are on LIA site

http://www.lia.ie/courseView.php?id=1&pn=qfa&sub=pastpapers

phunkymonk

thanks for the reply danbohan but i think thats only past papers for the finacial planning exam.

Im looking for past papers on the MCQ exams for pensions and loans...

dee2407

Hi ,

Would anyone have past exam papers for the QFA loans exams? Would really appreciate if someone could send me on a copy?

Thanks

Rebel1977

I am doing the QFA exam on the 8th, would it be a good idea to go through the past papers and answer them as part of my revision, is there a chance they repeat some questions etc

Any more words of advise for the exam ?

dee2407

Would anyone please be able to mail be one copy of the past loan exams please??

phunkymonk

Does anyone know how to print off the notes on the LIA webinar? its a pain in the swiss having to write everything down..:mad:

Tayla

I would also be very grateful for the past loan papers aswell if anyone has them:)

poollad

Hi, would anyone please be able to mail be one copy of past loan exams. Thanks

HOS 1997

I am going to register to do one of these exams in September. Not sure which one to pick though to start off with.

malteaserxxx

HOS 1997 wrote: »

I am going to register to do one of these exams in September. Not sure which one to pick though to start off with.

Try and get regulations done as if you have this with any of the other exams u can be apa registered for that. For example if you work in the credit side of things u can carry out your job with just loans and regulations or if it's pensions u work in u can do pensions and regulations so I'd say the regulations is prob the most important it is quite tough though but passable.


I have copies of loans and regulations Mcq sample papers if anybody wants them pm me.

Judpete17

Hi
Please can you send me copies of loans and regulations Mcq sample papers as i am looking to sit the January exams and would really appreciate sample exam paper just to have some ideas of what to expect. Cheers .

Shars_m

Hi,
Could you please send me the regulations mcq sample paper as I am sitting it in January aswell?

Also, do you know what I should expect form the Financial Planning exam? Should I revise all the previous modules?

sinkababy

Hi Guys,

Could you please send me any papers you may have?

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Blinked_Missed It

Sorry if this is an incredibly stupid question but I'm considering moving away from my background in law and branching out (or combining) into banking, investment, financial and economics or some form and the QFA's appear to be a good starting ground (please dispel this if its madness). I was wondering if the QFA exams are heavily maths based. Legal terminology, fact patterns etc I'm completely fine with but I'm not particularly mathematically minded and there is no point in doing something your simply not suited to.

If anyone has any sample papers or materials which outline the coursework content involved I'd be extremely grateful.

does anyone know what the pass mark for the loans exam is i have heard its 40% is this true???

Paul Tergat

Willow Poor Sweeper wrote: »

does anyone know what the pass mark for the loans exam is i have heard its 40% is this true???

yeah this is true.

anyone have past papers for loans/regulations? ive sets for 2010 but a lot of the content is now outdated.

Macailz

Hi, I recently sat and passed both loans and regulations. I'm currently studying for pensions and was wondering if anyone could help me out with some past papers? Thanks

burkie26

hi malteaserxxx

could you send me them exam papers to my email please im doin the loans and regulation exams soon and

would very much appreciate these

thanks

syndrome777

anyone have loans and regulation , if do pls pm me

burkie26

hi syndrome777

im currently doing these modules now with exams in may,they are my first exams

have you done any other modules yourself??

and what is it with loans/regulations are you looking for??

Munster1965

have both and can send you pdf if you want

syndrome777

That would be great

burkie26

hi munster1965 could I get a copy of these exam papers please as ive exams in may and would be great help also have you any advice on these that you think would help me?

email:andyadverts@outlook.ie

syndrome777

i haven't done anything yet, and I have no idea how they are or anything else

syndrome777

so anyone have any past exam papers , except 2010...I have those
any newer ones?