Become a member of FCQ
If you’re working as a financial counsellor, it’s a requirement under the Corporations Regulations 2001 and the National Consumer Credit Protection Regulations 2010 to be a member of a state-based financial counselling body.
At Financial Counselling Queensland (FCQ), we offer five membership categories tailored to individual needs. To become a member, you’ll need to meet the criteria set out in our FCQ Membership Policy. This includes completing annual continuing professional development (CPD) and mandatory professional supervision.
Becoming a member means joining a supportive professional community committed to quality practice and ongoing learning.
Membership Categories
Eligibility criteria:
A person who:
- if applying for accredited membership for the first time after 1 January 2024, has satisfactorily completed an additional accreditation process covering technical, skills and ethics topics relevant to the financial counselling profession.
- is a qualified financial counsellor i.e. holds the Diploma of Financial Counselling; and
- has had 24 months full-time post qualification practice or 36 months part-time post qualification practice; and
- if practising as a financial counsellor, meets the requirements for CPD and supervision; or
- if not currently practising as a financial counsellor, meets the requirements for CPD; and
Eligibility criteria:
A person who:
- if not currently practising as a financial counsellor, meets the requirements for CPD.
- is a qualified financial counsellor i.e. holds the Diploma of Financial Counselling; but
- has not yet had 24 months post-qualification full-time practice or 36 months post qualification part-time practice; and
- if practising as a financial counsellor, meets the requirements for CPD and supervision; or,
Eligibility criteria:
A person who is:
- actively studying the Diploma of Financial Counselling CHC51115 or CHC51122; and
- if also working (i.e. employed or volunteering (e.g. undertaking Diploma work placement)) as a student financial counsellor with a not-for-profit community organisation which provides financial counselling or capability and resilience services in Queensland, free of charge, they must be working under the day to day and face to face direction of a practising accredited financial counsellor.
Eligibility criteria:
- employed by a not-for-profit community service organisation which provides financial counselling or capability and resilience services in Queensland, free of charge; or
- demonstrates a fundamental link to FCQ and its members; or
- demonstrates a purpose for affiliate membership that is of benefit to FCAQ and its members.
An agency affiliate incentive is available for up to 5 affiliate members who join from one organisation.
Life membership is conferred on FCAQ members who have made a significant and substantial commitment to the Association. For example, long term active membership of the Association, major contributions to the financial counselling sector in Queensland and significant involvement with the FCAQ management committee. It is not recognition for having enjoyed long-term employment as a financial counsellor which should be recognised at the appropriate level. Its purpose is to recognise only the most noteworthy contributions. Life membership is an honorary status.
If life members continue practising as a financial counsellor, they must maintain current membership requirements and pay their annual membership fees.
What does membership provide?
- Access to CPD and training resources
- Networking opportunities and access to FCQ communities of practice
- Member rates to attend the FCQ annual conference
- Representation by FCQ
- Network opportunities
How to apply
- Review the eligibility criteria for the membership categories above
- If uncertain, please reach out to our team to discuss via [email protected]
- Click the appropriate link and submit your application online