Policies and Procedures

When you enroll in the College for Financial Planning's programs or courses you expressly agree to comply with the operational policies and procedures stated or referenced herein, and with any changes adopted during your term of enrollment. You are expected to notify the College promptly of changes in your address, email, employer, or telephone number.

The College reserves the right to change or amend policies and procedures, testing administration, graduation requirements, course content and materials, and tuition and other fees, as well as cancel a course, without advance notice. Through its academic disciplinary process the College maintains the right to suspend or dismiss any individual who does not comply with its policies and procedures.

Student Code of Conduct
Upon enrollment in any of the College's courses or programs or upon the purchase of any product, you agree to the following:

  • You will conduct yourself ethically, honestly, and with integrity as a responsible member of the College's academic community. This requires the demonstration of mutual respect and civility in academic and professional discourse.
  • You will perform independently on any examination or assignment. You understand that any duplication or printing of test material is considered a violation of the Examination Procedures and may result in dismissal from the course or program.
  • You will stay apprised of College, program, and course announcements and deadlines posted in your CFFP Student Portal.
  • You will act with competence, exercise due diligence, and use prudent professional judgment in all your professional activities.
  • You will only claim completion of a program or course, or of earning a designation, after the College has formally notified you of such completion.

Failure to abide by these expectations may result in disciplinary action by the Academic Disciplinary Committee up to and including dismissal from the College for Financial Planning and/or denying your right to use the College's designation(s).

Online Course Content
You will be allowed access to the online course content for as long as you remain active in a Professional Designation or CFP® Certification Professional Education program/course and for a period of one year following the completion of the course. You are encouraged to download all course content files to your computer hard drive to prevent losing access to these resources.

Calculators
You may not use a calculator with alpha-programmable keys during any examination. Approved Calculator List

Grading
The College's CFP® Certification Professional Education and Professional Designation examinations, courses, and programs are graded on a criterion-referenced letter grade system with the following percentage values:

Grade Percentage Description
A 90%-100% Excellent achievement with mastery of learning objectives and content.
B 80%-89.9% Above-average achievement with good comprehension of learning objectives.
C 70%-79.9% Average achievement with reasonable understanding of most learning objectives.
F Below 70% Insufficient achievement with below-minimum understanding of learning objectives or no attempt.

Graduate degree program grading policies may be found in the Graduate Degree Program Student Handbook.

Voluntary Withdrawal
You are responsible for initiating a request for withdrawal. You will be assigned an enrollment status of "withdrawn" if you voluntarily withdraw from any active College course or program. To voluntarily withdraw, you must complete and sign the College for Financial Planning's Withdrawal Form. This form must be returned by email or fax as directed on the form. Your withdrawal will be effective on the date the College receives your completed Withdrawal Form. A final grade of 'W' will be assigned to any withdrawn course.

Military Leave of Absence
If you are actively serving in the military and receive orders to relocate to an area not conducive to online asynchronous learning, you may request a military leave of absence. You must submit a copy of your orders along with the Leave of Absence Request form to the Appeals Committee prior to departing at cffp.appealscommittee@cffp.edu or fax to 303-220-1810. You are still responsible for any related tuition and fees during an approved military leave of absence.

Non-Payment of Account
Tuition and fees not paid according to terms and conditions applicable may result in the following:

  • Suspension from the course or program
  • Student account and record placed on a collections hold status
  • Withholding of an earned certificate, diploma, or transcript
  • Accounts with an unpaid balances or in a delinquent status may be sent to a third-party collection agency

Transferability of Enrollment
Your program or course enrollment is not transferable to another student regardless of corporate affiliation or billing agreement.

Appeals
Under most circumstances, you will be able to progress through a course or program by adhering to the procedures or soliciting assistance. The College for Financial Planning is committed to the equitable enforcement of its policies and makes reasonable efforts to resolve student concerns.

Non-Academic Appeals
In the event you have a concern or request that cannot be satisfied through adherence to the College's policies, you must provide a formal Appeal Form detailing, in writing, the situation you feel has not been resolved. Be as specific as possible, outlining the appeal issue and noting any previous communications with College personnel, including suggested resolutions to and documentation of the situation. You are responsible for completing and submitting the Appeal Form and submitting all required supporting documentation. An Appeal Form completed on your behalf will not be accepted. This form can be returned by email, fax, or mailed to the number or address provided.

The Appeals Committee reviews and provides decisions typically within two weeks of original submission of the appeal and documentation. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final and will be communicated to you in writing.

Academic Appeals
To appeal a grade or other academic decision, you must first contact your instructor to review discrepancies within 30 days of the grade being posted. If you and the instructor are unable to resolve the issue, you may submit an appeal, in writing, to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The appeal must provide substantiating reason for carrying the appeal forward and include suggested resolutions and documentation of the situation. The Vice President of Academic Affairs, or designee, will review and provide a decision typically within two weeks of the original submission of the appeal and documentation. The decision will be communicated in writing and is final.

External Agencies
If you have exhausted all other opportunities for resolution with the College, you have the right to file a complaint with an external agency.

  • Colorado Department of Higher Education information on the complaint policy and procedure may be found online at Colorado Department of Higher Ed.
  • The Higher Learning Commission instructions for submitting a complaint regarding the College's ability to meet the criteria of institutional accreditation may be found online at Higher Learning Commission.

Nondiscrimination Policy
The College is committed to providing equal opportunity in its educational programs, activities, and employment practices and will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment of any kind with regard race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Accessibility & Accommodation Requests
Application Process

  1. Download the ADA Accommodation Form or please contact Kaplan Special Services Team at kpespecialservices@kaplan.com to get an application emailed to you. Completed applications should be directed to:
  2. Once your application is received, you will receive an email from the Kaplan Special Services Team (KSS) that your application is being reviewed. KSS may ask additional questions to better understand the nature of the accommodations that may be appropriate. Please be sure to include your contact information with your application.
  3. The Kaplan Special Services Team with the local service team as necessary to facilitate the accommodation.

NOTE: Kaplan Professional does not arrange accommodations on your behalf with the test administrator for the official exam you are seeking to take. You must separately request accommodations with the test maker. More information on how to apply can be found on their website.

WCAG 2.1 Letter of Reasonable Accessibility

The College's Professional Designation Programs include: Accredited Asset Management SpecialistSM (AAMS®), Accredited Portfolio Management AdvisorSM (APMA®), Accredited Wealth Management AdvisorSM (AWMA®), Chartered Mutual Fund CounselorSM (CMFC®), Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC®), Chartered Retirement Plans SpecialistSM (CRPS®), and the Foundations in Financial PlanningSM Program leading to the (FPQPTM) designation.

Program Format
Professional Designation Programs are delivered in a self-study/distance education format. The College does not operate according to a traditional academic calendar; you may enroll at any time. Synchronous online class sessions are offered throughout the year; each session consists of a minimum of eight, 1-hour classes over an 8-10 week period.

Testing Policies
Deadlines
The College wants you to be successful in your program by progressing at a consistent pace. To ensure you are making satisfactory progress, we require that you test at least once every six months until successful completion of the course. You must test at least once within the first six months from your course enrollment date and every six months thereafter. Subsequent tests must be no more than six months apart.

  • Failure to test at least once every six months will result in course inactivation.
  • Prior to inactivation, you may purchase a one-time, nonrefundable 90-day testing deadline extension.
  • To reactivate your course, you must pay a nonrefundable course reactivation fee prior to dismissal from the course.
  • Your tuition includes one attempt on the end-of-course final exam. Subsequent attempts require payment of an additional nonrefundable testing fee.

Length of Course Enrollment
To ensure that you progress through and complete your coursework in a timely manner, the College allows you a maximum of one year to complete your studies. If you have not withdrawn or successfully completed the program within one year from your date of enrollment, you will be dismissed from the program and a final grade of F will be assigned to the course. You may purchase a one-time, nonrefundable, 90-day dismissal extension prior to dismissal from the course.

Re-enrollment
If you have previously withdrawn or been dismissed from a Professional Designation Program or course with the College, you may re-enroll into the current version of the program by paying the current tuition and fees in place at the time of your re-enrollment. You must settle any unpaid balances on your account prior to re-enrolling.

Course Audit
A one-week audit access period is available upon request. Access includes online course material but does not include ancillary products or services. To request audit access please contact the Student Services Center at cffpssc@cffp.edu or 800-237-9990 option 2.

Designation Conferment
Upon successful completion of the academic requirements of your program, you are permitted to apply for authorization to use the applicable trademarks or registered service marks in accordance with the Designation Requirements. Continued use of designations is subject to compliance with ongoing renewal requirements.

The College's Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF®) Program is offered in partnership with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

Program Format
The LUTCF® Program is delivered in a self-study/distance education or a moderated classroom-based/in-person format. The College does not operate according to a traditional academic calendar; you may enroll at any time.

Testing Policies
Deadlines
The College wants you to be successful in your program by progressing at a consistent pace. To ensure you are making satisfactory progress we require that you test at least once every six months until successful completion of the course. You must test at least once within the first six months from your course enrollment date and every six months thereafter. Subsequent tests must be no more than six months apart.

  • Failure to test at least once every six months will result in course inactivation.
  • Prior to inactivation, you may pay a one-time, nonrefundable 90-day testing deadline extension fee.
  • To reactivate your course, you must pay a nonrefundable course reactivation fee prior to dismissal from the course.
  • Your tuition includes one attempt on the end-of-course final exam. Subsequent attempts require payment of an additional nonrefundable testing fee.

Length of Course/Program Enrollment
To ensure that you progress through and complete your coursework in a timely manner, the College has a maximum length of enrollment for its courses/programs. If you do not make academic progress according to these guidelines, you may be dismissed. You may purchase a onetime 90-day dismissal extension, the nonrefundable fee must be paid prior to dismissal from the course or program.

  • If you are enrolled in the full LUTCF® Program, you have a maximum of three years to complete your program. If you have not withdrawn or successfully completed the LUTCF® Program within three years from your date of enrollment, you will be dismissed from the program and any active courses will be assigned a final grade of F.
  • If you are enrolled in a single LUTCF® course, you have a maximum of one year to complete the course. If you have not withdrawn or successfully completed the LUTCF® course within one year from your date of enrollment, you will be dismissed from the course and a final grade of F will be assigned.

Re-enrollment
If you have previously withdrawn or been dismissed from a LUTCF® Program or course with the College, you may re-enroll into the current version of the program/course by paying the current tuition and fees in place at the time of your re-enrollment. You must settle any unpaid balances on your account prior to re-enrolling. Academic credit may be awarded for any courses successfully completed in your prior enrollment with the College and tuition will be prorated based on remaining course requirements.

Course Audit
A one-week audit access period is available upon request. Access includes online course material but does not include ancillary products or services. To request audit access please contact the Student Services Center at cffpssc@cffp.edu or 800-237-9990 option 2.

Designation Conferment
If you successfully complete the academic requirements of your program and are a member in good standing with NAIFA, you are permitted to apply for authorization to use the applicable trademarks or registered service marks in accordance with the Designation Requirements. Continued use of designations is subject to compliance with ongoing renewal requirements.

Transfer of Credit
LUTCF® courses completed through the previous NAIFA-approved program with The American College may be accepted for transfer of course credit into the LUTCF® Program.

You may petition for transfer of course credit toward a single LUTCF course by submitting the LUTCF Transfer form and required documents (official transcripts and course descriptions or syllabi) within 30 days from your enrollment into the LUTCF® Education Program (or a single LUTCF® course) as long as you have not yet attempted the end-of-course examination. The College will determine the acceptability of transfer credit on a case-by-case basis, based on the review by the Transfer of Credit Committee and determination of whether the transfer course is comparable in content and academic level to the College course it would replace.

Please review the College for Financial Planning's Graduate Degree Student Handbook.

  • Fees are nonrefundable
  • Materials purchased in conjunction with a program or course can be returned for a refund within 30 days provided that:
    • Materials are unopened and undamaged
    • You received a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number
  • Shipping and handling is nonrefundable. The College is not responsible for return shipping fees.
  • Refunds are credited to the individual or company that paid for the original purchase of the program and/or course.
  • Tuition paid by credit card can only be refunded to the credit card used in the original purchase.

Students who officially withdraw may receive a refund of some or all of their paid tuition, according to the following schedule. It is the student's responsibility to submit a completed withdrawal form prior to the deadline. Withdrawals are effective the date the completed form is received. If the student attempted the end of course exam, tuition is nonrefundable.

Refund Deadline
Graduate Courses 100% of Tuition 11:59 PM MT of the first Thursday of each term
LUTCF Education Program 100% of Tuition 0-30 days from date of enrollment
LUTCF Education Program 50% of Tuition 31-60 days from date of enrollment
LUTCF Single Course 100% of Tuition 0-30 days from date of enrollment
Professional Designation Programs 100% of Tuition 0-30 days from date of enrollment

The State of California established the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic loss suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution, who is or was a California resident while enrolled, or was enrolled in a residency program, if the student enrolled in the institution, prepaid tuition, and suffered an economic loss. Unless relieved of the obligation to do so, you must pay the state-imposed assessment for the STRF, or it must be paid on your behalf, if you are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition.

You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment, if you are not a California resident, or are not enrolled in a residency program."

It is important that you keep copies of your enrollment agreement, financial aid documents, receipts, or any other information that documents the amount paid to the school. Questions regarding the STRF may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833, (916) 431-6959 or (888) 370-7589.

To be eligible for STRF, you must be a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid or deemed to have paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following:

  1. The institution, a location of the institution, or an educational program offered by the institution was closed or discontinued, and you did not choose to participate in a teach-out plan approved by the Bureau or did not complete a chosen teach-out plan approved by the Bureau.
  2. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution within the 120 day period before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, or were enrolled in an educational program within the 120 day period before the program was discontinued.
  3. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution more than 120 days before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, in an educational program offered by the institution as to which the Bureau determined there was a significant decline in the quality or value of the program more than 120 days before closure.
  4. The institution has been ordered to pay a refund by the Bureau but has failed to do so.
  5. The institution has failed to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federal student loan program as required by law, or has failed to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the institution in excess of tuition and other costs.
  6. You have been awarded restitution, a refund, or other monetary award by an arbitrator or court, based on a violation of this chapter by an institution or representative of an institution, but have been unable to collect the award from the institution.
  7. You sought legal counsel that resulted in the cancellation of one or more of your student loans and have an invoice for services rendered and evidence of the cancellation of the student loan or loans.

To qualify for STRF reimbursement, the application must be received within four (4) years from the date of the action or event that made the student eligible for recovery from STRF.

A student whose loan is revived by a loan holder or debt collector after a period of noncollection may, at any time, file a written application for recovery from STRF for the debt that would have otherwise been eligible for recovery. If it has been more than four (4) years since the action or event that made the student eligible, the student must have filed a written application for recovery within the original four (4) year period, unless the period has been extended by another act of law. However, no claim can be paid to any student without a social security number or a taxpayer identification number.