Exam registration numbers surge for June, August

Updated registration numbers for the two sessions revealed exam registrations had surged in the last month, as advisers hedged their bets against the possibility of the extension bill failing to pass into law.

FASEA revealed 2,250 advisers had sat the exam via remote proctoring during the June session, a significant increase on the approximately 2,000 advisers that had registered for the June session when FASEA last provided figures at the end of May.

Registrations for the August exam are now at over 2,200, FASEA said, compared with 1,200 that had registered to sit in August at the end of last month.

FASEA chief executive Stephen Glenfield noted that 86 per cent of the 8,000 advisers who had taken the exam to date had passed.

Mr Glenfield welcomed the passage of the bill through Parliament on Wednesday, after a protracted period of deadlock that saw the bill delayed by Labor and Centre Alliance amendments.

“FASEA welcomes the certainty the extension of time frames provides to existing advisers seeking to pass the exam and meet the higher education standards,” he said.

Mr Glenfield noted that almost 3,000 advisers had already enrolled in bridging courses to meet the education standards by the new 2026 deadline, while more than 6,500 were undertaking individual subjects of bachelor or higher degree equivalence to meet the necessary education pathways.

The authority noted it had approved more than 160 degrees and bridging courses and recognised 15 courses of study to attain professional designations.