FASEA guidance for exam during COVID-19


The 2-7 April Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) exam will continue as planned in all locations, but candidates will immediately be advised if a decision by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) or the Australian Government changes this status.
FASEA said they would continue to monitor the global situation and take appropriate management steps within each location the exam was being run.
If a candidate did not wish to attend, FASEA would provide a refund or deferral to a future exam cycle.
There would be four more sittings of the exam this year in June, August, October and November/December, but exact dates are yet to be finalised.
FASEA had also put out guidance for those planning to continue to attend the exam:
- Any candidate who had been overseas or had a household member with a confirmed case should not attend unless they have self-quarantined for 14 days;
- Seating at the exam would continue to be random and would not be moved on candidates request;
- You are not entitled to a refund if you present on exam day and complete the registration process, but decide to leave the exam venue;
- Candidates would be allowed to sit the exam wearing protective masks, but would be required to remove it when required to confirm identification; and
- Candidates should ensure to practice good hygiene, including washing their hands regularly and avoiding physical contact with others.
FASEA had also laid out the following precautions:
- Supervising staff informed not to work if they had recently been to China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Iran and Italy;
- Staff would be provided with sanitising products and gloves;
- Alcohol wipes would be available at all locations for candidate use; and
- Candidates would be requested to present their admission tickets and ID by holding them up to avoid contact.
Recommended for you
ASIC was active in the first quarter of 2025 with several financial adviser bannings and court action, while the FSCP also handed down outcomes to advisers.
With a joint venture announced between WT Financial and Merchant Wealth Partners, the firm may have a US background, but partner David Haintz has a long history with Australian financial advice.
The big four bank is set to see $40 million per annum in cost savings as it continues to migrate customers from its Asgard wealth platform to BT Panorama by FY26.
AMP North has added three new managers to its range of managed accounts for financial advisers and also extended its existing partnership with Betashares.