Financial Studies Level 3 Certificate and Diploma in Financial Studies (CeFS/DipFS)

Applications Open – 3rd November 2025

Applications Close – 31st July 2026

Entry Requirements –We do have entry recommendations for some courses, especially A-levels, as we would not want you to start a course that would not be suitable for you. We want to give you the best chance of future success.

The course programmes are flexible: students can mix Level 3 courses with Level 2 courses, or A-levels with BTECs. We provide impartial advice and guidance and seek to put you on the courses you want and are likely to be successful in.

Students are expected to study up to 3 A level equivalent subjects (this can be from either A levels and/or Level 3 BTEC subjects) building their own personalised combination of Level 3 subjects OR a full time Level 2 course.

The sixth form runs on a flexible timetable with some courses running until 6.00pm. This flexibility means we can offer as much as possible, to as many as possible, as often as possible.

How to Apply – Please apply via Kent Choices.

View our courses here

A-Level equivalent, the Certificate and Diploma in Financial Studies helps the students develop practical life skills to be able to make sound financial decisions as they enter adulthood. Finance is not maths and this subject is useful wherever your destination takes you after school. Full UCAS points available.

Year One - CeFS develops the knowledge and skills required for young people to make informed financial decisions by introducing them to the risks and challenges involved in personal finance and the tools for effective planning. Within this, it provides a solid basis for creating financial inclusion, by exploring social-economic trends and their relationship with an individual’s circumstances and attitudes.

Year Two - DipFS builds on the skills and knowledge acquired through the Certificate in Financial Studies and includes areas such as financial sustainability within the wider financial services system, and the long-term impact of debt. In Year Two the student explores the political, economic, social, technological, ethical and legal impacts of personal finance in the short, medium and longer terms. Through this, a greater understanding of the impact that global events can have upon consumers and the wider financial services industry is developed.

Diploma in Financial Studies is made up of four mandatory units, the first two of which are achieved in Year One through the Certificate in Financial Studies.

Year One:

Unit One: Financial Capability for the immediate and short-term

Unit Two: Financial Capability for the medium and long-term

Key Content areas:

• Importance of financial capability in the immediate, short, medium and long term.

• Financial services and products, including sources of help and advice.

• Borrowing, budgeting, financial planning and cash flow forecasting.

• The impact of external influences at different stages in the personal life cycle.

• Risk and reward in managing personal finance.

Year Two

The DipFS is for students who have already achieved the Certificate in Financial Studies (CeFS).

Unit Three: Sustainability of an individual’s finances

Unit Four: Sustainability of the Financial Services System

Key Content areas:

• Importance of financial capability in the immediate, short, medium and long term.

• The impact of external influences at different stages in the personal life cycle.

• Risk and reward in managing personal finance.

• Personal and external factors that lead to change.

• Maintaining financial sustainability and avoiding long-term debt.

• The financial services system and financial sustainability (individual and general).

• Marketing techniques.

Assessment Year One

Each unit is assessed through a combination of Multiple Choice Questions (Part A) and a written paper (Part B). Year One - students sit two examinations: Unit one in January and Unit Two in May.

Assessment Year Two

Each unit is assessed through a combination of Multiple Choice Questions (Part A) and a written paper (Part B). Students sit two examinations: Unit Three in January and Unit Four in May.

We would recommend a grade 6 at GCSE in Business or a merit in BTEC Business but this is not essential. Students are expected to have acquired skills and knowledge in English and Mathematics (usually Level 4). You should also demonstrate an interest in the subject area.

Vocation

Students who study the Certificate and Diploma in Financial Studies will be adequately equipped to be gainfully employed in a variety of organisations that operate within the business and finance sector. For students who choose to move straight into employment, DipFS may support access to employment in areas such as in insurance, finance, banking, marketing and office administration, or in the voluntary sector such as with Citizens Advice.

Academic

The financially related content of this qualification serves as an excellent grounding for degree pathways in accounting, business, finance and banking. Financial capability underpins clear decisions about progression options, including life as an undergraduate, and DipFS provides an excellent platform for progression through further or higher education. Certificate in Financial Studies and Diploma in Financial Studies awards the full UCAS tariff and carries the maximum points available. Letters of support detailing the qualification’s formal acceptance by universities and employer letters of support are available on our website.

Other routes/fields

The financially related content of DipFS provides a solid foundation for continued study within business and finance-related disciplines. However, the core skills of critical analysis and evaluation, synthesis and written communication, and independent learning are transferable and provide a strong grounding for further study in other fields; typical examples include engineering, technology, or not for profit style organisational occupations. More information found at www.libf.ac.uk