Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) Designation Program

Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) Pre-requisite courses

$ 199 + applicable taxes for Advocis Members.
Non members pay $399 + applicable taxes.
  • Content on-demand - start program at your convenience
  • 120 day window for completion of each module from date of registration
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Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) Designation Program

The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation has been widely recognized for 90 years as a superior mark of excellence in the financial services industry. CLU designation holders are regarded as elite professional financial advisors who raise the bar in developing effective solutions for individuals, business owners, and professionals in the areas of risk management, wealth creation and preservation, estate planning, and wealth transfer.

The CLU designation is conferred in Canada exclusively by The Institute for Advanced Financial Education (“The Institute™”). The Institute is the leading designation body in Canada for financial services practitioners in the specialty areas of Advanced Estate Planning, Wealth Transfer, and Living Benefits.

The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) is an approved designation for use of the title Financial Planner in Ontario.

To earn the CLU designation, you must have successfully completed the Financial Planning Fundamentals Program (CLU Pre-requisite course) as well as the three CLU Designation Courses (255, 256, 257).

The final CLU designation course (CLU 257) is a semester based course.

You may only register for CLU 257 once you have successfully completed both of the previous CLU courses (255 and 256) in addition to the Financial Planning Fundamentals Program (CLU Pre-requisite course).

Advocis offers course exemptions for prior learning and equivalencies. For more information, consult the program policies page.

Online Access Restrictions Please note that all Advocis courses are delivered online via the Advocis Learning Environment (ALE). For cybersecurity reasons, course content and associated assessments (e.g., quiz, exam, etc.) can only be accessed within Canada or the United States. Please be sure to plan your studies so that you are able to access course content, assignments, quizzes, and exams from an IP address located in Canada or the US.
Advanced Concepts In Tax & Law For Personal Planning - 255 CLU Course 1
Tax & Legal Principles for Businesses and their owners - 256 Course 2
Advanced Estate Planning - 257 CLU Course 3

1. CLU candidates must have first successfully completed the Financial Planning Fundamentals Program (CLU Pre-requisite course). Candidates must then complete the three CLU Designation Courses (255, 256, 257).

2. Once you have successfully completed all required courses, you must complete a CLU Designation Candidate Agreement form and a CLU Experience Requirement form (at the time of application you must attest to having completed at least four years of experience within, or related to, the financial services industry). Both completed forms must be submitted to The Institute for review. These forms will be emailed to you once you have successfully completed all required CLU courses.

3. Once you have completed the educational course requirements, met the work experience requirement, completed all necessary forms, and paid your CLU designation dues, you will be able to hold yourself out as a CLU designation holder.

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