You may be awarded an exemption from a Diploma course if you have passed a course or earned a professional credential, in the past five years, which is recognized by STEP Canada to be of comparable level and content to the applicable STEP course.
Each student is permitted a maximum of two exemptions from the four Diploma courses.
The chart below outlines the courses and professional credentials that STEP Canada currently recognizes for exemption purposes relative to each Diploma course. Recognized exemptions may be changed by STEP without notice.
| Law of Trusts |
Taxation of Trusts & Estates |
Wills, Trust & Estate Administration |
Trust & Estate Planning |
- Trusts course in law school*
- MTI designation from CSI (achieved prior to January 1, 2017)
|
- In-Depth I & II plus an advanced level course in trusts or estate planning (like Owner-Manager)
- Taxation of Trusts and Estates course in law school (including LLM)
- MTax (providing a course on Taxation of Trusts and Estates was completed)*
|
- STEP Canada Certificate in Estate and Trust Administration
- MTI designation from CSI (achieved prior to January 1, 2017)
|
- Advocis: CLU course 237 (Advanced Estate Planning)
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation from FPSC
- Planificateur Financier (Pl. Fin) designation from IQPF
|
*Course description must be submitted, with application, for approval and recognition of equivalent courses or qualifications.
STEP will also grant exemptions for other courses and credentials completed within the past five years where it is satisfied that there is a very close correlation both in content and in level with the Diploma course from which exemption is sought. In such cases STEP may also take into consideration:
- Granting organization (taken from course comparison form)
- Teaching hours and exam formats, e.g. whether there was a closed book proctored exam.
- Student’s standing in the course
- When the course was taken or exemption earned, and
- The quantity and quality of relevant post-qualification experience.
All exemption applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In rare cases, where STEP declines to grant your exemption request, it may permit you to challenge the relevant STEP exam without first taking the relevant STEP course.
Apply For An Exemption
To request an exemption you must:
- Submit a formal application by completing and submitting the Exemption Application Form
- Submit proof of successful completion of a recognized course/credential (by providing an official transcript or letter of good standing), and
- Pay the exemption application fee of $150 plus applicable tax. The fee is non-refundable.
AND
If you are requesting an exemption for the completion of a law school course or for the completion of a course or the attainment of a credential not currently recognized by STEP Canada, you must also submit:
- A verified description of the course or credential claimed to be comparable, and
- A completed Course Comparison Form comparing the description to the comparable STEP course curriculum. Please select the applicable comparison form:
If you are given permission to challenge an exam, an exam sitting fee of $375 plus applicable tax will also be required.