Student Experience

What to Expect

Algonquin College is proud to provide a diverse and dynamic student experience. Check out the highlights below to get a sense of what to expect as a student in the Financial Services – Canadian Context program.

Success Stories and Testimonials

Changemaker award students

two of the 9 student award winners

On June 3,The Board of Governors’ Student Changemaker Award was given to nine students from the Financial Services—Canadian Context program. In collaboration with the Canada Revenue Agency, these students spearheaded the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, where they helped 149 fellow Algonquin College students. Their practical knowledge, dedication, and commitment to the financial well-being of their peers truly embodied the spirit of a Changemaker.

 


Work-Integrated Learning

Annual Student-led Tax Workshops
Student-led Tax Workshops provide valuable work-integrated learning opportunities for Financial Services students while helping students on campus secure the best possible tax return.

In its inaugural year, the sessions helped 149 students with their 2023 taxes. The workshop helped students file tax returns, resulting in significant savings, including $63,984.00 in HST rebates and $29,025.00 in Climate Action Incentives collectively.

During the program
You will develop a professional competencies portfolio to document marketable skills. The fourth semester of the program focuses on experiential learning within a variety of real-world scenarios.

Through experiential and simulated workplace learning, you develop financial advising strategies to facilitate clients’ short- and long-term financial goals. These topics include:

  • saving and borrowing for major purchases
  • postsecondary education and retirement planning
  • insurance for wealth protection
  • investing for diversification, growth and tax efficiency
  • estate planning for succession and wealth transfer

Industry-connected faculty
Learn from a roster of highly qualified professors, most of whom hold the CFP designation and have extensive experience in financial planning, who share their knowledge, expertise, and passion for the industry with students—the future generation of financial planners and advisors.

Set yourself apart from the competition
The program provides pathways to the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) through the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), as well as multiple financial planning designations, including the prestigious Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation through FP Canada and the Chartered Financial Planner (CFP) designation through CIFP, upon completion of additional requirements and exams.