Study flexibly, develop your skills, and build your professional profile while working to become chartered as a trade and transaction banking specialist.
Whatever stage you’re at in your career, studying our professional qualifications is the most flexible way to achieve chartered status. You may even discover that you’re already on the way to achieving chartered status without even knowing.
Our professional qualifications allow you to fit your studies around work and other commitments – as well as to choose a route that suits your career and ambitions. To achieve chartered status, you will need to complete two stages:
Stage one: Diploma for Qualified Trade Finance Specialists (QTFS)
Stage two: Professional Experiential Route
Whilst studying for both stages, you will automatically become a Member of LIBF – giving you access to our professional networking events and careers support.
Stage one: Diploma for Qualified Trade Finance Specialists (QTFS)
Stage one focuses on trade finance but allows you to tailor it to suit your interests and goals. Choose a minimum of three from our trade finance and transaction banking qualifications, as follows:
Level 3 Certificate in International Trade and Finance (CITF) or Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Payments (CertPAY)
Level 4 Certificate for Documentary Credit Specialists (CDCS) or Level 4 Certificate for Specialist in Demand Guarantees (CSDG)
Level 4 Certificate in Trade Finance Compliance (CTFC) or Level 4 Certificate in Supply Chain Finance (CSCF).
Or, if you prefer, you can choose three of the Level 4 certificates.
After stage one you will:
be awarded QTFS at no extra cost
receive instant online acceptance subject to eligibility
receive a bespoke downloadable Diploma
have your credentials stored in our online QTFS Registry, in addition to the individual Registries for CDCS, CSDG, CTFC and CSCF.
Stage two: Professional Experiential Route
The second stage can be completed in 12 months, although it’s possible to do it in as little as three months. However long you take, your tutor will support you every step of the way. You’ll choose the topics that interest you and focus on your own specialisms.
If successful, you’ll choose four topics that interest you:
one based on strategic issues taken from our Level 6 Strategic Management & Innovation in Banking qualification, and
three more that focus on your specialisms.
With your tutor, you'll be able to break down the work into manageable chunks and create a schedule that suits you.
Over the PER process, you’ll:
choose, then analyse, key moments in your career
reflect on what you’ve learnt in your working life
demonstrate your skills and technical knowledge, and
submit four pieces of coursework.
You'll submit four written reflective pieces based on a professional workplace experience and the chosen theme or topic. You’ll also get feedback after each submission so that you become progressively more familiar with – and better able to complete – the tasks ahead of you.
Ready to apply?
If you have completed both stages, and have three years of professional experience, you are ready to apply.
Application form
Do you have an enquiry?
If you’d like to talk to someone about your eligibility for chartered status, please get in touch with us.
Contact us
Membership
When studying one of our qualifications, you will automatically become a Member of LIBF. Our membership services will support your studies and give you access to benefits such as our professional networking events and careers support.
Find out more
Questions about our professional qualifications?
If you have any questions about our professional qualifications in finance and banking, please contact our customer services team.
Our professional qualification customer services office is open:
Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm UK time.
