The Diploma route to STEP membership

The STEP Diploma for Canada route to full STEP membership is intended for candidates who work or aspire to work in the trusts and estates industry in Canada. You join STEP as a student member, then upon earning the STEP Diploma for Canada and satisfying the other membership criteria, will qualify for admission as a full member of the Society.

There are many benefits to membership in the Society. As a student member you will receive all of these benefits other than the right to use the designation Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) after your name. You will receive this when you upgrade to full membership.


Enrolling as a Student Member

To become a student member of the Society under the Diploma route, you must currently work or aspire to work in the Canadian trust and estate industry. While most of our students already have a professional qualification, it is not required for enrolment in the Diploma program.

In order to enrol in a Diploma course you must be registered as a student member of STEP. The student member registration form will also allow you to register for Diploma courses. You can then click on the Student Registration link in the menu on the left.


The STEP Diploma for Canada

The STEP Diploma for Canada program has been designed to reflect the diverse knowledge set of the trust and estate industry. There are many professions involved in the planning, creation and management of trusts and estates; each one brings its own expertise to a client. That is why the Diploma has been developed to recognize your knowledge and enhance it.

The four courses that make up the STEP Diploma are:

1. Law of Trusts
2. Taxation of Trusts & Estates
3. Wills, Trust & Estate Administration
4. Trust & Estate Planning

These courses have been written by senior professionals in the industry to ensure the highest quality of content, and relevance to everyday trust and estate situations. The first course, Law of Trusts, provides the core learning required by every trust and estate practitioner, while the three following courses cover the practical application of this theory to the subject matter at hand. When you complete the Diploma you will have the knowledge required of a specialist in the field.

To read more about the Diploma program and FOR FULL COURSE DETAILS, including costs, click here. To learn more about COURSE EXAMS, click here.


What happens after I complete the Diploma?

Upon completion of the Diploma you will receive the STEP Diploma for Canada (Trusts & Estates). When you have at least two years practical experience in trusts and/or estate matters, with significant involvement of your work in these areas, you will be able to upgrade to full membership and to use the designation TEP after your name. If you complete the Diploma before meeting these other tests, you will become an “Associate Member” of the Society in the interim. For a full explanation of these requirements, see 'Full Membership' at Joining STEP.


Are you interested in alternatives to the STEP Diploma for Canada?

If you are a practitioner in the trust and estate field with a professional qualification and have at least two years work experience you will also qualify for admission via the Qualified Practitioner Route. This is an essay route to full membership.

Senior practitioners also may qualify for the Invitation Route.