STEP Advanced Certificate in the Administration of Trusts (Northern Ireland)

This course aims to provide practitioners with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to deliver advice in Northern Ireland relating to administering trusts.

This Advanced Certificate can be taken as part of the STEP Diploma.

Course details

This course provides practitioners with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to deliver holistic advice in Northern Ireland relating to administering trusts. 

  • Gain in-depth expertise: Improve your technical knowledge of the issues arising in trust practice and the law and procedures involved.
  • Practical focus: Practical advice and guidance written by practitioners, for practitioners.
  • Build valuable connections: Network with like-minded professionals in varied roles and firms.
  • Industry recognition: A recognised ‘gold-standard’ professional qualification for those working in the industry. Successful completion provides 30 Diploma Level credits towards STEP membership, enhancing your professional standing, and is awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, a School of the University of Manchester.
Admin of trusts Step lock out logo

Register your interest

Students interested in enrolling onto this Advanced Certificate will need to complete a Contact Us form to register their interest and receive information on the next available dates. 

Prospective students registering their interest for this course will be informed by the course closing date whether the intake will be going ahead and invited to apply subject to meeting the entry requirements. 

STEP Advanced Certificate Set 1

Entry requirements

60 Entry Level credits which can be achieved through:

  • Completion of a STEP Certificate (30 credits)
  • Previous learning - confirmed through Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) application - 30 credits
  • Work experience - confirmed through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) - 30 credits

Note: You do not need to apply for APEL or APCL if you already have confirmed, or if you have studied for at least two STEP Certificates previously.

Become a member of STEP

This is a STEP course/qualification. STEP membership is required to study this course and must be maintained throughout the duration of your studies.

You will need 60 Entry Level credits and if you are not already, you will become an Affiliate member by enrolling on this course. STEP will contact you regarding membership 4-6 weeks after course enrolment.

Successful completion of the course will provide 30 Diploma Level credits as part of the STEP Qualification and Membership framework.

What will I learn?

  • The essential features of trusts
  • The classification of different types of trusts
  • The requirements for the creation of a valid trust
  • The rule against perpetuities
  • Fixed interest trusts, discretionary trusts, resulting trusts, constructive trusts and purpose trusts
  • The principles of the taxation of trusts
  • The role, duties and powers of a trustee
  • The general principles of liability and appropriate remedies and defences for breach
  • Variation of trusts and setting trusts aside
  • Drafting an effective trust deed
  • The STEP Standard Provisions (Northern Ireland)

Is this course right for me?

Students of this course typically include:

  • Legal and trust professionals
  • Support staff and paralegals
  • Accountants and banking professionals
  • Charity specialists
  • Tax advisers
  • Independent financial advisors
  • Executorship administrators

Course format

The programme is delivered online and will take four months to complete. We recommend that you spend four to six hours per week on private study for the four months prior to the examination.

The course is assessed by a five-hour open-book written examination comprising six, 20-mark questions, from which candidates must answer five and achieve at least 50% to pass.

Course dates

Any questions?