Frequently asked questions
Our eligibility criteria requires candidates to meet our academic criteria by holding a level 6 qualification such as a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Once you have met these criteria, our standard route to Membership is via the Professional Review. If your qualification is related to the built environment, you will need to have a minimum of 3 years of professional experience to progress or 5 years of professional experience if your qualification is not related to the built environment. If you hold an alternative qualification, or do not meet our experience requirements, take a look at our routes to membership or contact us for further information. If you are currently studying, you can join us as a student member.
Not necessarily – if your degree is not related to the built environment (known as non-cognate), then you can still join us as an Applicant member, but you will need a minimum of 5 years of professional experience within the built environment to undertake the Professional Review. If you have less than this, then after becoming an Applicant, you can undertake the Professional Development Programme instead.
We recognise that there are many people in the sector who have gained the relevant knowledge and management skills for CIOB membership, without full academic qualifications. If you fall into this category, you can instead follow a structured programme designed to help experienced construction professionals demonstrate their competence in order to gain full Chartered status. The programme combines elements of study too, to help candidates develop a strong understanding of the principles of construction management. For more information, click here
As part of the application process, you will need to upload a copy of your qualification certificate and a copy of your latest CV or Resume. If you are applying as a member of a Professional Body, you will also need to upload a copy of your membership certificate. If you do not have a copy of your certificate, then you must supply a letter from your awarding body confirming the details of your award before we can assess your application. If you have more than one qualification, then you can add additional documents during the application process.
Not directly. You must either hold a non-chartered grade of membership (such as the discontinued ICIOB or ACIOB) or join us as an Applicant (non-chartered) member first, and then undertake the Professional Review.
Once you have submitted your application for Applicant membership and paid the appropriate fees, your application will be assessed and verified, usually within 14 working days, and informed of the result. You will be admitted to Applicant membership or, if you are not eligible, we will provide you with advice and guidance on your next steps.
This is an assessment submitted to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and experience in the key areas of occupational, managerial and professional competence. You will be required to submit a written form, which will be assessed and you will be informed of the result.
To undertake the Professional review, you must first be in a non-chartered grade of membership – either as an Applicant, or an existing Associate or Incorporate member. Once you have been confirmed as eligible, you will then be approved to submit your Professional Review. If you are not sure if you are eligible, then you can contact our Customer Service team here for further information.
There are three Professional Review routes:
- Industry – this is the most common route – designed for those applying with a Level 6 qualification such as a degree-level qualification, a CMP Examination Pass or an NVQ 6 or SVQ 9 award.
- NVQ 7 – this route is only for those holding an NVQ7 or SVQ 11. To undertake this route, your award must have been awarded less than 3 years ago and your assessor must have been Chartered with the CIOB. If neither of these are applicable, then you will need to undertake the Industry Professional Review.
- Academic – this tailored route is for those who are lecturers, teachers or researchers within the built environment, who do not have direct experience of working on site, or who no longer do so.
Provided you are a current and full Chartered Member, you may use the designation MCIOB (for Members) or FCIOB (for Fellows). Applicant and Student members are not entitled to use any designation until they reach Chartered Membership. Existing Associate and Incorporate Members may continue to use ACIOB or ICIOB respectively.
Our membership year runs from January to December, and all subscription payments are due on 1st January of each year. When you joined the CIOB, your fees would have included a part payment from the time you joined to December of that year. Members of all grades will be invited to renew their membership towards the end of each year.
From 2018, membership cards are no longer issued annually, and your current card will remain valid as long as you hold your membership grade.
Our Membership Regulations state that members who have lapsed must re-apply for Applicant membership and successfully complete the Professional Review process before they can be re-admitted back into membership. We recommend paying by Direct Debit to ensure that payment can be made for your subscription. You can download a mandate here - simply complete and send back to us for processing.
If you are a full MCIAT member, then you will receive a 25% discount on your annual CIOB membership as long as you hold MCIAT – however, this does not provide any exemption to your application and you must apply as normal. You will need to provide a copy of your certificate to be eligible for the discount.
The eligibility criteria for CEnv requires you to hold Chartered Membership with one of the approved licensed bodies before you can apply. You can find a full list of the bodies here. If you hold Chartered Member with us, you can submit an enquiry here for more information.
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