FAQs

Use the links below to find frequently asked questions on all aspects of the application process.

Academic requirement
Training and experience requirement
Responsibility requirement
Referees
Report Verification
Competence and Commitment report
Application process

Academic requirement

Q What is an accredited qualification?

A: IChemE accredits close to 200 undergraduate courses in universities across the world. An accreditation team will visit a university and assess the content of an undergraduate course to ensure that by completing that course, a candidate will meet the academic benchmark required to achieve Chartered Chemical Engineer status.

Q: How can I find out if my degree is accredited by IChemE?

A: Click here to check if your degree is accredited for chartership through IChemE.

Q: My degree has been verified by UK Naric. Does this mean I meet IChemE's education requirement?

A: No. IChemE does not have a reciprocal agreement with UK Naric and needs to carry out its own assessment of academic qualifications in order to advise on your eligibility for chartership.

Q: I have a degree accredited at BEng level. Can I become a Chartered Chemical Engineer?

A: Yes. However, you will first need to formally demonstrate that you have bridged the gap between Batchelors and Masters via our Further Learning to Masters programme (FLTM). You can do this either through further academic study or gaining experience in the work place additional to your experience for chartership. For more information contact IChemE’s membership department

Q How do I fulfil the Further Learning to Masters Requirement (FLTM)?

A: This can be completed through further study on an accredited Masters programme or in the work place:
Further study: IChemE has, to date, accredited close to twenty UK Masters programmes which meet the FLTM requirement. Please contact IChemE’s membership department for more details about these programmes.

In the workplace: it is anticipated that you will need to gain between twelve and eighteen months training and experience as an equivalent to one year’s academic study. This experience should then be submitted as a report (you’ll need to provide an initial synopsis to be approved by IChemE first). For more information please contact IChemE’s membership department.

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Training and experience requirements

Q How much training and experience do I need to make an application for chartership?

A: It is likely that you will have a minimum of four to six years working in a professional environment where you are applying your chemical engineering or scientific knowledge to practical situations. Please view the FAQs below for more information.

Q: I am now a manager and have moved away from hands-on chemical engineering. Will this experience be considered relevant as training and experience for chartership?

A: Yes. If you are currently managing younger chemical engineers, it is understood that in order to do your job you will have an inherent understanding of chemical engineering or scientific principles and their practical application. Even if you are not directly involved in hands-on technical work but are guiding others in this role, your experience and skills will be considered as relevant.

Q: I am an academic. Will my experience be considered relevant as training and experience for chartership?

A: Yes. Any post-doctorate research or teaching in the area of chemical engineering will be relevant to your application. Also, in our experience and in the majority of cases, you can use up to one year from a completed PhD as relevant training and experience for chartership.

Q EngDoc: I am currently doing / have completed an EngDoc. Will this work be considered relevant as training and experience for chartership?

A: Yes. As a general rule you can use the practical aspects of your EngDoc where you are working in or with industry as valid training and experience for chartership. However the academic aspects of your EngDoc are not likely to be considered.

Q PhD: I am currently doing / have completed a PhD. Will this work be considered relevant as training and experience for chartership?

A: Yes. As a general rule you can use the practical aspects of your PhD especially where you are working in or with industry as valid training and experience for chartership. However the academic aspects of your PhD are not likely to be considered. In our experience and in the majority of cases, you can use up to one year from a completed PhD as relevant training and experience for chartership.

Q Industrial Placement: can I use an industrial placement that was part of a university course towards the training and experience requirement for chartership?

A: Yes, providing you completed a full one-year placement during your undergraduate studies.

Q I completed two six-month placements as part of a university course, can I use these as part of the training and experience requirement for chartership?

A: Yes.Two six-month placements are considered equivalent to a one year industrial placement.

Q MSc: will my MSc be considered as part of the training and experience requirement for chartership?

A: No. The academic benchmark for chartership is set at Masters level. Therefore an MSc will be considered part of meeting the academic requirement rather than part of your training and experience.

Q Summer Placement: I completed some short summer placements as an undergraduate. Will this work be considered relevant as training and experience for chartership?

1. If you have completed a one-year industrial placement as part of your degree
2. If you have completed a degree as a mature student whilst in full time employment, elements of your pre-graduation experience may be at the right level of responsibility.

Q Year in Industry (completed before university): can I use a Year in Industry placement as part of the training and experience requirement for chartership?

A: No. There are only two cases where pre-graduate experience may be considered to be at the right level of responsibility and complexity:

1. If you have completed a one-year industrial placement as part of your degree
2. If you have completed a degree as a mature student whilst in full time employment, elements of your pre-graduation experience may be at the right level of responsibility.

A: Yes, providing you were working at the level of responsibility required for chartership. Click here to view more information about the responsibility level required.

Q Is it compulsory to have a mentor in order to apply for chartership?

A: No, it is not an essential requirement. However, we do recommend you consult with a Chartered Chemical Engineer who is familiar with the application process before you submit your report. A mentor may be able to give you feedback which strengthens your application.

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Responsibility requirement

Q: What is the right level of responsibility for chartership?

Q: Do I have to be leading a team of engineers to become chartered?

A: No. You can demonstrate that you are working at the level of responsibility required in ways other than leading a team, e.g. taking ownership of your projects, being pro-active and taking the initiative before you are asked to do something, etc..

Q: Do I have to be working at the required level of responsibility in all the examples I cite in my Competence & Commitment report?

A: No. We appreciate that as a new graduate, you may not have a great level of responsibility to start with. However it is likely, and desirable, that a minimum of two years before you start to make your application for chartership, you will be in a role where you are demonstrating leadership, whether this is working pro-actively, taking a lead on a small project or in a position where other professionals rely on your technical skill and judgment.

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Referees

Q: What if I can't find Corporate IChemE Member referees?

A: Be certain none of your colleagues are Chartered Chemical Engineers:

Could you send an email asking if any colleagues are Chartered through IChemE? Could you check with your HR department to see if any Chartered Chemical Engineers are working in your company? Are you in touch with past colleagues who could act as referees once you have updated them on your more recent experience?

If you have no success, please nominate two other professionals in an appropriate position to support your application.

NB: IChemE will still have to find additional Corporate IChemE Members to fulfil our By-Law requirement. It is likely we will ask your interviewers to double up as referees, providing they are happy to do so.

Q: Can my referee also verify my Competence and Commitment report?

A: Yes, but remember that your verifier does not have to be a chemical engineer or member of IChemE, whereas your 2 referees must be Corporate Members of IChemE.

Q: Do I have to name a third referee?

A: No. Providing a third referee is optional. However, you can name a third referee if you feel they can add additional information in support of your application.

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Report Verification

Q: Who can act as my verifier?

Q Does my verifier have to be an IChemE member?

Q: Can my verifier also be my referee?

A: Yes, but remember that your verifier does not have to be a chemical engineer or member of IChemE, whereas your 2 referees must be Corporate Members of IChemE.

Q: How should my verifier go about attesting my Competence & Commitment report?

A: If you have one verifier who can vouch for all of the training and experience cited in your report, they only need to sign at the end of report. If you have more than one verifier for different parts of your career, your verifiers should initial the sections they are attesting and also each sign at the end of the report.

Q: Can I have more than one verifier?

A: Yes. Each example you give in the report should be signed off by someone responsible for you at the time you gained that particular experience. It may be that you have a number of different verifiers if you have moved around or just one if you have worked at the same company since graduating. If it is not possible for any reason to verify each section of your report, get as much as you can signed off and send a covering letter with your application to explain your situation.

Q: What if I can't contact previous supervisors to verify parts of my report?

A: If a potential verifier is responsible for verifying more than 20% of your Competence & Commitment report and they no are longer contactable, please include a covering letter with your application to inform us of the reason why, e.g. if they have retired, moved on etc

Q: Does IChemE accept email verification?

A: Yes. If a potential verifier is based overseas, we will accept email verification instead of an original signature. Click here to download the relevant form.

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Competence and Commitment report

Q: How long should my report be?

A: The Competence and Commitment report should be between 2000 and 2500 words long (not including the wording already on Form C). You should aim to write between 100 and 200 words under each subject heading.

Will I be penalized if I go over the word limit?

A: No. IChemE will accept reports that go up to 20% over the 2500 word limit.

Q: What if I have moved away from hands-on chemical engineering and now work in a related field?

A: Yes, you can still apply for chartership.Section A is the only section of the Competence & Commitment report which specifically requires eveidence of your application of technical chemical engineering knowledge. This section forms the heart of the report and should be completed in as much depth as possible.

However, you can draw on experience gained at the beginning of a long career if you have moved away from hands-on engineering.

We anticipate engineers will generally achieve chartership between the age of 25 and 30, though the Competence & Commitment report is broad enough that it is also readily accessible for more experienced engineers.

If you are currently managing younger chemical engineers, it is understood that you will have an inherent understanding of the technical aspects of their roles, even though you might not be directly involved in that technical work yourself. As such, this managerial experience would be considered relevant.

Q Do I have to complete the sections marked “Other”?

A: No. It is not compulsory to complete the sections entitled “Other”. However if you have any further information you would like to add that doesn’t naturally fit in the main sections of the report, e.g. listing academic publications, courses attended etc, you can enter the details here.

Q Can I refer to the same project twice?

A: Yes. If you have worked on a large project you can refer to different competencies covered within that project, e.g. health and safety aspects, optimisation and leadership etc.

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Application Process

Q How long does the application take?

A: On average, three to four months. We aim to assess your report, write to your assessors and identify two interviewers to conduct your peer review interview within this time. Your completed application is then considered for election to Chartered Engineer at the next available membership committee meeting.

Q When do the membership committee meetings take place?

A: Membership committee meetings take place every two months, e.g., January, March, May, July, September and November.

Q How can I download the application pack?

A: Click here to download the forms you will need to apply

Q What is the cost of applying?

A: Please click here to view fees calculators which show current application fees, according to whether you will apply through our Australian, Malaysian or UK office.

Q Will I get feedback on each individual aspect of the application, e.g. report assessment, interview etc?

A: No. The only feedback you will get is the decision as to whether or not you have been elected as a Chartered Chemical Engineer.

Q When and how will I find out if my application for chartership has been successful?

A: IChemE's membership department aim to inform all candidates who have had their application considered at a membership committee meeting, via email, within two days of that meeting.

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