Depending on the grade, existing education and training may be accepted in lieu of that provided by the Institute as long as the majority of the content is covered. Applicants seeking professional membership are advised to begin the process by requesting approval or accreditation of existing qualifications or applying for the relevant Institute training directly.

There are no membership dues for Institute membership. However, in addition to tuition costs (if required) the following charges may be made in the course of registration:

  • Vetting: If the candidate does not already hold a security clearance, they may be required to reimburse the Institute for expenses incurred in conducting security vetting on behalf of the candidate. As the total costs for higher level security vetting can be considerable the Institute has placed a cap on charges to the candidate of no more than €500.
  • Accreditation for Prior Learning (APL): If the candidate seeks credit transfer or exemptions from required training and education, or requires that qualifications are validated, an academic board must be convened at a cost of €125 per session. A single session is designed to resolve these issues for a single candidate. If the candidate chooses to present additional material after the panel has passed its verdict, a second session must be convened.
  • Audit Fees: The Institute tries to conduct audits using video conferencing and secure e-mail to prevent incurring travel, accommodation, sustenance and other administrative expenses resulting from the deployment of external auditors. However, for complex issues such as corporate registration or the investigation of complaints this may be unavoidable. If required, the vast majority of external audits are concluded in a few days for as little as €350 and no more than €650.
  • Examination Fee: The general or human-domain specialist exams carry an assessment fee of €175.
  • Re-issuance Fees: Providing a candidate with physical copies of certificates and corresponding documentation is charged at 15¢ per page for documents and €10 per certificate. Each set is provided in a presentation folder and delivered by post at an additional cost of €10 + postage.

Hardship Fund

In 2019 the Institute introduced a scholarship programme for candidates earning less than the living wage. The living wage varies considerably depending on the state, from as little as €450 a month in countries with low living costs to just over €2000 per month in countries with the highest living costs in Europe. If a candidate can demonstrate that they lack the resources to pursue registration and have an income lower than their national living wage, they are eligible to receive hardship funding.

The hardship fund covers between 20% and 80% of tuition costs depending on how low the national living wage is in the candidate’s country of residence. It also covers all additional charges such as APL, exam fees, vetting, etc. It does not cover accommodation, travel, or optional course elements such as OTAs, extra certificates or examination resits. The terms of scholarship also require that candidates pursue the most economic course of study in the interests of the fund.

The hardship fund is limited and is dependent upon the Institute attracting sufficient investment to resource it. Typically only one or two candidates a year are beneficiaries of the fund, and in periods of high demand candidates may be screened on the strength of their application and asked to defer to future enrolments.