Becoming Chartered by the Institute
Chartered Scientist (CSci)
The designation Chartered Scientist (CSci) ensures high and improving standards across all scientific disciplines. Chartered Scientist reflects best practice in science and is set at a benchmark level throughout the profession. It is set apart from other designations by the fact holders need to revalidate by the submission of a CPD return every five years. To apply for Chartered Scientist through the Institute of Physics, candidates must already be, or qualify for Member status or be a member of an organisation with which the Institute has an agreement. Non-physicists working outside physics will be advised to contact their relevant professional body to make an application.
Navigate to the page you want:
- Guidance on supporters
- How long will the application take to process?
- How will CPD be monitored?
- How do I record my career development?
- Is your degree accredited?
- Unaccredited degree? You can still attain CSci.
- Contact the Contact the Institute's Professional Development Team
Guidance on supporters
Candidates for Chartered Scientist should nominate two supporters. Supporters must not be the candidate's line manager/supervisor and at least one must be from outside the candidate's organisation. Supporters must be Chartered Members or Fellows of an Institution and at least one must be a member of the Institute of Physics.
This document gives guidance on choosing your supporters.
All applicants are advised to search amongst their network of contacts and/or to attend local IOP Group and Branch meetings in order to nurture suitable relationships. You could also find yourself a mentor, who, over time, may get to know you well enough to provide support. We provide a mentor/mentee matching service to help with this. If you genuinely can not locate suitable supporters in their network the Professional Development team can nominate a supporter for you. However, this option is always closely scrutinised and queried by the assessing panel.
How long will the application take to process?
Receipt of your application will be acknowledged within three weeks by the Institute's Chartership Officer. Your supporters will be written to within another 2 weeks and asked to respond within a month. As long as your supporters' comments are received back within this time period, the assessment of the application can begin. This stage can take up to six weeks. You will then be notified of the Institute's decision.
CSci status includes a commitment to maintain CPD records and have these monitored every 5 years. Our current policy on CPD monitoring can be found here as a pdf file.
Have a look at our register of accredited courses and find out whether your degree is accredited or not. Candidates with an unaccredited degree will need to follow the non-standard route. Degrees that are more than ten years old do not need to be accredited.
Unaccredited degree? You can still attain CSci.
The benchmark route to CSci is an accredited degree plus work experience. The Institute of Physics is able to take candidates with unaccredited degrees to CSci status. At the time of application a transcript of your degree contents must also be submitted. This transcript will then be assessed against the 'core of physics' - the topics we look for in accredited degrees. The assessors will then either accept your degree or, if there is still doubt over the quality of it, may invite you to the Institute for an interview.
Please note that only degrees that contain 50% physics or more can be assessed in this way. Candidates without a 50% physics degree should contact a professional body relevant to their degree topic to make an application for CSci.
Professional Standards Procedures
Click here to access the procedures for the professional standards activities. These include interview proformas and guidance for interviewers and panel members.
Please email cpd@iop.org or call 020 7470 4800 for further guidance or to talk to somebody about getting chartered.
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