The experiential routes to CIH chartered membership: Your questions answered

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already a CIH member. But perhaps you’re thinking of becoming a chartered member and don’t need to go down the qualification route?

If that’s you, read on. 

What does it mean to be a chartered member? 

By becoming a chartered member of CIH, you are demonstrating your commitment to the profession and to the sector. You are showing you are an experienced professional who possesses a sound understanding of the sector and how it operates, and that you are committed to progress with your own professional development in your career. 

It’s a badge of honour that indicates you are serious about becoming the best housing professional you can be. 

What are the experiential routes to chartered membership? 

The experiential routes to chartered membership are a pathway other than a qualification for experienced housing professionals to upgrade their CIH membership. They encompass both the ‘experienced professional’ route and the ‘executive’ route. 

Which route is right for me? 

Experienced professional 

Eligibility for the experienced professional route takes different forms. This is the route for you if you meet one of the following criteria: 

1. You have worked in a housing association or the residential built environment for five years or more, including two years at management level, and have a degree-level qualification in a housing-related field (or you have a CIH Level 4 qualification)
2. You have worked in a housing association or the residential built environment for three years or more and are a fully qualified member of another professional housing body
3. You have more than five years of continuous experience working at management level. 

Those who work in academia can also access the programme, providing they can evidence a practical understanding or experience of housing. 

The route itself involves completing units on our learning platform, Moodle; an assignment; and a professional interview. 

Read the full details

Executive 

The executive route is for you if you are a chief executive, director or professional partner working in a housing organisation or the residential built environment. To qualify, you will need to submit a statement detailing your experience and practice at a strategic level and how you influence policy and practice agendas locally, regionally and nationally against the criteria for chartered membership. 

Read the full details 

Why should I take the experiential routes? 

The experiential routes to chartered membership is an attractive option for those who do not need a Level 4 or Level 5 qualification for their roles. These are fast-track routes that will help you achieve your professional development goals. 

By becoming a chartered member, you are further developing your career and widening the door to further progression – whether that’s within your current organisation or elsewhere – and demonstrating the breadth of your housing expertise, your contribution to the sector, and your commitment to the highest professional and ethical standards. 

What are other ways of achieving chartered status if I need a qualification? 

Completion of a Level 5 Diploma in Housing – including the additional ‘professional practice skills for housing’ unit – will also make you eligible for CIH chartered membership. 

Read the full details 

What comes next? 

If you consider yourself to be a highly experienced professional who has made a significant contribution to the housing profession and want to achieve the most senior membership grade offered by CIH, you might want to consider becoming a CIH fellow.

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