What is an approved centre?

As an approved centre for CIH qualifications, you can deliver qualification programmes designed by the CIH awarding organisation to the housing and property management sectors.

For each qualification, we set the specification, and the learning outcomes of the units and externally quality assures all courses. They can be offered on a part-time, full-time, blended learning or block release study basis or via online learning.

Approved centres are responsible for:

• Developing the supporting teaching materials
• Assignments
• Co-ordinating the student studies
• Teaching the course
• Managing the internal quality assurance and internal verification
• Market the programme
• Administer the CIH learner registration fees

When you can provide evidence that you are capable of delivering the qualifications you wish to offer, approval will be granted. To meet the CIH awarding organisation requirements, you must have the facilities, resources, quality systems and qualified personnel.

Some fees are associated with becoming an approved centre and delivering CIH qualifications for the housing and property management sectors, including centre fees and learner registration fees. The fees outlined below are valid from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. 

Centre fees

As well to an initial fee at the time of approval, an annual fee to maintain CIH approved centre status applies. Services provided in return for these fees include: support to gain approval to deliver a new qualification or unit, administrative support and centre visits from an external quality assurer.

Learner registration fees

Centres will be charged a non-refundable fee for each learner they register with CIH for a qualification or unit/s. An e-certificate is provided for every learner achieving qualification as part of the standard qualification fee. If the learner requires a printed certificate, an additional fee is chargeable.

Awarding organisation fee rules and assumptions

• Centres will register learners on the most appropriate learning aim (qualification or combination of units)
• Registration fees are non-refundable
• If a learner defers and returns to learning within a year, the centre will not be invoiced again, provided the learner is still aiming to complete the original learning aim (qualification or combination of units) that they are registered against

As the professional body for people who work in housing, CIH is asked to validate or approve university courses which lead to chartered status (CIHCM). We work with organisations to validate and support programmes which positively contribute to the mission and values of the institute. Any application must demonstrate the benefit to staff undertaking a programme and its contribution to the wider housing profession. We currently have 23 centres in the UK and 19 international centres (mainly in Hong Kong and China).