Membership FAQs

Introduction

Please note there are no deadlines to apply for a Student, Graduate, Environmental Partner or MCIWEM membership.

Please find a list below of the application schedule for applying for Chartership and Fellowship. Once you submit your application, it will be reviewed and if successful you will be invited for a virtual interview around 6-8 weeks later. Please note a PRI is not required for FCIWEM.

2025 (Please note dates for PRI dates are subject to change)

07 August 2025 - Application deadline

w/c 18 August / 25 August / 01 September - Professional Review Interviews (June application deadline)

16 September 2025 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

09 October 2025 - Application deadline

w/c 20 October / 27 October / 03 November 2025 - Professional Review Interviews (August application deadline)

11 November 2025 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

27 November 2025 - Application deadline (final application deadline of 2025)

w/c 08 December / 15 December 2025 and w/c 12 Jan 2026 - Professional Review Interviews- Professional Review Interviews (October application deadline)

2026 (Please note dates for PRI dates are subject to change)

27 January 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

12 February 2026 - Application deadline

w/c 23 February / 02 March / 09 March 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (November application deadline)

24 March 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

09 April 2026 - Application deadline

w/c 20 April / 27 April / 04 May 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (February application deadline)

19 May 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

11 June 2026 - Application deadline

w/c 22 June / 29 June / 07 July 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (April application deadline)

28 July 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

06 August 2026 - Application deadline

w/c 24 August / 31 August / 07 September 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (June application deadline)

15 September 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

06 October 2026 - Application deadline

w/c 19 October / 26 October / 02 November 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (August application deadline)

17 November 2026 - Professional Standards Committee Meeting

01 December 2026- Application deadline (final application deadline of 2026)

w/c 07 December / 15 December 2026 - Professional Review Interviews (October application deadline)

You are not required to have any sponsors if you are applying for an Apprentice, Student or Graduate membership.

If you are applying for an TechCIWEM, MCIWEM or C.WEM membership, then you are required to submit two sponsorship letters and if you are applying for a Fellow (FCIWEM) membership then you are required to submit three sponsorship letters.

When applying for additional registrations (CEng, CEnv, CSci) you are required to have two sponsors and we request that at least one of the sponsors has the same professional registration that you are applying for.

Please note sponsors letters are valid for 6 months, if you are requested to resubmit your application an updated sponsor letter may be required.

Your sponsors are required to have a professional relationship with you, this could be your university teacher, line manager or a colleague. You should not be related to your sponsor.

If you are applying for an MCIWEM membership and do not know anybody that could sponsor you that is a CIWEM member, then it is acceptable to use sponsors whom are chartered with other professional bodies.

If you are applying for a C.WEM, Fellow or other additional registrations then we require that one sponsor is chartered with CIWEM. We request that at least one of the sponsors has the same professional registration that you are applying for.

Our Mentor Platform is open to all active members (with the exception of Student and Apprentice members) and can be used to find a suitable sponsors to support your application.

If you are still struggling to find sponsors, please get in touch with the membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org.

You are not required to attend a PRI if you are applying for a Student, Graduate, Technician or MCIWEM membership.

If you are applying for a Chartered (C.WEM) or Fellow (FCIWEM) membership, you will need to attend a Professional Review Interview. If you are applying for additional registrations (CEng, CEnv, CSci) then you will need to attend a PRI, however if you are applying at the same time as an C.WEM or FCIWEM application then you will only need to attend one PRI.

Further information on the PRI can be found here.

If you are a chartered member of CIWEM, providing you have a Master’s degree, you also have the opportunity to register for additional professional registrations, which can be done separately or in the same application. Please note that the application deadlines apply to additional registrations also.

If you are not currently a chartered member and wish to apply for an external registration, then we require you to apply for C.WEM as well, which can be done in the same application.

Please find more information about how to apply for additional registrations here.

We recognise that sometimes our members will want to take a career break. This may be to go on a sabbatical, do some travelling or to take maternity or paternity leave.

We see such a break as a rich learning experience and an opportunity to grow as a professional. We are here to support you during such a period so that when you are ready to return, you feel comfortable and have realised opportunities such that you, your future employers and your profession can gain from your experience.

For those of you that are professionally registered or seeking registration you will need to maintain a level of Continuing Professional Development. For those seeking registration your break may provide the perfect opportunity to complete your professional registration application and sit your review.

Here are just some of the ways that we can support you. Everyone is different so please do get in contact with us and we will help you plan for a really great career break.

• Facilitating mentor support.
• Keeping in touch with the profession and world affairs with our publications, E-news and web content.
• Maintain CPD events, publications and training courses.
• Support with preparing your submission for registration.
• Maintain your professional network at events and through branch, board, committee and technical panels.
• Support with professional fees if you are facing unavoidable financial challenges.
• Managing your mandatory requirements for CPD.

Please get in touch with us at (0)20 7831 3110 or email membership@ciwem.org to find out more about how we can support you during your break from work.

If you have a Student or Apprentice membership, then you will receive online access to the monthly ‘The Environment’ magazine. This can be accessed electronically via your MyCIWEM under the My Publications menu.

All other membership grades will receive four print editions of ‘The Environment’ monthly magazine, this alongside the Water and Environment Journal can also be accessed digitally through MyCIWEM.

As a CIWEM member you may be eligible to apply for a CSCS card to prove professional status whilst on site. These cards are increasingly demanded as proof of occupational competence by contractors, public and private clients and others. See below to find out which card you can apply for:

The Professionally Qualified Person Card (PQP)

• You must hold C.WEM or ACIWEM
• Pass the CITB Managers and Professionals Health, Safety and Environment Test

The Academically Qualified Person Card (AQP)

• You must hold MCIWEM, Technician or Graduate Membership
• Pass the CITB Managers and Professionals Health, Safety and Environment Test

The Trainee Card

• You must hold Student or Apprentice Membership
• Pass the Operative level CITB Health, Safety and Environment test (within the last 2 years)

You can apply for your card over the phone by calling 0344 99 44 777. You will need to email evidence of your professional membership to cscs@citb.co.uk prior to calling.

The EU Directive on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ) was established in order to make it easier for EU/EEA countries to recognise each other’s professional qualifications. From 1 January, 2021 this legislation will no longer apply to the UK. UK professionals seeking recognition in EU/EEA countries will now be treated as third country nationals and recognition will be based on the applicable rules of each individual EU/EEA country. The scope of regulation and details of activities which may require registration can found in the EU Single Market Regulated Professions Database. In most EU/EEA countries, registration is not compulsory in order to work as an engineer and we have no reason to believe that applications for recognition will be refused.

Previous recognition decisions concerning UK professionals, that were made when the UK was a member of the EU, continue to be valid. This means that engineers who, for example, were awarded an EU/EEA professional title before 1 January 2021 are still entitled to use that title.

For individuals with an EU/EEA/Swiss qualification, the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Amendment (EU Exit) Regulations (2019) came into effect from 1 January 2021 and provides a route for professionals seeking recognition in the UK.

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and the EU sets out a framework for future mutual recognition agreements to be negotiated between the UK and all EU Member States.

However, as no agreements have yet been implemented, the recognition of outbound UK professionals reverts to individual EEA/Swiss Member State rules from 1 January 2021. Information about the conditions for regulation in each EU Member state can be found in the EU Single Market Regulated Professions Database. Individuals should contact the relevant EU regulator for more information in the first instance.

Been away less than 3 years?

You can simply reinstate your membership at your previous grade by contacting our membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org. You will be required to pay the current annual subscription payment for your grade, please note for Engineering Council registrations fees are also payable for the period of absence.

If you were a Chartered member you must demonstrate you have maintained your continual professional development (CPD) throughout the period by completing your MyCIWEM CPD record, this will be reviewed by our Membership Team prior to reinstatement.

If you hold any external registrations our licensing bodies may require you to make payment of your annual subscriptions for the full period of your break, please contact our Membership Team for full details.

Been away for more than 3 years?

You will be required to resubmit your application via our online portal, during your break from CIWEM you may have gained the skills and knowledge to apply for a different membership grade, our Membership Team will be happy to provide guidance on the best grade for you.

You can find full details on reinstatement by grade here.

To transfer to a new grade, you will need to submit an online application through MyCIWEM for the grade you wish to transfer to, you can find the online application forms for all our membership grades here. If you are accepted and have already paid your membership fees for the year then there is an £55 transfer fee. If you have not paid your membership fees for the year then we require you to pay the full fee of the grade you are transferring to in addition to the transfer fee. Please note student members are required to pay the application fee of £155.00.

If you would like advice on which membership grade you are eligable to apply for then please contact the membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org.

Your membership subscription invoices and receipts can be found here, once you have logged into your account there is a link on the left hand side of the screen where you can view and download your payments under 'My Invoices'.

We offer discounts if you are experiencing financial hardship which includes taking a career break, for maternity and paternity reasons or unemployment. To be considered for these reductions, please contact the membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org to receive a reduced subscription application form.

Members from the following countries are eligible to pay a reduced fee for their membership. You can find a list of fees for each grade here.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan

Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso

Cameroon, China, Colombia, Congo (The Democratic Republic of the), Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire

Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia

Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Guyana

Haiti

India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic Of), Iraq

Jamaica, Jordan

Kenya, Kosovo

Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Liberia

Macedonia (The Former Yugoslav Republic of), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro

Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria

Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines

Romania, Rwanda

Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland

Tanzania (United Republic of), Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey

Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay

Venezuela, Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia, Zimbabwe

CIWEM members can claim tax relief on annual membership fees as an HMRC approved body, please note you cannot claim tax back:

• on fees or subscriptions you’ve paid to professional organisations not approved by HMRC.
• for life membership subscriptions.
• for fees or subscriptions you’ve not paid for yourself.

The full list of approved professional organisations can be viewed here.

MyCIWEM can be accessed here, if you have any issues accessing the website then please contact the membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org.

If you need to reset your MyCIWEM account password, please click on the 'Forgot password?' link and follow the instructions.

If you don't receive a password reset email from the system please contact our membership team on +44(0)207 831 3110 or by emailing membership@ciwem.org who will be happy to reset your log in credentials for you.