FAQs

To achieve Chartered Marketer status - the mark of a Professionally Certified Marketer you will first need to hold one of the following membership grades - Associate (ACIM), Member (MCIM) or Fellow (FCIM). Then complete two consecutive years of CPD, followed by an online assessment.

On completion of your second consecutive year, you will have access to the Chartered Marketer assessment, if you hold a CIM Level 7 qualification you will be exempt from this assessment stage.

The assessment is based on the Global Professional Marketing Framework and you will need to answer a series of multiple choice questions to complete the assessment. Once you have successfully completed the assessment, you will be awarded Chartered Marketer status.

More information on the CPD programme can be found here.

As an Affiliate member you can use the CPD programme to record your professional development activities and a digital certificate will be available via your CPD platform for a completed submission. However, to begin working towards Chartered Marketer status you will need Associate (ACIM), Member (MCIM) or Fellow (FCIM) membership.

As an Affiliate or Associate you can add details of your CPD activities onto the CPD platform, which is accessed directly from MyCIM by selecting ‘CPD’ on the Home page of MyCIM. You should be working towards an annual requirement of 35 credits and the online tool will calculate the credit value for each activity that you input. You can find a guide to the programme here showing what activities can be included. 

You will need to write four reflective statements based on your learning activities and these will need to relate to any part of the Global Professional Marketing Framework. These reflections need to be uploaded onto the CPD platform - which is accessed directly from MyCIM by selecting ‘CPD’ on the Home page of MyCIM. 

Your CPD year runs alongside your membership year, therefore the deadline to submit your CPD will always be the end of your renewal month. For example, if your renewal date is the 01 July 2025, you will have until the 31 July 2025 to submit any professional development activities you have undertaken between 01 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

You'll need to add your CPD activities via MyCIM by selecting ‘CPD’ found on the Home page of MyCIM.

Your CPD will be assessed the month following your submission deadline. 

Yes, all Chartered Marketers are required to submit their CPD record every year to retain the status. We will review a sample of these to verify relevance and completion. If you are selected in the sample and your records are not complete, you will be asked to resubmit and may be at risk of losing your Chartered Marketer status if you do not do so.

A CPD year break is available in certain circumstances, please check the policy here to see if this could apply and if appropriate complete the CPD Year Break Form and return to cpd@cim.co.uk along with supporting documentation.

Yes, if you have extenuating circumstances, for example, have been out of the country or an urgent work situation, then we can usually provide a short extension, typically one week. Please call us to discuss on +44 (0) 1628 427120 or email cpd@cim.co.uk.

The assessment consists of a bank of multiple-choice questions; you will need to answer 15-18, depending on the competencies chosen. Section one is based on core competencies. Once you complete this section, it will be saved, even if you exit the platform. You can then take a break or proceed directly to the technical competencies section. Upon successfully completing that section, you will receive confirmation on screen that the assessment has been passed. If you don’t successfully complete the second section, you will need to complete the assessment again from the start.

No specific preparation is required as the assessment will test general marketing knowledge. You may find it useful to complete the Skills Analysis test in your CPD platform to identify any knowledge gaps before attempting the assessment.

You can find information on all the qualifications/awards we offer here.

Next, you will need to decide how you wish to study: face-to-face, virtual, online or blended. You can find details of all our accredited study centres here and tailor your search according to your preference.

Our accredited study centres will assess your entry level and inform you of the cost, duration and scheduling of the course

We are unable to recommend any one centre from those we accredit, you can however ask the centres direct regarding their pass rates.

Assessment sessions are held seven times per year for online exams (Level 3, 4 and 6) and 3 times per year for assignments. Your tutor will advise you on your assessment schedule, which will be in line with your tuition.

You can find further information on the assessment dates in Important Dates located in your MyCIM account.

The availability will depend on the schedule of your studies so your tutor will be responsible for providing you with the brief at the correct time. Regrettably we are unable to provide assignment briefs directly to members.

The case study will be available to view/download online via your MyCIM area. The release date is approximately five weeks prior to the submission date.

Results are issued by email and available for current members to view online around 8 weeks after the exam window closes. Please refer to our important dates document for specific session result release dates.

Assessment results will not be released where there are assessment fees outstanding or a membership fee that was due at the time of booking (online assessments) or assignment submission.

A verification letter confirms an individual's membership status and/or qualifications completed. This can be requested by the candidate or a verification company. Verifications will be provided as a digital document unless specified otherwise.

How to Apply

  1. If you are applying as a candidate login to MyCIM and select request a document to submit your request. Please note, if your membership ceased over ten years ago, you will firstly need to create a MyCIM account using your registered email address.
  2. If you are applying as a company, please click here and fill in the relevant details. 

Please note third third-party requests must provide a copy of the candidate’s signed declaration authorising the release of their information.

Fees

A £40 fee per request applies for this service. If required urgently, we do offer an express service in which the verification letter will be sent within one working day of payment being received, at a charge of £75. Hard copies can be provided for an additional £10.

Please note: As per our privacy policy, qualification information, including assessment results, will be retained for 25 years. Membership information will be retained for a period of ten years from the last renewal date.

We understand that sometimes individuals are unable to sit their exam or submit their assignment as planned. In the first instance, please talk to your tutor, then depending on the timeframe and situation, you may be able to apply for either a free deferral, paid deferral or emergency deferral. You can find more information in your MyCIM account in the Deferral document and Important Dates.  

A digital certificate will be issued (via Credly) approximately 4 weeks after the results, see the Important Dates in MyCIM for details.

Qualification Transcript

A qualification transcript confirming completed modules and qualifications, with dates and grades, is available. These are commonly requested for purposes such as job or university applications. This service provides a digital and/or hard copy of the transcript.

How to apply

  1. If you have current membership or your membership ceased within the last two years, simply login to MyCIM and go to My Account > Transcript to access this.
  2. If your membership ceased more than two years ago and within the last 10 years, please login to MyCIM and use our request a document service to submit your request.
  3. If your membership ceased over ten years ago, you will need to create a MyCIM account using your registered email address. Once your account has been created, use our request a document service to submit your request.

Fees

Charges are from £40 (digital copy/standard service) per request (five working day turnaround). If your transcript is required urgently, we do offer an express service in which it will be sent within one working day of payment being received, at a charge of £75. Additional £10 if hard copy required.

 

Please note: As per our privacy policy, qualification information, including assessment results, will be retained for 25 years. Membership information will be retained for a period of ten years from the last renewal date.

Replacement certificates for individual modules and overall qualifications can be applied for. After an original official hard copy certificate has been issued, we may print a replacement; however, we are required to reflect this, and the word ‘replacement’ will be printed at the base of the certificate. Please be assured that this does not undermine the certificate’s credibility or value.

How to apply

  1. If you have current membership and your qualification was achieved within the last 10 years, login to MyCIM and select request a document to submit your request.
  2. If your qualification was achieved more than 10 years ago, you will firstly need to create a MyCIM account using your registered email address.

Fees 

A £50 fee per request applies for this service (ten working day turnaround). If required urgently, we do offer an express service in which the certificate will be posted within one working of payment being received, at a charge of £85. 

Please note: As per our privacy policy, qualification information, including assessment results, will be retained for 25 years. Membership information will be retained for a period of ten years from the last renewal date.

Members can find full details of our certification procedure policy online on MyCIM.

A WES-specific qualification transcript and/or certificate may be requested. This follows the WES submission guidelines and is sent to the required WES office. Your completed WES Academic Records Request Form must be provided so that this may be sent with the required document.

How to apply

Please apply via your MyCIM account, if you are a current member, or if you don't have a MyCIM login go to www.cim.co.uk and create an online account via the MyCIM link on the top right of the screen. Please remember to upload your WES Academic Records Request Form (this can be obtained directly from WES).

Fees

A £40 fee per request applies for this service. If your transcript or certificate is required urgently, we do offer an express service in which it will be sent within one working day of payment being received, at a charge of £75.

Please note: As per our privacy policy, qualification information, including assessment results, will be retained for 25 years. Membership information will be retained for a period of ten years from the last renewal date.

Bookings can be made in the following ways; online via your MyCIM account, by phone calling +44 (0)1628 427120, or by bank transfer by submitting a booking form via email to, examentry@cim.co.uk or post to Customer Experience, CIM, Moor Hall, Cookham, Berkshire, SL6 9QH, UK.

Some accredited study centres may send booking requests on behalf of their students - please check with your centre if this applies.

A late booking fee will apply for bookings made in the late booking period. For more information, see the Important Dates in MyCIM.

For further details, please see the Booking Assessments section in the Policies and forms area in MyCIM.

Please contact us at qualifications@cim.co.uk, or on +44(0)1628 427120, option 1 (Monday to Friday, 08:00/17:00 GMT) and we can send a receipt or invoice for your assessment booking, via email. 

Receipts/invoices can only be sent direct to the student, and not to third parties. 

Training courses for marketing professionals to build skills and confidence.

  • Over 90 courses covering a wide breadth of marketing topics
  • Three levels of learning: Introductory, Advanced and Masterclass
  • Small classes of no more than 15 people
  • Taught by quality assured, subject matter experts

View all courses

Please contact our Training team by email training@cim.co.uk or phone +44 (0) 1628 427360.

Yes, we offer over 90 marketing courses and bespoke training for groups, teams and organisations as well as consultancy services. Please contact our Business Solutions team by email business.solutions@cim.co.uk or phone + 44 (0) 1628 427250.

If you have purchased an online course through our website, you will receive your login details within 24 hours.

If you have been invoiced and then paid by bank transfer or payment link, you will receive your login details within a week.

If you have made payment and would like to receive them sooner, please contact our Delegate Support team who will be able to provide logins within 24 hours. You can reach us by email at delegate.support@cim.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1628 427215.

Yes, please give our training team a call on +44 (0) 1628 427360 or email training@cim.co.uk

Please contact our Delegate Support team by email delegate.support@cim.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1628 427215.

Joining instructions are sent about a week prior to your course start date. If you have any queries, please contact our Delegate Support team by email delegate.support@cim.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1628 427215.

You will receive your joining instructions no later than one-week prior to your course start date, which will include the confirmed training address. Please do not book any travel until you have received your joining instructions. If you have booked training in London, this will be a central location.

If you have booked training in Cookham, this will be at CIM, Moor Hall, Cookham, Berkshire, SL6 9QH.

Our virtual courses run from 9.30 am to about 4.30 pm. Our in-person courses run from 9 am to approximately 5 pm.

Please login to the Learning Portal on https://learningportal.cim.co.uk/login/ to download your certificate.

Digital badges have been issued to all delegates who have attended a virtual or in-person training course since the 01 August 2022. Each delegate will receive an email from our badge provider, Credly. Please note that we are unable to issue badges to those who attended a course before 01 August 2022. 

If you apply for membership online, you will have the opportunity to create your online account as part of the join process. If you join via a third party, for example, your study centre or employer makes an application to us on your behalf, you will receive details in your welcome email on how to create your account.

If you have any queries about creating your online account, please contact us at membership@cim.co.uk or +44 (0)1628 427120.

If you can no longer access the email address used when you registered with us please contact us at membership@cim.co.uk or + 44 (0) 1628 427120. You can request a reminder of your password here

If you’ve recently changed your name then we can update your record subject to supporting documentation being provided with the request. We will need you to provide one of the following documents as confirmation of your name change:

  • Marriage Certificate
  • Deed Poll
  • Decree Absolute

Please email membership@cim.co.uk  - do not send us the original document, just a copy.

Whether you’re just starting a career in marketing or are a professional marketer who would like to expand their knowledge, it’s time to join The Chartered Institute of Marketing. Meet like-minded individuals through our networks and expand your marketing skills through our qualifications, training and online resources.

We have two types of membership at CIM - introductory and graded.

Membership for new marketers

Our Affiliate memberships are ideal for marketers early on in their careers. They provide access to support and resources - just sign-up online and get instant access to member benefits

Graded membership

Graded membership recognises your achievements in the marketing industry and awards you the designatory letters to match. Based on your experience and qualifications, and upon becoming an Associate, Member or Fellow, you can begin your route to becoming a Chartered Marketer.

Find out more or speak to an advisor on +44 (0)1628 427120

You can find details of the membership criteria and join at Affiliate Professional grade here, or apply for Associate, Member or Fellow grade online by uploading your CV and/or LinkedIn profile link.

If you would prefer to apply via an application form, please complete the form here and return it by email to: membership@cim.co.uk or post to: Membership Services, CIM, Moor Hall, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 9QH UK.

Once your application is received, an assessment will be made as to which membership grade is most appropriate.

How long will it take to assess my application?

You should expect to hear from us by phone or email within 5 working days with an offer of the most suitable grade of membership. Following payment, you will receive a welcome email, be issued your membership badge, and have full access to membership benefits through MyCIM.

After applying for graded membership online your application will be assessed to confirm if the grade applied for is appropriate, you should expect to hear from us by phone or email within five working days.

You can apply online, just login to your MyCIM account and follow the Upgrade membership sign where you can upload your CV and/or LinkedIn profile link. 

We will then be in contact by phone or email within five working days letting you know the outcome of your application.

Payment should be in GBP.

If you have recently received your renewal invitation your options to pay are as follows:

- Online via MyCIM>My Account>My Orders using a credit/debit card, setting up a Direct Debit (UK bank accounts only).

- Phone the CIM Customer Service Team on +44 (0)1628 427120 to make payment using a credit/debit card.

- By bank transfer, including your membership number as reference, to;

Santander Corporate Banking, Bridle Road, Bootle, L30 4GB
Account name: The Chartered Institute of Marketing
Account number: 10776490
Sort Code: 09-02-22
IBAN: GB93 ABBY 0902 2210 7764 90
SWIFT: ABBYGB2L

Bank charges may apply and are to be met by the payer.

Direct Debit (for UK bank account holders) Professional members can benefit from a £10 discount on non-concessionary rates when an annual direct debit is set up; the option for monthly or quarterly collections are also available. CIM process Direct Debit collections via, GoCardless Ltd (GC).

Studying members can make payment by annual direct debit though no further discount will apply.

Your membership runs on an annual basis and if you don’t want to continue your membership when your renewal is due then please just let us know, you can either call us on + 44 (0) 1628 427120 or email membershiprelations@cim.co.uk. We would appreciate it if you can let us know why you are cancelling and of course we are sorry to see you go.

If you opted to pay by Direct Debit instalments, either monthly or quarterly, payment is due for the duration of the membership year. 

If a concessionary rate would be of interest and enable you to continue your membership, please see the following FAQ on reduced subscriptions.

Yes, we offer concessions for members who are out of work for various reasons, including maternity or paternity leave, redundancy, full-time study or long-term illness. The reduced rate policy and application can be found here.

For members who are retired, we have a retired rate policy and form.

If either of these options would help support you in maintaining your membership with us, please complete and return the applicable form.

If you have any questions, please get in contact by emailing membershiprelations@cim.co.uk or calling us on +44 (0)1628 427120 option 2.

Once you have enrolled with an accredited study centre it is encouraged to join membership at the level that best suits your experience. For example, if you have three years' experience in marketing, our Associate (ACIM) level may be best suited. Check out all membership levels here.

Alternatively, all students studying CIM qualifications can join at the Affiliate Studying level, which allows you to book for any future assessments and access student resources such as assessment guidance and e-books and more.

All members will receive an email from Credly with their digital membership badge within one working day of joining. You can use your digital badge in email signatures, digital CVs across social media and personal websites. The digital image contains verified metadata that displays your current CIM member grade.

Our Guides and Templates section contains a wide variety of marketing guides and templates to ensure that you are equipped with the essentials you need for your role.

To access this resource go to the MyCIM area of the CIM website and login. Click on the ‘Guides and Templates’ box.

If you have any problems accessing or finding what you need, please contact us on +44 (0)1628 427120 or membership@cim.co.uk. 

Please ensure you are using the current versions of the Study Resources. To access the current versions go to the MyCIM area of the CIM website and login. Click on the ‘Studying’ section and ‘Your reading and resources lists' tile. The files can be used on screen or a pdf can be downloaded from the page, they are listed by qualification.

I am being asked to login or pay for articles:

Unless stated in the Study Resources all the content linked to should be freely available to CIM members. To access content from Ebsco and Ebook Central you must first access these resources from the MyCIM area of the CIM website, keep these pages open and then use the links in the Study Resources files.

If you have any problems accessing content from our Study Resources please contact Knowledge Services.

To access Ebsco’s Business Source Corporate Plus go to the MyCIM area of the CIM website and login. Scroll down the page and click on the ‘Ebsco’ box.

Ebsco tutorials can be found in our ‘user guide for accessing online electronic resources’.

If you have any problems accessing or navigating the Ebsco website, please contact +44 (0)1628 427120 or membership@cim.co.uk.

To access Ebook Central go to the MyCIM area of the CIM website and login. Scroll down the page and click on the ‘Ebook Central’ box.

Guides on using Ebook Central are available on the Ebook Central YouTube channel.

If you have any problems accessing or navigating the Ebook Central website, please contact +44 (0)1628 427120 or membership@cim.co.uk.

After a period of inactivity the Ebook Central website will time out. If this happens close the Ebook Central website and open it again from the MyCIM area of our website. When you do this you might encounter a login page when you reopen the Ebook Central website on which you can enter your Ebook Central login details (this is not your MyCIM login).

If you have not created an Ebook Central account, you may need to shut down your device (if you are using a PC or laptop this is a shutdown and not a restart) and log back into MyCIM to access Ebook Central again. When you get into Ebook Central set up a personal Ebook Central account, you can use these details to login if you encounter the second login again.

To create your own account on the Ebook Central click on ‘Sign In’ in the top right-hand corner of the Ebook Central website. On the next page click on ‘Create Account’ and enter the information asked for on the following page.

CIM has partnered with Credly’s Acclaim platform to provide CIM members with a digital badge. You can find more information in your MyCIM account if you login here.

As a graded member of CIM, you will be able to choose from one of five training courses. 

  1. Marketing and Brand Strategy: aimed at marketers looking to develop their strategic marketing planning skills and become more equipped to respond to changing business challenges.
  2. Marketing Fundamentals: helping to develop skills and knowledge needed to plan and measure an effective marketing communications campaign, and to develop other core fundamental marketing principles.
  3. Planning and Optimising Marketing Campaigns: providing insight on effective campaign planning and execution as well as understanding and evaluating performance.
  4. Copywriting - The Complete Guide: aimed at marketers who want to become a more versatile copywriter and take their copywriting skills to the next level. 
  5. Analytics in Marketing: This course is ideal for those looking to enhance their ability to analyse data and apply insights to strategic marketing decisions, improve campaign performance, and utilise advanced analytics techniques, including AI and machine learning, for more effective marketing outcomes.

Gain access for six momths by simply logging in to MyCIM to redeem.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to download a digital certificate that you can use towards your Continued Professional Development (CPD) for the year, as all courses are CPD eligible

Should you require any assistance, please contact our Membership & Benefits team by emailing membership@cim.co.uk or calling +44 (0)1628 427120.

 

Unless stated in the Study Resources all the content linked to should be freely available to CIM members. To access content from Ebsco and Ebook Central you must first access these resources from the MyCIM area of the CIM website, keep these pages open and then use the links in the Study Resources files.

If you have any problems accessing content from our Study Resources, please contact +44 (0)1628 427120 or membership@cim.co.uk.

We want to provide you with the best possible service, but if you are dissatisfied, please let us know so we can resolve the issue. You can find our complaints policy here.

If you would like to provide positive feedback on your experience, we would love to hear from you.

In either case, please contact us at comments@cim.co.uk and we’ll be in touch or complete our short customer survey here.

Need help with anything else?