Academic competence
Routes to Registration
Supporting you on your journey
Choosing your route
There are two parts to registration: academic competence and professional competence. Academic competence is typically learning at Level 3 for EngTech, Level 6 for IEng and Level 7 for CEng.
If you’re aiming for EngTech and don’t hold a relevant Level 3 qualification – don’t worry. Our application form is designed to enable an integrated assessment of both your academic and professional competence, so nothing further is required and you’re able to make your application straight away.
IEng and CEng candidates must satisfy the academic competence requirement before their professional competence can be assessed. Read about the ways to do this below.
Recognised qualifications
The Engineering Council recognise many engineering qualifications as meeting the academic requirements for Incorporated or Chartered engineer status. You can check if your qualification is accredited below. You will need to know the Institution, course title, type of award, intake year and course details eg University of Birmingham, Civil Engineering, BEng (Hons), 2002, 3 years full time.
The Engineering Council recognises many engineering qualifications as meeting the academic requirements for Incorporated or Chartered engineer status. You can check your qualification here.
It may not be immediately clear if your qualifications meet the academic competence requirements, and that’s where we can help. Submit an Application for Academic Assessment and our Registration Team or Academic Panel can determine if they are accredited, or if they are the equivalent of an accredited qualification.
Use the Application for Academic Assessment if you hold international qualifications too.
Academic Assessments are only available to our members – but are provided free of charge.
All the documents you need can be found at the bottom of this page.
Individual Assessment
If you don’t have recognised qualifications, then you can have an individual assessment of any qualifications you hold alongside your industry experience, to demonstrate that you have met the required level of academic competence. Individual assessments can be performed in a number of ways: further learning, experiential learning, technical report, or a combination of these. Find out more about these options below.
You may choose to return to formal study to fill an academic gap. Many employers are supporting degree apprenticeships. Ensure any course you choose leads to a recognised qualification. Our recognised qualifications flowchart may help.
The Track Engineering Diploma and Electrification Engineering Diploma are forms of further learning and, together with a short Supplementary Report, either Diploma fills the academic gap to IEng for those with relevant HND or Foundation degree qualifications. Each Diploma consists of three week-long modules, and we offer numerous dates for each module throughout the year. Find out more here.
All the documents you need can be found at the bottom of this page.
This route enables you to bridge the gap between the qualifications you have and the academic requirements for IEng / CEng, by demonstrating that you have acquired the underpinning knowledge and understanding needed, through work projects and career experience. You will need to include reflections on those experiences to show what you learned.
If you’re aiming for CEng and hold qualifications that are accredited as meeting the academic competence requirements for IEng, or as partially meeting the requirements for CEng, or qualifications our Academic Panel determine as equivalent – then you are eligible for this route. If you have already attained IEng via an individual assessment, then our Academic Panel will determine on a case-by-case basis if this is a suitable route for you.
If you’re aiming for IEng and hold a relevant HNC, HND or Foundation degree, or qualifications our Academic Panel determine as equivalent – then you are eligible for this route.
The Academic Panel has determined that the Advanced Track Technician Certificate plus the Track or Electrification Engineering Diploma are equivalent, so holders of these RailEI qualifications are eligible to use EL to IEng.
The process:
- Registration team confirm eligibility for route
- Review the detailed IEng / CEng Guidance on the website for the Experiential Learning route
- Identify a Sponsor
- Complete the Experiential Learning IEng / CEng Submission and submit it with all required documents and the application fee
- Two RailEI Assessors will review your submission and determine if there is sufficient evidence of the learning outcomes being met to satisfy the IEng / CEng academic competence requirements
- If required, feedback may be provided to enable a resubmission
- Recommendation of Assessors ratified by the Academic Panel
Once this route has been successfully completed you will be ready to move onto the Professional Review stage.
This route is available to everyone, whether you hold some qualifications or none, and whether you seek IEng or CEng registration. As a guide we suggest that to be successful, you would need 10-15 years’ industry experience for CEng and 5-10 years’ for IEng.
You write a report to explain your technical knowledge and understanding of the theory, mathematics and science that underpin and support your technical decision making and analysis of solutions. The required length of the report will depend on the title you seek and any qualifications you hold.
The process is challenging as it seeks to demonstrate that you hold the academic competence equivalent to Bachelors or Masters degree level. As such, applicants are given two years to complete this process.
The process:
- Review the detailed guidance on the website for the Technical Report route
- Identify a Technical Report Sponsor (an engineer registered at or above the level you seek) and Supporter (someone in work who knows you well) to assist you through the process. Specific Sponsor guidance is available, but both people must also read the detailed guidance
- Submit an Initial Application Form for Technical Report with copy qualification certificates verified by your Sponsor, your CV, and the application fee; this covers all steps up to and including registration with the Engineering Council. Your TR Supporter and Sponsor must also sign this form
- Plan your report with your TR Sponsor
- Complete the Technical Report Synopsis Template, which your TR Sponsor must also sign. This will be considered by our Academic Panel and must be approved by them before you are able to proceed further
- Complete and submit your technical report. This must first be reviewed by your TR Sponsor and include the required signed declaration before submitting it to us
- Your technical report will then be reviewed by two Scrutineers, to confirm that the report meets the academic requirements for the title you seek and that you can proceed to technical report interview
- Attend a Technical Report Interview.
Once the technical report and interview are successfully completed, you are then able to move onto the Professional Review stage.
All the documents you need can be found at the bottom of this page.
The first step in an individual assessment, is to apply for an Academic Assessment. Our Registration Team or Academic Panel can then review, assess and advise on the options available to you to fill the academic gap.
Academic Assessments are only available to our members – but are provided free of charge.
All the documents you need can be found at the bottom of this page.
To apply for an Academic Assessment, submit:
- Completed application form
- Copy qualification certificate and transcript
- Your CV
Submit your documents to profeng@railei.org
Further Learning: RailEI Diploma Top-Up, Track Engineering Diploma and Electrification Engineering Diploma
To apply using this route for IEng you must have:
- A relevant HND or Foundation degree
- Successfully completed either the RailEITrack Engineering Diploma or the RailEI Electrification Engineering Diploma
Submit your documents to profeng@railei.org
Experiential Learning (EL)
To apply for Experiential Learning, submit:
- IEng / CEng Submission form, signed by your Sponsor (an EngC registrant at or above the title you seek)
- Supporting evidence (not more than 12 A4 sides)
- Copy qualification certificates, verified by Sponsor
- Your CV (not more than 4 A4 sides)
- Continuing Professional Development records for the past 3 years, and
- Personal Development Plan for the current year
Submit your documents to profeng@railei.org
Technical Report (TR)
Learn about CPD
Starting your Professional Registration journey can feel daunting, and it’s natural to have questions about what to expect. Hear from our recently registered Members as they share their experiences, insights, and tips for success.
Maximise Your Team’s Success with a Corporate Accountability Group
Maximise your team’s potential by establishing a Corporate Accountability Group within your organisation. This will enable you to benefit from complimentary Professional Registration submissions for your employees, including free EngTech application support. Discover how to set up your Corporate Accountability Group and start making the most of these exclusive benefits by accessing the below guide.