Phase 1 · Get your bearings
Associate — AIStructE
The Associate grade, and how its guidance relates to the Chartered process.
Who this is for:Associate candidates ·Candidates at any stage
Associate is a separate grade of membership. Where a candidate is eligible for it, the Chartered Member IPD guidance is the document to follow.
What the guidance says
Institution of Structural Engineers
- The contents of the Chartered Member IPD guidance are also to be followed by those applying for the Associate (AIStructE) grade, if eligible.
From IPD Guidance — Chartered Member, Institution of Structural Engineers.
What that means in practice
If Associate is the grade you are pursuing, the preparation is not a lesser version of something else. You are working to the same Core Objectives, the same portfolio format, the same interview arrangements and the same evidence discipline set out in the Chartered Member IPD guidance.
So everything in this domain about the Core Objectives, evidence and the portfolio applies to you directly.
What you must confirm with the Institution, because it is not in the IPD guidance: whether you are eligible, what the application involves, and what the professional-review requirements are for this grade.
Questions to ask yourself
Has IStructE confirmed I am eligible for this grade?
The guidance is conditional on eligibility, and that condition is assessed by the Institution.
Am I clear about what the designation does and does not permit?
Professional titles are protected and specific. Being precise about your own is part of Core Objective 1.
Related pages and tools
- Chartered MemberWhat Chartered Membership requires, what the ten Core Objectives are assessed at, and what the title actually depends on.
- Incorporated-MemberWhat Incorporated Membership represents, and the one place where its Core Objective standards differ from Chartered.
- Core ObjectivesWhat IStructE assesses, what Knowledge, Experience and Ability actually mean, and where the two grades differ.
- The portfolioWhat the portfolio is for, when it has to be ready, who receives it, and the format rules that decide whether it is read.