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Phase 7 · Pass the examination

The rules of the day

Timetable, identity, what you may bring, what is prohibited, and the rules that connect the exam to your interview.

Who this is for:Candidates at any stage

Open book, no internet, photographic identity, and a set of rules where the consequences are specific — including disqualification.

On the day

Institution of Structural Engineers

  • Photographic identity must be provided to the invigilator. Without it you will not be allowed to sit the exam.
  • Reading time is 15 minutes from 09:15; you should make no marks on the question paper during it. The exam begins at 09:30.
  • Arriving after 09:15 still grants access, but with no extra time. No entry after 10:30, and you may not leave before 10:30 either.
  • The exams are open book — reference books and a folder of notes and references may be brought in.
  • Any design code or standard may be used, as long as reference to it is consistent throughout and any assumptions or design data adopted are stated at the beginning. State which codes you are using at the start of the paper.
  • Calculators must be battery operated and may be programmable, but must not be Wi-Fi capable.
  • Most other electronic devices are prohibited, including phones, laptops, tablets and e-readers.
  • Only the answer sheets and graph paper provided may be used — answers on any other material will be ignored by the examiners.
  • Do not write your membership number or your name anywhere on the script.
  • During the lunch break you may not leave the venue, use a phone, or consult any documents including your own reference materials; your script must be turned over.
Reading time
15minutesFrom 09:15, before the examination begins at 09:30.
Latest entry to the examination room
10:30Arriving after 09:15 is permitted but earns no extra time. You may not leave before 10:30 either.
Open book
Reference books and a folder of notes permitted
Design codes
Any, used consistentlyState which codes and standards you are using at the start of the paper, together with any assumptions or design data you adopt.
Calculators
Battery operated, may be programmable, not Wi-Fi capable
Prohibited equipment
Phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras, scanners, light boxes, smart watchesPhones must be handed to an invigilator and switched off. Using one at any time, including at lunch, is reported with a recommendation to disqualify.
Answer material
Only the answer sheets and graph paper providedAnswers on any other material are reported with a recommendation to disqualify. Put the last five digits of your candidate number on each sheet, and never your name or membership number.
Proof of identity
Photographic ID, on the dayWithout it you will not be allowed to sit the examination.

From Exam Guidance and Instructions — Chartered Membership Examination, Institution of Structural Engineers.

Entry, withdrawal and adjustments

Institution of Structural Engineers

  • Online booking and payment of the entry fee must be received before the closing date; later bookings are not accepted.
  • Your candidate number and venue appear in your online account, with a confirmation email two weeks before the exam.
  • A refund or deferment is guaranteed only if notice is given 28 days before the examination.
  • In exceptional circumstances immediately before the exam, deferral may be considered on supporting documentation — a doctor's note dated within three working days of the exam — and an administration charge.
  • A deferred candidate must sit the next available exam, and may not defer more than once, or the fee is forfeited.
  • Reasonable adjustments must be requested during the application process, with a note from a medical professional confirming the nature of the disability.
  • It is not possible to change exam centre after the payment deadline.
Withdrawal or deferment for a fee refund
28days before the examination
Medical evidence
3working days of the examinationA doctor's note dated within three working days. A candidate who sat the paper is assumed to have been in good health, and an appeal on a later declaration of illness is not accepted.
Deferrals permitted
1A deferred candidate must sit the next available examination. Deferring twice forfeits the fee.
Reasonable adjustments
Requested during the application, with medical evidenceUse the Candidate Disability Notification form. Supporting material from an employer or university may be submitted. Information is held for no longer than three years.

From Exam Guidance and Instructions — Chartered Membership Examination, Institution of Structural Engineers.

The two rules that connect the exam to your interview

You may sit the interview or the examination first, but two rules govern the gap between them. They apply to candidates who have passed the PRI and not yet passed the exam.

The three-year interview rule. Postpone the examination for three consecutive years after completing the interview and you may still sit it — but on passing, you must apply for a full PRI again.

The five-year examination rule. The examination must be passed within five years of completing the interview. Take longer and, again, a full PRI is required on passing. You may also not leave a gap of more than three years between exam attempts.

Both exist because the Engineering Council normally requires registration within three years of the PRI, so that the competence demonstrated there is still current. They are not penalties; they are a currency check.

Candidates who satisfy the academic requirement for the Associate grade are elected AIStructE CEng on passing the Chartered Member PRI, and these exam rules do not apply to them.

Building your open-book folder

Open book is not a licence to bring everything. Seven hours is not long enough to search, and a folder you cannot navigate is worse than a thin one you know.

Related pages and tools

Read the official guidance