More Information on CICM Membership Grades
Individual membership is available to anyone, with more advanced CICM Membership Grades being awarded on a combination of experience and qualifications. The letters after your name demonstrate where you are in your career and/or study.
Terms & Conditions of CICM Membership.
Use the tabs below to learn more about our levels of membership and their associated costs.
Studying Member
This level of CICM Membership Grade is open to all who are studying a CICM qualification, working towards their first level of professional membership. Studying membership gives you immediate access to CICM resources to support you in your studies, career and role.
Studying membership is for you if you:
- Are currently studying or about to study a CICM qualification
- Want to register to take a CICM exam or assignment
- Want to access support for your studies and career development – CICM Online Learning Centre, Mentor Hub, advice, best practice and news, study update and newsletters.
- Want access to the popular CM Magazine, webinars, blogs, articles and more.
- Want to join a community CICM studying members.
Minimum Requirements
To gain access to Studying Member you must be studying with CICM now, or planning to in the next year. You have either:
- Enrolled on CICM qualification course (online or face to face learning), including apprenticeships.
- Booked a CICM exam
- Ordered CICM textbook for home study
You have access to Studying membership for a maximum of three years
Next steps
For further information, contact E: cicmmembership@cicm.com , T: +44 (0)1780 722903 or complete our Membership enquiry form.
As a member of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct.
Studying Member / Affiliate Application Form
Affiliate
This level of membership is open to all who are working or interested in credit management/collections, Affiliate membership gives you immediate access to CICM resources to help you in your role and career.
Affiliate membership is a great choice if you
- Want access to the latest credit management research, advice, best practice and news.
- Want access to career development tools such as the CICM Online Learning Centre and Mentor Hub.
- Want access to the popular CM Magazine, webinars, blogs, articles and more.
- Want to join a community of like-minded professionals
Next steps
For further information, contact E: cicmmembership@cicm.com , T: +44 (0)1780 722903 or complete our Membership enquiry form.
As a member of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct.
Studying Member / Affiliate Application Form
Associate (ACICM)
Associate membership recognises credit management and collections professionals who hold a CICM Level 3 Diploma in Credit Management, or who demonstrate excellence by supporting the delivery of credit management processes. This is an advanced operational level recognition.
Achieving Associate (ACICM) will inspire confidence with employers and reduce risks for your organisation. The ACICM professional letters:
- Demonstrate that you possess up-to-date and relevant professional skills and knowledge.
- Show your commitment towards good practice, continuing professional development and our Code of Professional Conduct.
- Ensure you remain relevant and more employable.
- Give you access to resources to support your work and career, such as online learning portal, mentor service, CM Magazine, webinars, blogs and more.
Associate by qualification
To find out more about studying CICM qualifications to achieve Associate membership, please click here.
Associate by experience: Are you ready to apply?
The purpose of the application process is to establish if your experience meets the membership requirements for Associate of the CICM. You’ll need to demonstrate your experience by sharing specific examples of your recent work, clearly showing how they match the membership requirements. See Guide to Apply for CICM Professional Membership for more detail.
You will need to show evidence in your application that you have three years’ current experience completing all mandatory and at least 50% of the additional requirements listed below.
CICM Membership Grades Requirements
Associate Mandatory requirements – three years’ current experience:
- Applying and administering credit/collections processes and policies.
- Working either in commercial/consumer/export credit/collections department or a credit related organisation.
- Focusing on day-to-day activity, as well as working on projects that plan for the immediate future: 6-12 months.
Associate Additional requirements – three years’ current experience:
- Making an informed decision as to whether to extend the provision of credit to a customer.
- Managing the debts and risk of current debtors.
- Assessing and monitoring customer risk profiles.
- Ensuring customers pay to terms.
- Advising colleagues and managers on credit policy and processes.
- Dealing with internal queries about payments.
Throughout your application the assessors will be looking for evidence of:
- all Mandatory
- at least 50% of the Additional Requirements
- your underpinning knowledge
Next steps
For further information, contact E: cicmmembership@cicm.com , T: +44 (0)1780 722903 or complete our Membership enquiry form.
As a member of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct.
Member (MCICM)
MCICM status recognises credit management professionals who hold a CICM Level 5 Diploma (sometimes called MCICM(Grad)), or who deliver organisational performance by developing and managing the full credit management cycle. This is senior/management level recognition.
Achieving Membership MCICM status will inspire confidence with employers and clients, and reduce risks for your organisation. The MCICM professional letters:
- Demonstrate that you possess up-to-date and relevant credit management skills and knowledge.
- Show your commitment towards good practice, continuing professional development and our Code of Professional Conduct.
- Ensure you remain relevant and more employable.
- Give exclusive access to professional networks and events
- Give access to member resources such as online learning portal, mentor service, CM magazine, webinars and more
Member by qualification (MCICM (grad)
To find out more about studying CICM qualifications to achieve Membership, please click here.
Member by experience (MCICM): Are you ready to apply?
The purpose of the application process is to establish if your experience meets the membership requirements for Member of the CICM. You’ll need to demonstrate your experience by sharing specific examples of your recent work, clearly showing how they match the membership requirements. See the Guide to Apply for CICM Professional Membership for more detail.
You will need to show evidence in your application that you have five years’ experience completing all mandatory and at least 50% of the additional requirements listed below.
Requirements
MCICM Mandatory requirements – five years’ current experience:
- Managing the credit management cycle
- Working either in commercial/consumer/export credit/collections or a credit related organisation (as an employee or a consultant)
- Focusing on current work and planning for the future, thinking 12-18 months ahead.
MCICM Additional requirements – five years’ current experience:
- Managing the credit department/process and making decisions concerning credit limits, acceptable levels of risk and payment terms.
- Managing relations with collection/reporting agencies and third parties.
- Working closely with the sales and other relevant departments.
- Developing and ensuring compliance with the credit/collections policy, recommending changes to senior management.
- Creating a credit/collections scoring model.
- Managing customer credit files.
- Investigating high value/risk customer credit applications.
- Visiting high value/risk customers to establish relationships.
- Monitoring credit reviews.
- Using business metrics and feedback to measure the effectiveness of credit/collections activity.
- Demonstrating excellent commercial understanding of your organisation and business environment.
- Managing compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, such as Data Protection and FCA.Please note you do not have to be line-managing a team to achieve MCICM status.
Throughout your application, the assessors will be looking for evidence of:
all Mandatory
at least 50% of the Additional Requirements
your underpinning knowledge
Next steps
For further information, contact E: cicmmembership@cicm.com , T: +44 (0)1780 722903 or complete our Membership enquiry form.
As a member of the Institute of Credit Management you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct.
Fellow (FCICM)
Fellow status, recognises the most senior and experienced credit management and collections professionals who are leaders in their field.
Achieving FCICM status shows your commitment to the credit management and collections profession and inspires confidence with employers and clients. The FCICM professional letters enable you to:
- Gain exclusive access to professional networks and events
- Gain access to member resources such as online learning portal, mentor service, CM magazine, webinars, CICM thought leadership and reports
- Shape and contribute to CICM policies.
- Give back to the profession through mentoring and supporting new credit management talent.
- Give access to member resources such as online learning portal, mentor service, CM magazine, webinars and more.
Are you ready to apply?
The purpose of the application process is to establish if your experience meets the membership requirements for Fellow of the CICM. You’ll need to demonstrate your experience by sharing specific examples of your recent work, clearly showing how they match the membership requirements. See the Guide to Apply for CICM Professional Membership for more detail.
If you are an MCICM (grad) member, you will need to show evidence in your application that you have four years’ experience completing all mandatory and at least 50% of the additional requirements listed below.
If you are not a MCICM (grad), you will need to show evidence in your application that you have seven years’ experience completing all mandatory and at least 50% of the additional requirements listed below.
CICM Membership Grades Requirements
Fellow Mandatory requirements
- Leading the design, development and implementation of credit/collections and business strategy.
- Working either in commercial/consumer/export credit or a credit related organisation (as an employee or a consultant).
- Focusing on current and future risks, working and planning for the future: the next 2 years plus.
Fellow Additional requirements
- Ensure organisation-wide credit/collections policies and procedures are consistently interpreted, understood and applied, and that all deviations are appropriately reported, escalated and approved.
- Advising the organisation on all aspects of credit risk/collections management, including policy review.
- Ensuring that the organisation understands the risks associated with credit and collections which impact on cash flow, capital, investments, earnings, reputation, business operations and opportunities.
- Delivering insightful management information to the Board.
- Maintaining relationships with key service providers such as credit reference agencies.
- Engaging with external bodies to set “industry leading” credit/collections policies.
- Undertaking client visits to better understand the business/client environment.
- Working closely with other areas of the organisation to develop business insights to influence future credit/collections policy development.
- Developing and implementing a quality scorecard, monitoring the organisation’s overall credit/collections performance.
- Leading projects to ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.
- Using credit management expertise and knowledge externally: publishing articles or texts, research, teaching, lecturing or promotional work.
- Participating in CICM national or branch affairs, holding office or serving on a committee.
Throughout your application, the assessors will be looking for evidence of:
- all Mandatory
- at least 50% of the Additional Requirements
- your underpinning knowledge
Next steps
For further information, contact E: cicmmembership@cicm.com , T: +44 (0)1780 722903 or complete our Membership enquiry form.
As a member of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct.