Join the CQI
The Chartered Quality Institute has four levels of individual membership. The criteria for achieving each level of membership are maintained by the CQI Qualification Board. Applicants for Member and Fellow grades are required to meet the relevant professional criteria in the CQI Body of Quality Knowledge (BOQK), which is maintained by our Professional Policy Board
Student membership
Students must be in full or part-time education studying the CQI Diploma in Quality or other quality or business improvement related qualifications. Evidence of student status (for example, a letter from your education establishment) must be provided with your application for student membership.Students are automatically transferred to the ACQI grade after two years unless they are still studying.
Download the application form and detailed guidance
Associate - ACQI
| Professional competence | Experience |
|---|---|
| In employment within quality or possessing clear, demonstrable quality responsibility or applying quality management principles | |
This is also the recommended entry grade for those who wish to apply for MCQI or FCQI but require support from the membership services department in selecting the appropriate route and who wish to obtain the immediate benefits of membership.
Download the application form and detailed guidance
Member - MCQI
You may apply by either the qualification route (option 1 or 2) or the experiential route. For both routes you must provide a full CV (resumé) countersigned as accurate by a referee.
| Requirements | Qualification route Option 1 | Qualification route Option 2 | Experiential route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional competence | Successfully completed a degree/high level qualification recognised by the CQI Currently recognised qualifications (PDF document) plus Successful completion of the CQI Diploma in Quality modules: D1 Principles of Quality and Data Analysis and D2 Quality Management (or equivalent qualifications) | Successfully completed CQI Diploma in Quality or a degree in quality or NVQ4 or 5 in quality | Demonstrate, by submission of a portfolio of evidence, your knowledge and understanding of the 6 modules of the CQI Body of Quality Knowledge to membership level The evidence must be signed as verified by a referee, e.g. peer, customer, employer, etc. |
| Experience | Have at least five years quality or systems management experience, two of which must be in a managerial or supervisory capacity | ||
| Transfer from Student or Associate to Member Grade (MCQI) Applicants are required to use one of the above routes | |||
Qualification route, options 1 and 2: This route is for applicants who have relevant qualifications in quality.
Experiential route This route has been developed for professionals who do not have academic qualifications, but who have accumulated considerable experience in quality. This route is deemed equivalent to a degree, necessitating rigorous assessment of prior experiential learning. Experiential route portfolios must meet the requirements set out in the requirements of the portfolio of evidence, referenced on the CQI portfolio index which is a mandatory requirement for experiential applicants. All applicants for Member grade are required to include the BOQK index form at the front of their portfolio summarising the evidence they have submitted to meet the body of knowledge requirements and referencing the section of their portfolio. All portfolios must be properly numbered to enable this referencing.
- Download the application form and detailed guidance
- Download requirements and index for the portfolio of evidence (word doc)
Fellow - FCQI
| Requirements | Direct application or transfer from associate | Transfer from Member to Fellow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional competence | As for member grade Plus Written evidence of your knowledge and understanding of the 6 modules of the CQI Body of Quality Knowledge to Fellow level | As a Member you will have demonstrated your knowledge of the BOQK to Member level. As Fellow is at a higher level of competence, written evidence of your knowledge and understanding of the 6 modules of the CQI Body of Quality Knowledge to Fellow level is required eg review additional evidence requirements for FCQI and provide the appropriate evidence to demonstrate that you meet these additional requirements |
| Experience and professional standing | Must be in or have recently held a senior managerial position plus Have at least five years quality or systems management experience, two of which must be in a managerial or supervisory capacity | |
| Eminence | Have made a personal contribution to furthering the profession, demonstrated by one or more of the following:
| |
The highest grade of CQI membership, FCQI, requires extensive knowledge and experience of quality and evidence of a personal contribution to furthering the profession. All applicants for Fellow grade, in addition to the requirements for Member grade, are required to set out clearly at the beginning of their portfolio how they have made a personal contribution to furthering the profession by one or more of the ways indicated.
Applications are first assessed by the Membership Assessment Panel and then reviewed and ratified by the Board of Fellows following the Qualification Board meetings, which are held quarterly. Applicants for Fellow grade will be expected to provide evidence of continuing professional development.