This section of the website has been together to cover the most common queries we receive at HQ. If you have a membership or training question that is not covered here, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Paul Brown on (t) 0161 972 3114 or (e) [email protected]

If you have a technical query, please contact Joanne Gray on (t) 0161 972 3100 or (e) [email protected] who will then be able to direct your query to the appropriate person.

If your query relates to the Institution's journal, Civil Engineering Surveyor, you can contact Darrell Smart, the editor, on (t) 0161 972 3117 or (e) [email protected] For advertising enquiries, please contact Alan Lees on (t) 0161 972 3110 or (e) [email protected]

APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Q. How many copies of my application documents do I need to send to Head Office?

A. Applicants for Corporate Member or Fellow should send in three copies of their applications documents.

Applicants for Technical Member should send in two copies of their applications documents.

Applicants for all other grades need only send in one copy of their application documents.

For further guidance on how to apply, visit the membership section.

Q. What does a sponsor need to do before signing your application form?

A. A sponsor(s) must read the candidate's application documents to check that they are eligible to apply. They must also check that all the necessary paperwork has been completed in accordance with the Institution's application requirements before the application form is signed and sent to Head Office. For guidance on the application requirements for each grade of membership, read the application guidelines in the membership section .

A candidate must check that the sponsor(s) is eligible to approve their application. For guidance on sponsors for membership applications, read the application guidelines in the membership section.

Q. What should I do if I do not know any ICES members to sponsor my application?

A. Find out when your next ICES regional committee meeting or event is taking place and arrange to go along, taking with you your application documents. Details of forthcoming events being organised in your region are posted on the region pages or in the journal, together with contact details for the regional committee chair and secretary. This is an excellent opportunity to meet other ICES members and to discuss your application with them before asking them to sign your form.

FEES

Q. Can I pay my membership application and annual subscription fees in euros?

A. Yes. Anyone who is resident in a country with the euro as its currency can pay these fees by cheque in euros.

Q. How do I find out the current exchange rate from Euros to Sterling?

A. Visit www.xe.com to find out the conversion rate from euros to sterling. We accept the rate of exchange on the day that the cheque is signed.

Q. Can I pay any of my fees by credit card?

A. For existing members who reside outside of the UK, you can pay your annual subscription fees by credit card online. Unfortunately, we can not accept credit card payments for annual subscription fees from existing UK members.

New applicants, both UK residents and non-UK residents, can pay their membership application fees online.

Q. Is there an additional charge if payments are made by credit card?

A. No surcharge will be made by the Institution for payment of membership application or annual subscription fees paid by credit card.

Q. Do I have to pay my annual subscription fee as well as the membership application fee when I send in my application?

A. No, you need only pay your annual subscription fee after the Education, Training and Membership Committee has approved your application. We will write to you to request your annual subscription fee.

Annual subscription fees are paid on a pro-rata basis from the start of the subscription year, which is 1 March each year.

MEMBERSHIP INTERVIEWS

Q. How often do the Technical, Corporate and Fellow review interviews take place?

A. The review interviews are held quarterly for applications received from candidates in England and Wales. These normally take place the first and second week in January, April, July and October. Interviews in Scotland, Ireland and overseas are organised on an ad-hoc basis.

Q. When are the closing dates for the Technical, Corporate and Fellow review interviews?

A. The closing dates for the review interviews are the Friday of the second week in:

• December for January review interviews
• March for the April review interviews
• June for the July review interviews (Closing date – 11 June 2004)*
• September for the October interviews (Closing date – 17 September 2004)*

* Remaining dates for this year are stated in brackets.

There are no fixed dates for review interviews for applications made by candidates in Scotland, Ireland or overseas but it should be noted that all applications requiring a review interview must be approved by the Education, Training and Membership Committee. This committee meets, normally, in the third week of January, April, July and October each year.

Q. Where do the review interviews take place?

A. For candidates in England and Wales, review interviews are held at ICES HQ in Sale, Cheshire and at ICE HQ in London.

For candidates in Scotland, review interviews are held at a venue in Stirling.

For candidates in Ireland, review interviews are held at venue in Dublin.

For candidates overseas, review interviews are held in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai (CM candidates only) and Cyprus (CM candidates only).

RETIREMENT

Q. Can I retain my membership when I retire?

A. Yes, when you are 60 and no longer working as a civil engineering surveyor, you can apply for retired status.

Retired status means that you retain your designatory letters whilst receiving a considerable reduction in your annual subscription fee (which is currently £37 for all grades of membership). The word ‘retired' must be used in conjunction with the designatory letters once retired status has been agreed e.g. MInstCES (retired).

Retired members continue to enjoy all the benefits of membership, including access to regional events and receipt of the Institution journal, Civil Engineering Surveyor .

Occasionally, retired status is granted to members under the age of 60, when there are special circumstances. In such cases the member should make a written case to be put before the Education, Training and Membership Committee.

To apply for retired status, contact the membership department at Head Office.