Completing your qualification FAQs

We're both committed to helping you achieve your CIPD qualification. But we have different roles to play in the qualification process. 

What the CIPD does: 

• The CIPD is the awarding organisation for your qualification. We set the syllabus for each qualification. We decide the number of units and their content. We set the learning outcomes and assessment criteria. 
• The CIPD sets the assessments for the core units for all qualifications. We also provide the assessments for the specialist and optional units, on both the Associate and Advanced Diplomas. 
• The CIPD samples and verifies your study centre's marking. We make sure it's in line with our standards - a process called 'moderation'. Once the results are moderated, we’ll issue your final result for each unit. And at the end of the course the CIPD issues your qualification certificate. 
• We provide CIPD Membership. When studying a CIPD qualification, you’ll also need to become a CIPD Member. We can support you with any membership queries.
• Student Membership gives you access to a range of benefits to help your studies and your work. Being a CIPD member also commits you to ongoing CPD and working within the profession’s Code of Conduct. 

What your study centre does: 

• Study centres assess your suitability for the qualification and any prior learning. They manage your course enrolment and set course fees. They also register the qualification you're studying with the CIPD. 
• Study centres deliver the teaching, learning content and the unit assessments. They'll help you to prepare for your assessments. 
• The study centre marks your assessments and sends your marks to the CIPD for analysis. Sometimes they'll also send your assessments for further checking. 
• They'll offer support and feedback on the content of your assessments.
• Your study centre will explain how CIPD membership fits with your studies. They'll also tell you which member benefits can help during your qualification. 
• Your study centre deals with day-to-day course enquiries. They also provide support, information, and guidance. They can help with any issues you may have with your studies. 

When studying a CIPD qualification, your study centre should: 

• Make reasonably sure that this is the right qualification at the right level for you. 
• Clearly outline all costs and payments. Including the cost of CIPD membership, if they’re not paying for you. 
• Ensure you are aware of the duration of your studies. Inform you of the support and resources available and how to access them.
• Inform you of important deadlines, including submission deadlines for assessments. 
• Provide constructive and useful feedback on your assessments. 
• Tell you their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for dealing with queries and marking work. Ensuring to keep to those SLAs.

We understand how important your qualification is to you. If you experience any issues with your study centre, you’ll need to reach out to them first. Follow their complaints procedure to try to resolve the issue. 

If you’ve not reached a solution at the end of their complaints procedure and feel you’ve exhausted all options with your study centre, you can escalate your complaint to the CIPD. Follow the complaints process detailed in our complaints policy. You’ll find this on our qualification policies page. Where we deem it appropriate to get involved, we’ll investigate the issue. We’ll liaise with you and your study centre to find a suitable solution.

Our CIPD qualifications are built up of different units. Each unit are assigned a certain number of credits. Each qualification level requires a specific number of credits to pass successfully.

For Associate and Advanced qualifications these are made of a mix of:

• Core
• Specialist
• Optional units

Our Foundation qualification only consists of core units.

1. Core units (applicable to all CIPD qualifications)

What they are: Mandatory units that everyone must complete at each level.

Purpose: Provide essential knowledge and behaviours aligned with the CIPD Profession Map.

How are core units delivered?

New assessments for all Core Units are released in June each year. They remain active for 12 months, expiring at the end of June the following year. 

Do I have a whole year to submit my Core Unit Assignment? 

No – your study centre will set the deadline for your Core unit assignment. This will be before the Core Unit Assessment expiry date. The deadline will dictate the timeframe you have to complete the assignment.

Check with your study centre when your deadline to submit will be. They can also advise when the Core Unit Assessment expiry date is. 

What happens if I am unable to submit my assignment by the expiry date? 

We recommend you plan your studying. This is to ensure you can complete your assignment to meet:

• your study centre’s deadline
• and the Core Unit Assessment expiry.

If you miss the expiry date, you will need to complete the next Core Unit Assessment, released every June.

2. Specialist units (applicable to Associate and Advanced qualifications)

What they are: Units that focus on a specific area of HR or L&D.

Purpose: Means qualifications can be tailored to be more focused on HR or L&D.

3. Optional units (applicable to Associate and Advanced qualifications) - choose one

What they are: Additional units you can choose to broaden your expertise.

Purpose: Give flexibility to specialise in certain areas.  

Some study centres will offer all available optional units, some might only offer one or two. Therefore, please check before enrolling. They should confirm the units you’ll be able to complete before you enrol.

When completing a CIPD qualification, the CIPD will moderate a sample of your study centre’s marking for each unit. We do this to ensure they are fair, valid, and reliable.  

It's important you are in active CIPD membership for your study centre to be able to submit your unit results to the CIPD. This is so they can be confirmed and counted towards completing your qualification.

You also need to confirm your study centre has registered you with us. Please make sure that it is on the correct qualification on your CIPD account. You’ll receive a confirmation email once your study centre registers you. This will provide you with instructions to follow.

Study centres initially mark learners’ assessments for each unit. They then submit the relevant unit result to the CIPD at the start of the moderation window.

A moderation window is a set timeframe which takes place 6 times each calendar year. This is when Study Centres submit completed learner assessment units (once marked) to CIPD. We then carry out periodic review of the marking. Ensuring they are compliant with our policy and procedures.

At the end of your qualification, your study centre will need to submit all your outstanding results to us for moderation. We'll complete the necessary checks and confirm successful completion of your course.

Please check you are in active CIPD membership for your study centre to be able to submit your final unit results to the CIPD. This is so they can be confirmed and counted towards completing your qualification.

If you’re in the UK, we'll send you an SMS between week 1 and 3 of your final moderation. This SMS will include a link to the timeline to show where you are in the final moderation process.

A follow up SMS will also be sent prompt you to check your personal details, which you can check via your My Profile, ahead of distributing your qualification outcome. It's important that you keep your contact details up to date. Check that your name, postal and email addresses are up to date, to ensure prompt receipt of your certificate.

Following moderation, we’ll confirm your results with your study centre. Within the following four weeks we’ll email you a copy of your qualification certificate. You'll also be sent a hardcopy in the post.

If your preferred address is based in the UK, we’ll send your printed qualification certificate to that address. If your preferred address is based outside the UK, we’ll send it to your study centre to forward on to you. 

If you also achieve a higher membership level, we'll email you a digital membership badge and certificate. You can expect this within 10 working days of receiving your qualification certificate email.

Check out this timeline for a visual representation of the process.

During busy periods there may be a slight delay to our usual timeframes. On occasion we may split certificates into batches to process them more efficiently.

If you don’t fully complete or pass your CIPD qualification, you’ll still receive confirmation of the units you’ve completed. However, you won't receive the full qualification or a higher CIPD membership level. Consult your study centre for more information. 

The unit results will be recorded against your CIPD record. Should you wish to complete your qualification in the future, you’ll need to check:

• if these units can be accepted (subject to changes in qualifications offered)
• and that your current or new study centre can accept them.

If you wish to complete your studies through a different Study Centre, you’ll need to ask your previous Study Centre to withdraw you first. This will ensure you can be registered on your qualification with your new Study Centre.

If you completed a CIPD qualification but didn’t join during your studies, you may be able to apply for membership now.

Depending on your qualification, you may be eligible to join as a Foundation Member or an Associate Member.

Please note: we’ll require evidence of your achievement from your study centre when you apply.

Discover our latest fees and membership terms

Contact our customer service team to discuss the membership application process

Live chat

Available Monday to Friday, 7am–7pm (UK)

Click the round chat icon in the bottom-right corner during these hours

Other ways to contact us

Click here for additional contact options

We understand how important your qualification is to you. If you experience any issues with your university, you’ll need to reach out to them. Please follow their complaints procedure to resolve the issue before contacting CIPD.

At the CIPD we’re not able to intervene in accredited degree related complaints. This would include assessment related complaints. However, we would be able to assist with any complaints relating to CIPD membership.

When completing a CIPD accredited university programme, your university will internally quality assure and ratify their own results. Following their own robust internal processes. Therefore, the CIPD does not have any involvement in this.

We understand there can be many reasons for your decision, some of which may be out of your control.

To withdraw you’ll need to notify your university. They’ll be able to advise what your options are depending on your circumstances. Also, whether you intend to complete the qualification in the future.

Your university will award your degree certificate. They will contact you about this. Your university will also notify CIPD when you complete your degree. We’ll then email you a PDF result confirmation letter within 8 weeks. 

If in active membership, you'll gain Associate membership, unless you're at this grade or higher already. We'll email you a new digital membership badge and certificate. You can expect this within 10 working days of receiving your CIPD confirmation letter via email.

It's important that you keep your contact details up to date. Check that your name, postal and email addresses are up to date, to ensure prompt receipt of your certificate. You can do this by checking your details held on your profile on the CIPD website.

If you completed a CIPD accredited qualification but didn’t join during your studies, you may be able to apply for membership now.

Depending on your qualification, you may be eligible to join as an Associate Member.

Please note: We’ll require evidence of your achievement from your university when you apply.

Discover our latest fees and membership terms

Contact our customer service team to discuss the membership application process

Live chat

Available Monday to Friday, 7am–7pm (UK)

Click the round chat icon in the bottom-right corner during these hours

Other ways to contact us

Click here for additional contact options

Employers and clients may ask for proof of your qualification or CIPD verification. 

CIPD qualification certificate

If you completed a CIPD qualification, you’ll have received a physical or PDF copy of your qualification and unit transcript when you qualified. This can be used as proof. 

If you’ve misplaced your qualification certificate, you can request a replacement. Please contact our Customer Services team on the details below. Please note the cost of a replacement qualification certificate is £30.

Qualification verification letter

Alternatively, you can download and complete our Qualification Verification Request form.

We aim to process your request within 10 working days. If you have any questions in relation to this form, please contact our customer service team.

Contacting customer services

Live chat

Available Monday to Friday, 7am–7pm (UK)
Click the round chat icon in the bottom-right corner during these hours.

Other ways to contact us

Submit a contact us form or email us on verifications@cipd.co.uk
Call us on +44 (0)20 8612 6208 (available 9am-4pm (UK) Monday to Friday)