When This Applies

This route is relevant if your academic base does not fully meet ICE requirements. For further information and clarification, it is best to check with the ICE’s accredited degree search: https://www.ice.org.uk/join-ice/accredited-course-search or contact your local Membership Development Officer.

Typical situations include:

• your degree is not accredited

• you hold an HNC, HND, or foundation degree

• you have an accredited degree but have not completed the required further learning

• you have progressed through experience rather than formal study

In each case, the underlying issue is the same. ICE needs to confirm that your knowledge meets the required academic level.

What Experiential Learning Is Designed to Do

ICE requires two things before you can become professionally qualified:

• the correct academic base

• the correct level of professional competence

Experiential Learning addresses the academic base.

It allows you to demonstrate that the knowledge you have developed through work, training, and experience is equivalent to formal academic learning.

The ICE guidance explains that this process is used to bridge the gap between the qualifications you hold and the level required for membership.

For CEng, this means demonstrating Masters level understanding.
For IEng, this means demonstrating Bachelors level understanding.

What Happens After Approval

Once your Experiential Learning submission is approved:

• your academic requirement is considered satisfied

• you can complete or continue your Initial Professional Development

• you can then progress towards the Professional Review

This places you back on the standard pathway followed by all candidates.

What You Are Expected to Demonstrate

Your submission must show that you have developed a structured and coherent understanding of engineering.

This includes:

• the theory that underpins your work

• how that theory is applied in practice

• how you analyse and solve engineering problems

• how you deal with limitations, uncertainty, and constraints

• how your knowledge has developed over time

You are expected to demonstrate that your learning is not limited to routine application, but extends to deeper understanding and judgement.

For CEng, this includes working with complex or non-routine problems and integrating knowledge across different areas of engineering practice.

The Structure of the Submission

The submission is built around defined learning outcomes set by ICE.

These are typically grouped into areas such as:

• engineering science, mathematics, and analysis

• design, innovation, and practical application

• management, communication, and teamwork

• professional responsibility and societal impact

You are required to respond to specific statements that demonstrate your learning in each of these areas.

Each section should:

• explain the knowledge you have gained

• show how you applied that knowledge

• include examples from your work

• reflect on what you learned and how you developed

The ICE guidance sets a typical word count of around 2000 words, supported by appendices and evidence.

The Role of Reflection

Reflection is a key part of the submission.

You are expected to show:

• what you learned from specific experiences

• how your understanding has developed

• how you would approach similar situations in the future

This demonstrates that your learning is active and ongoing.

Use of Evidence

Supporting evidence is included through appendices.

This may include:

• calculations

• reports

• drawings

• technical notes

• correspondence

The purpose of the appendices is to support your statements, not replace them. They should be clearly referenced and used to reinforce your explanation of learning.

Continuing Professional Development

Your submission must also demonstrate that you actively manage your own development.

This is shown through:

• a Development Action Plan (DAP)

• a Personal Development Record (PDR) covering recent years

ICE expects to see that you plan, record, and reflect on your learning as part of ongoing professional development.

Mentor Requirement

You are required to have a mentor to support your submission.

Your mentor should:

• guide your approach

• help you select appropriate examples

• challenge your thinking

• confirm that your submission reflects your own work

Ideally, they should be familiar with ICE standards and expectations.

Assessment Process

Your submission is reviewed by experienced assessors.

They will consider whether:

• your evidence meets the required learning outcomes

• your knowledge is at the appropriate academic level

• your examples demonstrate sufficient depth and understanding

The outcome will be one of the following:

• approval, confirming your academic base

• a request for further information

• a recommendation to pursue an alternative route

If further information is required, you will be given the opportunity to revise and resubmit.

Common Issues

A number of patterns tend to cause difficulty:

Submissions that focus on tasks without explaining the underlying knowledge
Limited explanation of theory or principles
Insufficient depth for the required academic level
Weak or missing reflection
Poor linkage between experience and learning outcomes

These issues can often be addressed with clearer structure and more deliberate explanation of your learning.

How This Fits With the Rest of Your Journey

Experiential Learning sits before IPD in the overall process.

Once your academic base is confirmed:

• you continue developing your competence through IPD

• you prepare your Professional Review submission

• you attend your Professional Review

The route converges with all other candidates at that point.

Support and Guidance

ICE provides detailed guidance on how to prepare your submission, and this should be your starting point.

If you would like an independent review, we can provide structured feedback on your draft.

This can help you:

• understand whether your submission meets the required level

• improve clarity and structure

• strengthen your explanation of learning

• identify gaps before submission

Any feedback is provided on the basis that your submission remains your own work.

Final Thought

Experiential Learning allows you to demonstrate that your knowledge has been built through practice rather than formal study.

It requires careful thought, clear explanation, and honest reflection.

When done well, it removes the academic barrier and allows you to continue progressing towards professional qualification with ICE.