Membership help

Any degree in a subject that is referred to as being within the biomedical science QAA benchmark statement*.

Scientific content covered in both Biomedical Science and/or Biomedical Sciences courses generally includes:

• biochemistry
• bioinformatics
• cell biology
• developmental / reproductive biology
• human anatomy
• human biology
• human genetics
• human or medical physiology
• human nutrition
• immunology
• microbiology
• molecular biology
• pharmacology

Please note this list is indicative and not exclusive.

If you have any questions about whether your qualification makes you eligible to become a Licentiate please contact the membership team by email: [email protected]

*Please see subjects listed under Defining Principles 2.2 of the QAA benchmark statement.

Yes.

If you are applying for membership as an Associate or Licentiate, we will accept official notification of your degree results on university headed paper. However, you must send in a copy of your degree certificate as soon as it is issued.

No.

If you are already an IBMS member in the grades of Associate, Licentiate, Member or Fellow, you cannot downgrade to eStudent membership.

To support your application, you'll need to provide:

• a completed supporting statement from your laboratory manager
• a copy of your degree certificate

The supporting statement must confirm that your professional experience is equivalent to that of an honours graduate in biomedical science. 

If your laboratory manager is not an IBMS member, they'll need to send the statement as an attachment from their work email address (or on official letterhead) to [email protected].

The required skills and attributes are outlined in the supporting statement form. 

No.

Any professional experience gained abroad can count towards the requirements for IBMS membership.

You can pay by cheque, sterling bank draft, postal order, credit or debit card, or by setting up a monthly or annual direct debit.

Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to ‘Institute of Biomedical Science’ or ‘IBMS’.

To pay by direct debit, complete the mandate included in your application.

Please note: Direct debit isn’t available if you join in the final quarter of the year (October onwards).

When you join us for the first time, or if you rejoin us after your membership has lapsed, a registration fee of £20 is payable. 

Please include the registration fee with your initial membership fee payment.

Please send an email to [email protected] with your IBMS number and date of birth to confirm that you would like to cancel your membership.

Cancellations cannot be back dated and will only be actioned on or after the date the request is received.

No.

You can no longer use the IBMS’s designatory initials (LIBMS/MIBMS/FIBMS) when your IBMS membership ends. Your access to services in the members’ area of the website will also cease, including our CPD scheme.

Please note: If you have Science Council membership that has been awarded through the IBMS you can no longer use their designatory initials either.

Yes.

To rejoin at the same grade of membership, you must reapply and make payment of your subscription fees and the £20 registration fee.

Unless requested, you will not need to resubmit any copies of qualification certificates that you have previously sent to us. 

Please note
If you apply to re-join in the same year that your membership lapsed, the full year's membership fee will apply

Yes - providing you meet the requirements you will be admitted to the higher grade of membership at the point of rejoining.

If you are rejoining and/or upgrading you will need to pay a £20 registration fee.