Non-accredited degree assessment
The IBMS assesses non-accredited qualifications against the HCPC education standards to determine whether individuals will need to undertake supplementary education/top-up modules to meet the HCPC standards of education and training for biomedical scientists.
Note: To ensure a timely response to your documentation we would encourage you to submit everything electronically to us via email.
How to apply
To help, please read the guidance document and degree assessment FAQs.
For data protection purposes we have split the application into two distinct parts:
- Download the Application Guidance document and Degree assessment frequently asked questions document for guidance while preparing your documentation.
- Part A should be a single PDF document containing the applicant’s personal information (including proof of identification, degree certificate and academic transcript) and will remain within the IBMS database. Please see Part A of the application form for criteria and further details of what is required.
- Part B should be a single PDF document containing the module content of the applicant’s qualification(s) and the front cover page provided. This part is designed to be sent to external assessors or assessed internally, so module content must be visibly authenticated (printed on university headed paper or stamped by the university), presented in the order they appear in the corresponding academic transcript, orientated for easy viewing and clear. (For reasons of confidentiality and data protection, personal information of the applicant is not made available to external assessors).
Please note that only degrees completed within 10 years of application can be considered for a non-accredited degree assessment (please refer to the following article for further information: Here to help: Degree assessments | The Biomedical Scientist Magazine of the IBMS.
Applicants are advised to read both parts of the form and accompanying guidance document carefully before making an application as we can only accept applications which adhere to the format stipulated. Any applications made which do not follow the required format will be returned.
Once completed, both parts of the application should be sent as two attachments to degreeassessment@ibms.org for a member of the team to process. If you cannot attach the documents to an email we suggest you use a secure online file sharing service.
Please note
Once a degree assessment application has been approved to be assessed, and the payment has been received, it can take up to 12 weeks for the assessment to be completed and the outcome to then be issued.
When the assessment process has been completed, you will receive a confirmation letter and a copy of the assessment review form indicating the areas of supplementary education that you will need to cover in order to meet the academic requirements for HCPC registration as a biomedical scientist.
Arranging to take top-up modules
You will need to contact IBMS accredited universities directly to arrange to take any required top-up modules. Visit our Careers website for the list of accredited universities and their top-up modules.
Please contact course tutors by email, including a copy of your degree assessment outcome letter, to see if their university offers top-up modules in the subjects required by your degree assessment.
Different universities will offer different modules structures and modes of study (full-time, part-time, online etc.) and you will need to identify the best university for your situation.
The portfolio can be completed concurrently with the supplementary education; Once you have received your outcome letter and provide us with proof of enrolment. However, your training officer will not be able to apply for your portfolio to be verified until you have completed all required top-up modules.
Once you complete any supplementary education
When you have completed any recommended top-up modules you will need a letter from the university stating the specific modules you have taken and confirming that these cover the required areas of supplementary education.
This letter will be used to evidence your completion of the necessary academic standards towards the Certificate of Competence, and will need to be submitted to the IBMS either with your application for the Registration Training Portfolio or by the time your training officer applies for your portfolio to be verified (a copy of this letter is usually included with an application for verification).