Learning & Qualifications

The Institute's academic year opens on 17 June 2025.

With a reputation for providing a first class education and professional development to the shipping profession, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers' qualifications confer a status not equalled elsewhere in the industry.

If you are interested in studying with the Institute, please read and follow these steps to enrol as a new or returning student:

Step 1 - Review our range of maritime subjects

Review our syllabus and decide which subjects you wish to study. You can select a stand-alone subject, or multiple subjects which make up one of our qualifications.

Step 2 - Choose your qualification

We offer 3 levels of qualifications: our Foundation Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE).

1. Foundation Diploma: Mandatory subject - Introduction to Shipping plus one other subject from Group 1 or Group 2*
   
   
2. Advanced Diploma: Mandatory subject - Shipping Business plus one other subject from Group 1 (except Introduction to Shipping) or Group 2
   
   
3. Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE) - Mandatory subjects - Introduction to Shipping, Legal Principles in Shipping Business, Economics of Sea Transport & International Trade and Shipping Business plus three subjects of your choice from Group 2.

Which subjects fall into Groups 1 and 2 are explained here

You may be eligible for an exemption from some of our examination's dependant on your professional experience or academic qualifications. Read more on exemptions.

To sit an exam with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers during the 2024/2025 academic year, you will need to register as a student. This can be done after the academic year opens online at https://shipbrokers.org/.

Step 3 - Choose your study method

We offer various study methods.

1. Online Academy (this study method is only available to those sitting examinations in a May exam session).£1,145 for 1 subject, additional subjects £1,045 each.
   Cost includes annual student registration fee and examination entry.
   
   
2. Tutorship
   £795 per subject. Cost includes examination entry; however, students would also be required to pay an annual registration fee of £142 (2024/25 intake year)
   
   
3. Self-study
   Students pay for course materials as well as the annual registration fee and examination entry which is £179 per subject (2024/25 intake year).
   
   
4. Study locally with one of our approved  International teaching centres.

Further information about student costs can be found here.

Step 4 - Enrol as a student:

Each student must register with the Institute by creating an account at https://shipbrokers.org/.

Online academy: Download and complete a student registration form and send your completed form to shipping-school@ics.org.uk. Please go to the Online Academy page to download the registration form and find more information.

Tutorship: You can select Tutorship as your study method through your shipbrokers account.

Self-Study: You can select your subjects and specify self-study as your study method of choice through your shipbrokers account.

If you have more questions about our qualifications and processes, please read our detailed  blog.