Overview
Start your path to becoming Chartered with the Foundation Programme.
Our Foundation Programme provides the relevant skills and knowledge to help prepare you to meet the demands of Part One of our Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme. This is especially useful if you do not have the academic or professional experience to enter the Qualifying Programme at Part One. The Foundation Programme is your first step on the path to a career as a governance professional or company secretary.
Details
Apply
You’ll need to login to apply for this qualification. If you don’t already have an account you can create one here.
Who is it for?
Anyone is eligible to apply, but the programme rises to Level 7 (equivalent to postgraduate degree level) in the final stages. Our students range from entry-level to established professionals, some already working in governance as company secretaries and others transitioning from legal, financial, compliance and risk careers.
The entire programme can take up to five years to complete. However, we offer alternative entry routes for those with relevant education or professional experience. For example, a professional with five years of relevant experience may achieve the qualifying programme within one year via the fast-track professional entry route.
On successful completion of the programme you will receive Grad status which is your first step on the road to achieving Chartered Status.
Entry
This programme is open entry, with no prior qualifications required, and suitable if you are living or working in the UK or internationally. It is a Level 4 qualification, set at the same academic level as a first year undergraduate degree.
However, if you meet any of the following entry requirements, you are not required to complete the Foundation Programme and can proceed straight to Part One of the qualifying programme:
- HND in Law or Accounting;
- HND or degree in Business Studies or Business Management;
- ICSA Level 5 Diploma in International Finance and Administration (IFA);
- ICSA Level 5 Diploma in Offshore Finance and Administration (DOFA); or
- an ‘unrelated’ degree (i.e. anything other than law, finance or business) and five years’ or more experience in a company secretarial or governance professional related role.
Content
The Foundation Programme covers the following subjects:
- Business environment – how businesses are organised and run and how the external environment affects business activities
- Law – an introduction to corporate and business (commercial) law and the legal framework within which businesses operate
- Company compliance and administration – introducing legal, ownership and management structures for companies, how companies are incorporated and routine company compliance and governance obligations
- Finance – the basics of bookkeeping and how to understand the components of financial documentation as well as the principles of financial decision making.
Find a tuition provider
Once you’ve applied to study the Foundation programme, we strongly recommend using one of our registered tuition providers to help structure your study. You’ll find tuition options to suit your location, situation and budget, including classroom courses and distance learning.
Foundation students also have access to our Learning Management System (LMS) which contains a range of additional resources to assist with their studies. See a demonstration of LMS platform in the video provided.
Fees
Registration fee: Your initial registration fee includes your student membership for one year (or half a year, depending on when you register), access to study support resources – including past exam material and study support webinars – and an e-copy of the study text.
Examination entry fee: Once you are ready to take your exam, you will need to pay the examination fee before the close of the exam entry deadline. For June exams the deadline is usually in March and for November exams it is usually in September.
Subscription fee: Your first year (or half year) student membership subscription is included in the registration fee, but if you are still studying the Foundation Programme when this expires, you will need to renew your subscription.
The following table provides a summary of typical costs, but while the full fees apply for students in the UK, EU and Crown Dependencies, those in many other countries pay reduced rates.
Description |
UK |
Reduced rate countries |
|
Registration fee - full year subscription |
£578 |
£395 |
|
Registration fee – half year subscription (1 Feb – 31 July) |
£462 |
£313 |
|
Examination entry fee |
£284 |
£193 |