CIPS Fellowship (FCIPS) FAQs

Frequently asked questions about CIPS Fellowship (FCIPS)

What is CIPS Fellowship (FCIPS)? 

Fellowship is the highest grade of CIPS membership and recognises outstanding level of achievement, knowledge and experience in procurement and supply. 

Who is eligible to apply for Fellowship (FCIPS)?

Fellowship can be awarded for Outstanding Contribution and/or Seniority.

Individuals that are eligible for their contribution would need to evidence activities that they have been doing outside of their paid roles, that are contributing to the wider profession e.g. Chairing your local branch or mentoring students.

Individuals that are eligible for their seniority would need to evidence the impact that they have had within their organisation over the last 5+ years. Typically, this should be at a C-Suite level or higher.

Candidates must have held MCIPS for 2 years before applying, and further information can be found via our FCIPS eligibility tool. 

How do I apply for FCIPS? 

You can apply via your MyCIPS Dashboard from the My Requests and Applications section of your MyCIPS Dashboard by selecting 'New Application'. 

On the next screen you should select the 'FCIPS Upgrade and Applications Forms' drop down. From here, select 'Add to Cart' and make payment - the application cost dependent on which region you are applying from.

Once this is paid for, you can then return to the My Requests and Applications section of your dashboard. Here, you should click 'Apply' and fill out the relevant fields with the relevant documentation

What is the end-to-end process for a fellowship application? 

Once your application is submitted, the CIPS fellowship team will be in touch within 2 working days. They will provide detailed feedback in relation to your application, and may suggest some tweaks or additional documents where required.

Once the documents have been approved and the application is ready to go forward to panel, your application will be added to the next available panel meeting on a first come, first served basis. The panels are held once a month, and up to 8 applicants can be reviewed per panel.

Following the panel, you will receive your outcome within 2 weeks of the panel date. If you are successful, you will receive a physical certificate and badge within 6-8 weeks of receiving your outcome. 

What documentation needs to be submitted as part of the application?  

As a part of the application, you would need to provide the following documents: Current CV, Seniority Statement, Contribution Statement, Future Contribution Statement, Official Job Description, Official Org Chart, Letters of Support, and any Supporting Evidence that you feel will add context to your application. Further details on each document can be found on our FCIPS eligibility tool.

Can I apply for fellowship if I am a consultant or an academic? 

Yes, consultants and academics are both eligible to apply for CIPS Fellowship, providing they meet the relevant eligibility criteria.  

To have the required seniority, consultants should be advising on procurement strategy at a C-Suite or board level within the organisations that they are appointed.

Academics may not always meet the seniority criteria, but if they have made a sustained contribution to the wider profession throughout their career, then they may meet the contribution criteria. Some examples would include academic research, writing articles/papers, influencing best practice and any other significant procurement education contribution. 

Who should I approach for a letter of support?

Typically, we would require 4-6 letters of support. One of these should be from your current line manager, and we would also recommend having a letter of support from someone who is already FCIPS themselves. It is best to have a variety of internal/professional letters of support, as well as some letters of support from your contribution activities, e.g. Mentees or branch contacts. 

How can I build my contribution portfolio? 

Contribution is where potential applicants can make a real difference and strengthen their application whilst waiting for the 2 year MCIPS requirement.

Collate a portfolio of speaking engagements, attend industry events and deliver talks/presentations at conferences

• Build a mentoring circle 
• Become a CIPS volunteer 
• Focus on getting more people into the profession, speak at schools/universities, career days, job shows etc
• Build a portfolio of podcast appearances. 
• Get in touch with your local branch, and take up an influencial role within that branch such as Chair, Vice Chair, Education officer, event organiser etc. 
• Write academic articles/papers
• Join groups dedicated to ED&I within the profession
• Sustainability initiatives

Any other activities that are making a clear difference to the profession that you do not get paid for. 

How often are the fellowship panels held? 

The fellowship panels are held once per month, and they are made up of 3 members of our CIPS Independent Assessor team, who are also current fellows. 

Can I re-apply if my application is not successful? 

Yes, if you are unsuccessful, the panel will provide some detailed feedback and a timeframe for when you should consider re-applying.