Membership & Certification:
An Important Difference
Membership recognizes professional affiliation and participation. Certification validates defined competencies through an independent assessment process.
Professional Membership, Student Membership, Corporate Membership, and Fellow Membership should not be represented as proof that an individual has passed an IBACTP® certification examination. Chartered Membership is distinctive because an approved competency assessment is required.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Membership and certification serve different purposes, and the requirements for each are satisfied independently.
IBACTP® Member + IBACTP® Certified Professional
An individual may be both an IBACTP® Member and an IBACTP® Certified Professional where the requirements for each status have been independently satisfied.
Membership and certification are separate forms of professional engagement, and an individual may hold both at the same time when all applicable requirements have been met.
Your IBACTP® Membership Journey
This pathway represents possible professional progression and does not constitute automatic advancement.
Build knowledge and professional awareness.
Connect, develop, participate, and grow.
Demonstrate competence through formal assessment — the applicable certification examination or an approved Capstone Project.
Receive advanced recognition for professional achievement and contribution.
Participate at the highest Fellow membership level, with all applicable Grand Fellow rights and privileges.