Routes to Membership

Important Notice

We would like to inform you that Ciarb is currently in the process of upgrading our internal IT system. As a result, there will be a temporary suspension of processing various membership applications, including new membership applications, membership upgrade applications, Fellow Peer Interview applications, and Dispute Appointment Services panel applications. This suspension will be effective from Saturday, 4 May 2024, until Sunday, 19 May 2024. All online membership applications will be made available from Monday, 20 May 2024 onwards. Should you have any inquiries or require assistance during this period, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at memberservices@ciarb.org or by calling +44 (0)20 7421 7447. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time of system enhancement.

Routes to Membership

There are three types of membership to choose from: Associate; Member; and Fellow.

To achieve CIArb membership, you can either:

Complete CIArb training to the required level for your chosen type of membership.
Complete specific courses provided by CIArb Recognised Course Providers (RCP).
Demonstrate professional experience commensurate with the knowledge and skills required.

Detailed information about each type of membership and the experience or qualifications required is below.

To become a Chartered Arbitrator, you must first become a Fellow and then pass a Panel interview. Read more about how to achieve Chartered status.

Candidates who complete courses with Ciarb or RCPs, should apply for membership within two years of completion.

Membership level	6 months Associate	5 years Member	10 years Fellow
Experience required	Six months experience in dispute avoidance or dispute management. To apply, please submit/upload: Applicant’s latest CV A copy of reference letter from any individual (preferable a CIArb member at any grade) who have the first-hand experience of you in the role of dispute resolver or party representatives within the last six months. Referee must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from business address, including their business signature.	Five years’ experience in arbitration, construction adjudication or mediation in a lead/sole capacity; including settlement agreements, the management of proceedings, and attending hearings which have resulted in the publication of a reasoned award or decision and have been a party representative in at least five (5) arbitrations/mediations/adjudications. To apply, please submit/upload: Applicant’s latest CV A schedule of appointments or participation undertaken in the last five (5) years with details of your ADR experience and a minimum of five (5) arbitration/ mediations/ adjudications cases details (date & brief outline of the case). The applicant is encouraged to provide copies of the award/decision (must be redacted). A copy of two (2) reference letters from any individual (preferable a CIArb member at any grade) who have the first-hand experience of the applicant in the role of dispute resolver or party representatives within the last five years. Referees must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from business address, including their business signature. Referees should not come from the same organisation.	Experience required A knowledge of the law of obligations, evidenced at first-degree level or recognised equivalent; or an understanding of law relevant to arbitration practice or recognised equivalent. A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in arbitration (as a sole arbitrator or tribunal member) and first-hand involvement in settlement agreements, the management of proceedings and attending hearings that have resulted in the publication of a reasoned award or decision. Experience in writing, decision, and final arbitration award in the capacity of a sole arbitrator or tribunal member. To apply, A schedule of appointments undertaken in the last ten (10) years with details of your arbitral experience. Please include in which capacity you held the appointment, i.e. counsel, sole arbitrator or tribunal member; the year of the appointment, the case brief, the case value and outcome/decision. Two (2) copies of published awards you have written as a sole arbitrator or member of a tribunal, in the past five (5) years. These must be redacted. One (1) copy of an arbitration direction you have written (in the form of a procedural order) as a sole arbitrator or member of a tribunal, in the past five (5) years. A current CV/Resume. Letters of reference from two (2) CIArb Fellows who have firsthand experience of you in the role of dispute resolver, party representative or Arbitrator. They may be individuals who have appeared before you whilst acting as a dispute resolver, party representative or co-arbitrator. Referees must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from a business address, including their business signature. Referees should not come from the same organization. Please click below to download the application form according to the pathway: Arbitration Construction Adjudication Mediation Please submit the application form along with all supporting documents to memberservices@ciarb.org
	or
Qualifications required	0 years One of CIArb’s introductory courses or an equivalent qualification from a recognised course provider.	0 years Complete Module 1 training and assessment components on one of CIArb’s Pathways. Completion of CIArb’s Accelerated Route to Membership (ARM) Programme. Completion of an equivalent course from a recognised course provider.	0 Years Successful completion of Module 2 and Module 3 on one of CIArb’s Pathways. Successful completion of an Accelerated Route to Fellowship Course Completion of an equivalent course from a recognised course provider. Successful completion of CIArb’s Diploma, Part 3.
Peer interview	None required.	None Required	Peer Interview for Fellowship
Annual fee	Membership Prices	Membership Prices	Membership Prices
	Train for Associate or Join as an Associate	Train for Member or Join as a Member	Train for Fellow or Join as a Fellow
	New applications for membership must be accompanied by payment of the first year's subscription and a one-off, non-refundable application fee of either £110 or £55 depending on your country of residence. Click here to see which fee is applicable for which countries. If you are already a Ciarb member and are ready to upgrade your membership, please click here to see the applicable fees. Please note that a one-off, non-refundable application fee of £45 is applicable to Student members upgrading their membership to Associate, Member or Fellow.

6 months

Experience required

Six months experience in dispute avoidance or dispute management.

To apply, please submit/upload:

Applicant’s latest CV
A copy of reference letter from any individual (preferable a CIArb member at any grade) who have the first-hand experience of you in the role of dispute resolver or party representatives within the last six months. Referee must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from business address, including their business signature.

0 years

Qualifications required

One of CIArb’s introductory courses or an equivalent qualification from a recognised course provider.

Peer interview

None required.

Annual fee

Membership Prices

Train for Associate

Join as an Associate

5 years

Experience required

Five years’ experience in arbitration, construction adjudication or mediation in a lead/sole capacity; including settlement agreements, the management of proceedings, and attending hearings which have resulted in the publication of a reasoned award or decision and have been a party representative in at least five (5) arbitrations/mediations/adjudications.

To apply, please submit/upload:

Applicant’s latest CV
A schedule of appointments or participation undertaken in the last five (5) years with details of your ADR experience and a minimum of five (5) arbitration/ mediations/ adjudications cases details (date & brief outline of the case). The applicant is encouraged to provide copies of the award/decision (must be redacted).
A copy of two (2) reference letters from any individual (preferable a CIArb member at any grade) who have the first-hand experience of the applicant in the role of dispute resolver or party representatives within the last five years. Referees must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from business address, including their business signature. Referees should not come from the same organisation.

0 years

Qualifications required

Complete Module 1 training and assessment components on one of CIArb’s Pathways.
Completion of CIArb’s Accelerated Route to Membership (ARM) Programme.
Completion of an equivalent course from a recognised course provider.

Peer interview

None Required

Annual fee

Membership Prices

Train for Member

Join as a Member

10 years

Experience required

A knowledge of the law of obligations, evidenced at first-degree level or recognised equivalent; or an understanding of law relevant to arbitration practice or recognised equivalent.
A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in arbitration (as a sole arbitrator or tribunal member) and first-hand involvement in settlement agreements, the management of proceedings and attending hearings that have resulted in the publication of a reasoned award or decision.
Experience in writing, decision, and final arbitration award in the capacity of a sole arbitrator or tribunal member.

To apply,

A schedule of appointments undertaken in the last ten (10) years with details of your arbitral experience. Please include in which capacity you held the appointment, i.e. counsel, sole arbitrator or tribunal member; the year of the appointment, the case brief, the case value and outcome/decision.
Two (2) copies of published awards you have written as a sole arbitrator or member of a tribunal, in the past five (5) years. These must be redacted.
One (1) copy of an arbitration direction you have written (in the form of a procedural order) as a sole arbitrator or member of a tribunal, in the past five (5) years.
A current CV/Resume.
Letters of reference from two (2) CIArb Fellows who have firsthand experience of you in the role of dispute resolver, party representative or Arbitrator. They may be individuals who have appeared before you whilst acting as a dispute resolver, party representative or co-arbitrator. Referees must submit their reference on business headed paper or email from a business address, including their business signature. Referees should not come from the same organization.

Please click below to download the application form according to the pathway:

Please submit the application form along with all supporting documents to memberservices@ciarb.org

0 Years

Qualifications required

Successful completion of Module 2 and Module 3 on one of CIArb’s Pathways.
Successful completion of an Accelerated Route to Fellowship Course
Completion of an equivalent course from a recognised course provider.
Successful completion of CIArb’s Diploma, Part 3.

Peer interview

Peer Interview for Fellowship

Annual fee

Membership Prices

Train for Fellow

Join as a Fellow

New applications for membership must be accompanied by payment of the first year's subscription and a one-off, non-refundable application fee of either £110 or £55 depending on your country of residence. Click here to see which fee is applicable for which countries.

If you are already a Ciarb member and are ready to upgrade your membership, please click here to see the applicable fees.

Please note that a one-off, non-refundable application fee of £45 is applicable to Student members upgrading their membership to Associate, Member or Fellow.

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