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Membership and Accreditation (5th Edition)

Student Membership

You need to be a member of SI in order to enrol on the training course*, and continuous membership is required for the duration of the course. Once you enrol on the course by applying for the Module A test you will become a Student Member of the Society of Indexers for the duration of your training. Successful completion of the course leads to the award of Accreditation and Professional Membership of the Society of Indexers (MSocInd)
*However you may purchase Module A and receive a month’s access to the training site before becoming a member.

Members of ANZSI, ASAIB ISC/SCI and CIEP may also take the course and receive a certificate on successful completion, but do not receive these qualifications.

Accreditation

Successful candidates are  Accredited by the Society and are awarded Professional Membership of the Society. This can help in obtaining commercial work. The cost of the course may well be recouped from your first few commissions.

Accredited members are permitted to use either the SI Professional Member or the SI Accredited Member logo on their personal website and business stationery, as long as they remain members of the Society.

The Betty Moys Prize is awarded to the best newly accredited indexer in each calendar year.

If Accredited Indexers leave the Society, their qualification and Professional Membership lapses. If they rejoin the Society within three years, these are automatically reinstated. Only one such break in membership is allowed. If there are exceptional circumstances, the member may apply to put their case to the Professional Development Board (PDB). Some evaluation of current indexing skills will be carried out and some re-training may be required to guarantee competency to practice to AI standard before their qualification is reinstated.

Accreditation: experience route

It is possible for highly experienced indexers to obtain Accredited Indexer status without the time and expense of undertaking the full training course. Applicants need to join the Society of Indexers, provide evidence of indexing experience over at least 10 years, study the SI training modules and take a test. Successful applicants will be awarded Accredited Indexer status as long as they remain members of SI, and will be able to progress to Advanced Professional Member status in the normal way. Further information is available here.

Please note that anyone who has previously failed any edition of the Society of Indexers Training in Indexing course is not eligible to apply.