Applications for our next Fellowship cohort will open on Friday 1st March 2024. 

We believe that all Members of our Institute should aspire to become Chartered Fellows.  It is the highest status conferred by the Institute upon individuals who have distinguished themselves in their careers. To be elected a Fellow you must be considered by our Board of Trustees to have made a significant contribution to banking and to the objectives of the Institute.

Like all members, our Fellows demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development and must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct. Fellows are expected to act as role models and mentors for others in the profession, as champions for banking professionalism and as ambassadors for the Institute and wider banking profession.

You can recognise one of our Fellows through their use of the designatory letters FCBI after their name, and those qualified as such may use the professional designation Chartered Banker.

Applications are considered twice per year, with closing dates in March and September. We have adopted a cohort approach, and individuals within the same cohort will benefit from networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. More information on the application process and eligibility requirements can be found below.

Eligibility requirements

Candidates:

  • must be experienced banking practitioners with ten years' experience in banking to be eligible for Fellowship
  • must hold or attain Chartered Banker status
  • have made a significant contribution to the work of the Institute and the banking profession
  • demonstrate an ongoing commitment to continuing professional development
  • act as a role model and mentor to others in the profession, and
  • membership subscriptions must be up to date.  Note: On attaining fellowship, new Fellows are required to pay the Fellows membership rate at their next renewal date

Attaining Chartered Banker status requires completion of an advanced professional qualification recognised by the Institute, which includes the study of professionalism and ethics, and appropriate coverage of credit and lending.

In assessing candidates’ suitability, we will look for evidence of a breadth of experience which might be demonstrated through some of the following:

  • Evidence of leadership qualities e.g., leadership style, leading a team through change, mentoring/coaching others and communication skills
  • Building and maintaining technical knowledge
  • Commitment to learning and development e.g., CPD, professional networks and through other qualifications
  • Professionalism and ethics
  • Managing cultural shift
  • Delivering successful projects
  • Developing and implementing strategy.

Fast-track to Fellowship

For experienced banking professionals who do not hold Chartered Banker status but would otherwise meet the criteria for Fellowship, we offer a fast-track route combined with an application for Chartered Banker by Experience.  Candidates who are eligible for our Chartered Banker by Experience qualification will be considered for Fellowship and, if approved, may be awarded Fellowship on condition of completing the qualification.

Your suitability for the Chartered Banker by Experience qualification will be assessed before your application for Fellowship is considered. However, applicants should be aware that being accepted onto the Chartered Banker by Experience Programme is not a guarantee that your application for Fellowship will be approved. Similarly, being considered for Fellowship is not a guarantee that you will complete the Chartered Banker by Experience programme.

The Institute’s Board of Trustees may, at its discretion, recognise and recommend additional pathways to meeting the qualification requirement. Please contact us before applying for Fellowship if you wish to seek recognition of an alternative route.

Responsibilities

Election to Fellowship is a mark of achievement and success.  It is also an expectation of service. The role of a Fellow is to contribute, in whatever way they are able, to promoting and achieving the aims and objectives of the institute.  This contribution should include the encouragement of colleagues to become professionally qualified and engaged as members of the Institute.

We ask that our Fellows:

  • are active advocates, promoting the Institute whenever and wherever the opportunity arises; 
  • mentor, encourage and support other members of the Institute and the wider banking profession;
  • encourage others to professionally qualify with the Institute, and help to develop and nurture them during their careers; and
  • support our work through active participation, involvement and willing advice.

Fellowship is about promoting the high ethical, professional and technical standards needed to rebuild public confidence and trust in the banking profession and growing the Institute so our influence and expertise make a positive difference to the culture of our financial services industry.

The application process

Applications will open at 10am GMT, Friday 1st March 2024.

  • Applications are considered annually, with a closing date of 30th April. We have adopted a cohort approach, and individuals within the same cohort will benefit from networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
  • Applications for Fellowship should be made using the appropriate online form, accompanied by a current CV.  Candidates are also required to submit a short (2-3 minute) video ‘pitch’. Guidance on the video can be found within the application form.
  • All nominations require a proposer and seconder who will be asked to provide a reference that the candidate meets the requirements for Fellowship. These may be existing Fellows of the Institute, or individuals who have known the candidate in a business or education capacity for at least two years. This could include appropriate representatives of Financial Services organisations or a current/former employer.  Sponsors must be easily searchable online to confirm their name and role.
  • We will provide support at the outset by appointing a current Fellow of the Institute (as a ‘mentor’) to consider applications on a one-to-one basis with candidates and discuss what it means to be a Fellow. They will either support the candidate’s application to join the current cohort or provide constructive feedback as to why they can’t support this at the current time.  If they can’t support the application, it might be that the candidate needs to consider whether Fellowship is the right choice for them or reapply at a later date.  
  • Candidates who progress from the first stage will have their applications reviewed by the Institute's Nominations Committee and members of the Institute's Leadership Team. This will normally involve a review of the candidates’ pitches, along with their application forms and CVs, together with any feedback from the Fellowship mentors. NB: in some circumstances an interview with a candidate may be requested, for example, if further information is needed. Following this, candidates who are recommended for Fellowship will be considered for final approval by the Institute’s Board of Trustees. 

If you believe that a part of the application process would cause you difficulty, please contact us to discuss any specific barriers that you might have. This could, for example, be due to a disability or the result of a health condition. The Institute is willing to offer support where possible, provided the requirements for Fellowship are met.

Chartered Banker by Experience

Chartered Banker by Experience is designed for experienced banking professionals who wish to gain Chartered Banker status and become members of the Chartered Banker Institute.  The qualification is intended for individuals who:

  • Have at least 10 years of business experience, including 5 years of relevant banking and financial services experience;
  • Want recognition for their expertise, experience and contribution to banking;
  • Aim to meet current and emerging regulatory requirements for the demonstration of high professional standards; and
  • Seek an accelerated, flexible yet rigorous route to Chartered Banker status.

Find out more here

To apply click here.