ICB Designatory Letters - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Ann-marie · Senior Member

ICB Designatory Letters

Alison · Senior Member

HI

Not sure if it is still the case with ICB, when you have past an exam you get a letter stating what letters that allows you after your name (think there is something like you have to pay £15 per letters per year to be able to use them but not sure if this is still the case).

Alison

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

From what I can tell, you pay £15 for the letters but I would wait until you have taken all the exams you intend to take, as then you pay only once for all the letters IMHO

I may be wrong, but thats how I see it.

P

Mike · Veteran Member

Manual levels 1 and 2 = AICB
Manual levels 1, 2 and 3 = MICB
Level 1 manual plus level 2 computerised = AICB (Comp)
Level 1 manual plus levels 2 and 3 computerised = MICB (Comp)
Manual level 1 and 2 plus computerised level 2 = AICB CB.cert
Manual levels 1 -3, plus computerised level 2 = MICB, CB.cert
Manual levels 1 and 2 plus computerised levels 2 and 3 = AICB CB.Dip
Manaul levels 1 -3, plus computerised levels 2 and 3 = MICB, CB.Dip
If you pass the Payroll exam, you can also add PM.Dip to your name.

Terri · Senior Member

I had already passed my level 2 manual paid my membership fees and when I passed my level 2 computerised, I had to pay to £75, £60 to upgrade my membership and £15 for the computerised letters after my name.

At the moment I have a practising license, I have passed levels 2 in both manual and computerised and my grade is Associate CB. Cert

Like Alison, I was under the impression that you pay £15 per qualification, so if I were to pass a payroll exam, I would have to pay an additional £15. So when it came to membership renewal, it would be the annual membership fee, plus £15 computerised and £15 payroll.

Terri

Wella · Expert

If this is your first membership application then it is £60 for 12 months at AICB.
When you pass your next appropriate exams to MICB its £66 for 12 months but if you upgrade while you still have months to go at AICB, they will either let you upgrade for a reduced fee for the remaining months or run your MICB grade for 12 months + any outstanding months carried over from AICB if you pay the full MICB membership. As Terri says, its an additional £15 if you add other quals. They will send you a letter inviting you to take up membership with the results of your exam

Bill

Ann-marie · Senior Member

That's great - thank you all so much especially Mike - that was exactly what I needed.

I've got quite a lot of finance experience but I am looking at starting my own bookkeeping business and if I have the actual qualifications i think you come a cross as more professional.

I should hopefully have passed manual level 1 before christmas so fingers crossed for me :)

Terri · Senior Member

I am sure that you will fly through the exams with your previous experience and knowledge

Terri

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Received Level 1 in Basic Bookkeeping through the post today. Have had a quick look through and it looks OK so will get going on that over the weekend. Just read that it can take up to 1 month to get the results through - does it normally actually take that long? I was hoping if I passed to get level 2 booked soon too.

Marky65 · Guru

Hi Anne Marie

Unfortunatley it does.

Good luck with it though

Regards

Mark

Wella · Expert

Hi Anne Marie

If you are planning on taking the manual exam next, you could gamble and book it, because the next manual centre based exam isn't until February now.

If you plan to take the computerised exam you could still gamble (I imagine it will be a pretty safe gamble) and apply, maybe a week after sending back your level I, as the assignments are sent out on the Friday in the week you apply, you then have two weeks to complete + up to four weeks for the results. By that time you will have passed level I.

Bill

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Hi Bill,

I've logged into the ICB examination section and looks like the only exam I can book at the moment is Level 3 Diploma in Payroll Management. I guess this is because you have to pass level 1 before i can take level 2 etc... but Payroll is just the on level, hence why it comes up. Thanks for the thought though - I guess I'll just need to be patient.

I'm getting on well with the level 1 exam, about 2/3rd's through a rough draft of it so far and all seems to be going well so far. I think once I have done this i'll order a past paper for level 2 and do that whilst I'm waiting for my results to come through and take it from there.

Thanks for everyone's help :O)

Wella · Expert

Oops

You're right, the only exam you have to pass before you can apply for others.
You can take level II & III manual on the same day if you want but you can't apply for another exam 'till you passed level I.

I'm sure you wont need it but good luck with level I. Looking forward to hearing you passed

Bill

-- Edited by Wella on Saturday 14th of November 2009 04:25:42 PM

Wella · Expert

Ann Marie

For you info, regarding booking level II manual (if you haven't already seen it)

Just spotted this on the ICB website

"You must have passed your Level I Certificate in Basic Bookkeeping before you apply for your Level II. Please note that, unless you apply for your Level I at least ten weeks prior to the date of the Level II centre exam you wish to take, it is unlikely that your results will be issued in time. If wishing to take a Level II examination in February, you will need to apply even earlier as no marking will take place during Christmas holidays."

The cut off for any manual exams on the 10 February 2010 is 1 January 2010, which sounds a long way off but its not that far away and the ICB tend to close just before Christmas and not open again 'till after 1 Jan.

Bill

-- Edited by Wella on Saturday 14th of November 2009 05:34:21 PM

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Well I've finished the paper in draft - just need to write it out 'in best' now and get in posted off. It seemed fairly straight forward so fingers crossed that I will have passed and the results will not take to long to get back to me!! Think I'll order the level 2 computerised practice paper next so that I can get a feel for how that exam will be.

How has anyone else found Level 2 computerised??

Marky65 · Guru

Hi Ann Marie

Hope you have got paper written out nice & neatly :)

I found level 2 very straightforward. Obviously I don't know your experience level (I have over 25 years) but I just got the level 2 past paper, sat this as an exam, then applied for the real one and passed with distinction.

Good luck

Regards

Mark

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Hi Mark,

Yes all written out nice and neatly now - ready to get posted off tomorrow no which is great.

Hope that I will have passed!!

I think I'm going to join the sage bookkeepers club this week so once that's all come through i'll order one of the past papers to have a go before I go for the real thing.

I've been doing various finance roles for around 8 years now, currently a Finance Manager for a charity as well as setting up my own bookkeeping business. So i've got a fair amount of experience, it's just nice to have the qualifications to back up my knowledge for the business.

Ann-marie

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Ann Marie

With lots of experience, its easy to get the practice paper and do that, then go straight for the exam. The practice one will give you an idea of what to expect in the real exam. I think you will do just fine. Like Mark, I did that and got a distinction too.

P

Ann-marie · Senior Member

A little update for anyone who is interested - Received an email from the ICB today confirming that they have got my exam paper and i'll have the results by 25th Dec so keeping everything crossed for that. In the meantime I now have level 2 past papers to have a go out - hope it's not too tricky!!

Ann-marie

smartin · Veteran Member

Hi
Good luck - just saw the postings and I have taken the level 1 and passed and have booked to do my level 2 in Feb. (I was thinking of taking level 2 & 3 on the same day but went to the conference last week and they have persuaded me not to).
Let us know how you get on though. - Shirley

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Hi Shirley,

Congratulation on passing you level 1 - fingers crossed I will have my results back in time for Christmas so that I can get level 2 booked.

How was the conference? I have only recently joined as a student member - if i'd known more in advance then I think that I would have tried to have made it. Is it an annual conference? If so I think that I will try and make next years.

Ann-marie

smartin · Veteran Member

The conference was good. I did both student days and found out quite alot of interesting things. This years was the first big one but I think it will be a regular event now.

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Hooray I got a distinction in level I Manual bookkeeping - just about to book in for my level II computerised now. Things are starting to fall into place - yeah!!

smartin · Veteran Member

Well done ! You will have to get your certificate framed !
I have just started my computerised part 2 today so like you I am all systems go !

Shirley

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

well done Ann-marie!

Are you doing the Level II manual also?

P

Ann-marie · Senior Member

I'm going to do the computerised ones first and then move onto the manuals. Received my level ii computerised exam through the post yesterday so i'm planning on starting that in the next few days - fingers crossed that it will go as well as level i. Will keep you posted.

Ann-marie

Marky65 · Guru

Hi Anne Marie

I have only just seen your post, congratulations on passing your exam and good luck for your level 2 comp.

Regards

Mark

Ann-marie · Senior Member

Thanks Mark - I was pleased that I got a distinction, 1 down and quite a few more to go!! Fingers crossed level ii comp will go as well.

Ann-marie

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Ann-marie

Good luck with the paper, you've probably completed it by now!

P