The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) is the qualifying body for company secretaries and senior administrators in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. The Institute has an impressive 52,030 members and students in over 70 countries and plays a key role in providing a global voice on boardroom and regulatory issues. 

The first stage in becoming a Chartered Secretary is to study the ICSA International Qualifying Scheme (IQS) and pass the examinations.  The International Qualifying Scheme may be studied by distance learning using study texts provided by ICSA.  However, there are tuition providers who offer full-time, part-time, evening and revision courses.

Part One of the qualifying scheme covers Corporate Law, Management Accounting, Strategic and Operations Management and Financial Accounting. Part Two covers Corporate Governance, Corporate Administration, Corporate Secretaryship and Corporate Financial Management.  There are exemptions available for graduates who have degrees that are considered to be relevant such as law and accountancy and these candidates can progress straight onto Part Two of the course.

ICSA also offers both a Certificate and a Diploma in Business Practice which covers the principles and practice of contemporary business management including marketing, business environment, communications, accounting, management, law and finance.

Once candidates have successfully completed ICSA’s qualifying examinations, they are automatically transferred to the grade of Graduate.  To become a Chartered Secretary and a member of ICSA, candidates must demonstrate six years’ of relevant work experience.  The six year requirement can be reduced by up to three years for holders of degrees and other relevant qualifications.  Work experience can also be gained while studying for the ICSA examinations.

Ron Rosenhead qualified as a Chartered Secretary while he was still in the army. Ron worked in the finance stream, starting off in payroll before becoming involved in HR.  He undertook part of his studies at Worthy Down, originally the home of the Royal Army Pay Corps. It has now been reorganised and renamed as the RABC but still delivers the ICSA qualifications.  Ron first found out about the ICSA through his boss who was undertaking the International Qualifying Scheme.

‘At the time I was thinking about doing another qualification that required me to do full time study. But I was enjoying the job that I was doing and I was able to study for the ICSA qualifications by a combination of correspondence course and night school. So I could carry on working and gain the qualifications that I wanted.’

Ron adds ‘I was attracted to the qualifications because of their flexibility and the fact that I wouldn’t be tied down to accountancy or law when I came out of the army. Another aspect that made me consider becoming a Chartered Secretary was that the Ministry of Defence was placing more and more emphasis on the importance of corporate responsibility. Corporate governance is a key part of the Chartered Secretary’s role so I could see that there was a link there.’

Exemptions are available for those who have previously undertaken training courses during their services career but the number of exemptions vary according to rank, length of service and the type of training course. On passing their examinations, graduates can use the designatory letters Grad ICSA. Subsequently, the ICSA’s Professional Development Profile provides a framework for graduates to validate work experience and progress towards obtaining Associateship and Fellowship status.

The ICSA International Qualifying Scheme may be studied by distance learning using study texts provided by ICSA.  However, there are private tuition providers who offer full-time, part-time, evening and revision courses.

With their wide range of skills, and specialist expertise in corporate governance, administration and operational effectiveness, Chartered Secretaries are in demand in all sectors as:

·    Company secretaries in all sizes of company
·    Secretary to the board and chief executives in charities and other not-for-profit organisations
·    Heads of administration in schools and hospitals
·    Local government officers
·    Offshore investment trust administrators
·    Share registrars
·    Entrepreneurs

Others set up their own specialist businesses as Chartered Secretaries in Public Practice, providing company secretarial and business services to clients.  Chartered Secretaries need to be very organised with the ability to prioritise and manage time, highly literate and numerate and have the capacity to absorb and digest technical knowledge.

As well as enjoying the variety of stimuli and change in their jobs, Chartered Secretaries are well remunerated. Salaries for Chartered Secretaries are on a par with those for accountants and solicitors.  The average salary for a company secretary of a FTSE 100 company is £167,697 (Source: Chambers & Partners– company secretary survey 2006/07). The average base salary for Company Secretaries who head the legal department was £208,856, and for Company Secretaries who do not, £135,357.


To apply:

Address: Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, 16 Park Crescent, London W1B 1AH

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: www.icsa.org.uk

Tel 020 7580 4741

Fax 020 7323 1132