Looking for a CIPD Study Centre? Not sure how to decide what’s best for you?

Not sure how to choose a CIPD study centre? There are around 300 CIPD approved centres, all with a licence to deliver. But what’s the difference? And what do you want to achieve?

Here’s a few things to think about:

Study Mode

Do you want an online course? Or would you prefer to study in person in a physical classroom?
Are you happy with online study? Would you like to have some live contact with a coach?
Are you happy to send a message and wait for a response? Or would you prefer a more personalised support package?
Do you prefer all independent study? Or would you benefit from some live webinars and perhaps some group work?

Live Webinars, Recordings – or Both?

Would live online webinars help you so that you can network and learn with others? Or do you prefer to work alone?
If you want to join live webinars, do they need to run during the working day? Or are early evenings or weekends better for you to fit around work?
How big are the live webinar groups? We cap our numbers to guarantee small groups but we’ve heard of some centres running with 50 or 60 learners at a time. That’s fine if you want to listen. But may not work so well if you want to join the discussion.
Do the webinars have break out groups like a real classroom? This means you can explore each element in more depth as you go, share your learning, understand what the best organisations are doing and network with other people professionals?
How often do the webinars run? For example ours are around every 2 or 3 weeks on Level 3 and 5 and once a month on Level 7 – with professional coaching and group work in between
How long are the webinars? Ours are from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the level you are studying – some webinars are optional drop-ins or shorter, for example we run a short session just before you tackle your assignment to help ensure you are on track
Are webinars recorded so that you can watch them back later? Our group sessions are recorded and loaded up to AheadLearn – but not the breakout sessions where lots of the learning and sharing happens.

Coaching and One to One Support

Would you like to have some individual and group professional coaching? Our group programmes include professional coaching but you are welcome to choose the pure self study option if this isn’t so important to you.
How many hours of support is included in your package? For example, we offer allocated support for every learner so that you can benefit from over 40 hours professional coaching support on Level 3, 50 hours on Level 5 and 60 hours on Level 7
What does ‘unlimited support’ really mean in practice? We’ve created a programme that we believe gives most students a great blend of individual study, group work, networking and personalised coaching – it doesn’t need to be unlimited if the package is right.

TIme, Length and Flexibility

How much time do you have to study? Your personal circumstances will impact the overall length of your programme. So if you can only study 6 hours a week, and it’s a 420 hour programme (Level 5/Associate) then is it realistic to complete in 12 months?
Will your study period be restricted? How long is your learning contract and are there extra costs if you go over that time, for example a monthly extension fee?
Can you pause your programme? All centres will have an extenuating circumstances policy for real emergencies – but can you pause your programme if life gets a bit busy and you really need to take a break in your studies?
What style of learning suits you? We encourage you to adapt your programme using a blend of learning options to suit your style so that you maximise your achievements and accelerate your career
Do you want to have a choice of what you study? Some centres will steer you to certain topics or optional units rather than give you the choice over what to study. Especially at Level 5 and Level 7 it is important to choose areas that will add value to your career.

Goals, Background and Fit

What is your goal? Short term and long term? Achieve your CIPD qualification? Build your credibility? Enhance your career? Get CIPD Chartered Membership? Choose the option that will give you the learning that you need to achieve your goals..
How long since you last studied? Is self study right for you or would you benefit from a more supported approach? The level you choose is really important here too which is why we offer a free call to all potential CIPD learners.
Do you prefer a large study provider or a smaller boutique style of centre? You are likely to get a different experience from a small, friendly centre versus a large centre which focusses on processing lots of students for a low price.

Price, Payment Plans and Cost v Benefit

What is included in the price you are paying? Are there special deals or is there a consistent fair price all year round? Are there payment plans? Are payment plans interest free? How long can you spread your payments over? Which is the better value investment overall?

Hope that helps you as you think about what’s best for you.

Do you want to explore your options?

We promise to tell you honestly what we think is best for you. You may have a couple of choices and we will help you weigh up the pros and cons so you can decide for yourself how to proceed. Book a diagnostic call and we’ll help you work out what’s best.

Book a call with one of our friendly advisors.

We wish you well in your CIPD journey whatever you choose.

How to choose a CIPD study centre