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How to Join the SEC

If you are interested in joining the Society please complete our online application form and submit it as directed. Please note a hard copy is not required and on its own will not be accepted. Our Honorary Secretary Patrick Allan can provide further information if required.

At the same time you will need to complete our Direct Debit form or make out your cheque to 'The Society of Education Consultants', and post either of them to our Administrator. Please make sure that your details are clear so that we can match your DD or cheque to your application form. Once we have both your application form and the correct subscription, we will seek references.

Whilst waiting for those references to be returned, unless you are an associate member, your details will be prepared for entry in our on-line searchable web database of member consultants. You may also wish to prepare your own web space for linking to your directory entry.

As soon as we receive satisfactory replies from your referees, your application will be ratified. At that point you will be a member of the Society. You will be reminded that you must work within the Society's Code of Practice, and that you are bound by the SEC Constitution. From here on you will be able to participate in all aspects of the Society's affairs; your entry will be added to the on-line directory of consultants and you will be included in circulation of work opportunities.

In the unlikely event of your references proving unsatisfactory, your subscription will be returned in full.

Subscriptions

Membership subscriptions fall due 1 January each year. If you pay by direct debit, your subscription is collected 28 February each year.

In the year you apply you will only pay for the months left in that calendar year. For example if we receive your application form in February you will only pay for 10 months (March to December inclusive). A full year's subscription then becomes due the next 1 January.

The Society offers five classes of membership with different levels of benefits to meet different members' needs:

Individual Membership:

This is the most common and is suitable for all types of education consultants. It is particularly applicable to freelance consultants and sole traders. The annual membership fee is currently £120. Annual Direct Debit is the preferred payment option but payment by cheque will also be accepted. Members opting to pay by direct debit will pay a reduced annual subscription, currently £108.

Associate Membership:

This is designed for people who are considering becoming consultants. Perhaps they want to try one or two commissions before fully committing to the freelance lifestyle. This membership will give them access to advice. The annual membership fee is currently £36 by cheque or DD. If you convert from associate to individual subscription mid year, this subscription will count towards your full subscription for that year. We do not expect people to remain associate members for more than a few years at most.

Retired Membership:

This is for those who have been members for a number of years but have either stopped practising or are winding down their businesses but still wish to keep in contact with fellow consultants. Importantly this membership will allow them to maintain their professional indemnity insurance at the SEC discount rate for the six or so years they will need after they finish working for their last client. The annual membership fee is currently £25. To move to this class of membership you simply need to tell our Administrator and your next subscription will be altered accordingly and your details removed from the searchable database. People do not join the Society via this class of membership.

Small Business Corporate Membership:

This is suitable for businesses of up to 10 people which are either education consultancies or have education consultancy links. The annual membership fee is currently £300 paid by cheque or DD. In addition to corporate membership, your colleagues may still apply separately for individual membership.

Large Corporate Membership:

This is for businesses with more than 10 employees which are either education consultancies or have education consultancy links. The annual membership fee is currently £750 paid by cheque or DD. Subscription in the year of joining is open to negotiation. In addition to corporate membership, your colleagues may still apply separately for individual membership.

Overseas Applications

If you are applying from overseas, you can either send us a sterling cheque as above or ask our Administrator for our bank details to make a direct payment from your bank. Please note, you are responsible for all fees associated with such a transfer and we will not commence processing your application until we receive your full subscription in sterling.

How much to pay when you join the society?

Subscription rates recognise that you are unlikely to become a member until the month after the one in which you apply.

Annual renewal of subscription falls due 1 January each year after the year of joining. Subscription collected for those paying by Direct Debit on or about 28 February. Those applying in December do not pay again until 1 January following but one. Retired memebrship is only open to existing members

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