The Diploma and Original Master qualifications are all examinations that are assessed in an online, remotely invigilated session, on the CIBD Examination Platform, TestReach. 

All candidates will be given a 15-minute window before the examination begins. This window is used to allow candidates to check their set-up, complete a system check, check ID and confirm with an invigilator that they are ready to begin their examination.

Once the exam has begun candidates are then recommended to use the first 15 minutes of the examination time as reading time to plan how they are going to attempt the questions.

June Examination Session

Please check the qualification pages for the exam dates.

Diploma in Brewing

Diploma in Distilling

Diploma in Packaging

Master Brewer

Master Distiller

Candidates for the original Master level Examination must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Hold a pass in an CIBD Diploma Qualification OR hold one of the recognised qualifications on this list.
2. Must be sponsored by their employing organisation, with a senior person nominated as the candidate’s sponsor. The role of the sponsor is to support the candidate with resources and opportunities to carry out the full qualification programme, including the project – Module 5.
3. Be a member of the CIBD at the time of their application.

No, all our examinations are hosted online.

Up to 10 weeks before the date of the examination candidates can defer their exam date, to the immediate next examination cycle.

Within 10 weeks of the exam date candidates are only able to defer on the grounds of a medical emergency or other exceptional circumstance.

Please read our Deferral Policy for full details on how to request a deferral and the fees involved. Candidates must contact examinationboard@CIBD.org.uk to request any deferral.

No.

All parts of the syllabus may be covered in the examination questions. Questions will cover the breadth and depth of the syllabus, so candidates are recommended to cover all aspects as part of their revision preparation.

All Master Brewer / Distiller Module 5 papers should be submitted via email to examinationboard@CIBD.org.uk.

Please see the Learning and Qualifications (bookings) page for dates of submission. 

The examination makes provision for questions and answers to be supplied and accepted in both °C and in °F.

Candidates can download the TestReach app here. Candidates will also receive email instructions with information and next steps from the Examination Board 6-8 weeks before the exam. Candidates MUST comply with the instructions to successfully schedule their exact exam time slot.

It’s very straightforward for candidates to access.

Log into your TestReach account using the login details sent to you via email, once you have scheduled your exam time the tutorial will be listed as a tab at the top of the home page, see screenshot below:

This tutorial is available for all candidates to use and will give you the opportunity to try out the system. The tutorial includes all of the functionality that you may require to complete the Diploma and Original Master exams, including the opportunity to try out the following functions:

• Using bullets or numbering for any answers requiring a list
• Creation of a table for any answers requiring a table as part of the answer
• Math / Greek letters and symbols for any answers requiring equations or special characters
• There is a notepad function enabled at the top of the page
• There is a (non- scientific) calculator enabled at the top of the page

The tutorial is an hour in length, but you will be able to exit it after you feel you have spent enough time in it. [Note that all candidates may take it as many times as they wish in leading up to their exam].

The CIBD Examination Board recommends that candidates use this detailed tool to give themselves plenty of opportunity to practise their skills before taking the exam.

The examination is an online, remotely invigilated session; therefore the examination can be taken in a location convenient to you. It is important that candidates think about their environment when deciding where to take the examination. All candidates must ensure they sit their examination under exam conditions so candidates must ensure they choose their environment wisely.

Please note that all candidates must read and adhere to the information noted in the CIBD Examination Regulations document as all candidates must comply with the rules stated within the document, regardless of examination location.

·        Laptop / computer with 4GB of available memory. The TestReach app will not work on phones, chrome books, or ipads/tablets. We cannot guarantee service on touchscreen devices as some devices might be incompatible with the app. We recommend that candidates source a non-touchscreen device for their exams.

·        A Windows v7.0+ or Mac10.10+ operating systems. MacOS BigSur users need to upgrade to 11.3+

·        Intel Core i3 (or equivalent)

·        A working webcam, microphone and speakers

·        Minimum consistent candidate internet speed of 2 Mbps or higher

·        Recommended screen size of at least 13″ and a resolution of 1024 x 768.

Candidates must also ensure they have completed the following in TestReach:

1. Set your local time-zone to ensure the correct examination times are available for your location.
2. Complete the system check.
3. Schedule your specific start time. NB. Please pay particular attention to the examination time (including time zone) that you choose as this will be the time you are required to take your examination. If you turn up late you will not be permitted to enter your examination. 
4. Take the Test Tutorial – this lets you explore the in-exam environment and is strongly recommended to ensure you are fully prepared to take your exam 

If you are using a work computer/laptop, please download the application in plenty of time and ensure that there are no security protocols or firewalls that could prevent the application from running successfully. A copy of the TestReach whitelist instructions should be requested from examinationboard@cibd.org.uk well in advance of the examination date to pass to your company IT department.

The TestReach platform shows the time in 24-hour clock format.

The TestReach platform shows the date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

Once you have scheduled your exact slot you will be sent a confirmation email from TestReach. This will confirm the exact slot you have chosen and will also state the time zone that you have set (please note this will automatically be set to the location you are in or that your device is synced to, and will need to be amended before choosing your time slot if you wish to do so), see image below as an example: 

Candidates who turn up more than 15 minutes late for their examination will forfeit their exam.

If candidates experience issues with access to the internet during the examination they should work with the invigilator in the first instance, to see if the issues can be resolved. If it is not possible to resolve the issues candidates must submit a mitigating circumstance claim directly to the CIBD in accordance with our Exam Policies.

If you have technical difficulties on the day of your examination please immediately contact TestReach Support: TestReach Status. 

If the loss of connectivity is longer than the scheduled exam time or you are unable to complete the exam then please follow the guidance noted in the CIBD Mitigating Circumstances policy which can be accessed here: Exam Policies. The CIBD will assess each claim on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, there are strict rules that must be followed. These are detailed in the CIBD Examination Regulations which can be accessed here: Exam Policies

No. Papers, notepads, notes etc, are not allowed on your desk when taking the exam. As part of the checks conducted by the invigilator, candidates will be asked to move their camera to show that their desk and surrounding area is clear and that there are no prohibited items present.

Yes, you are permitted to have a non-programmable calculator with you. You will be required to show this to your invigilator at the start of your exam.

You will also have access to an online (non- scientific) calculator in the TestReach platform.

On the day of your examination, you must:

• Bring Identification – On the day of the examination you will be required to show a government issued photo ID to the invigilator via webcam. Acceptable forms of identification are; Driving Licence, Passport or Government issued photo identification card.

No other forms of ID will be accepted.

Your identification must be in date. Expired ID will not be accepted.

1. TestReach Username and password – You must ensure you have your TestReach username and password ready to log in at your start time. If you cannot remember these, you must contact the CIBD BEFORE the day of your examination so these can be re-sent to you.
2. Login to TestReach platform and connect with the invigilator.

Yes. All the online remotely invigilated exams are recorded for marking and moderation quality purposes.

Yes. If a candidate requires a comfort break, they must contact the invigilator as the validation checks will need to be re-confirmed before the exam can continue.

Please be advised that your examination time will not be paused in the instance that you take a comfort break.

For full details please also refer to the Examination Guidelines Exam Policies

From 29th October, to study for the CIBD Diploma, you must be a member of CIBD, the professional body that sets the technical education standards for the brewing, distilling and allied profession.  CIBD membership provides access to many benefits that are important as you prepare and sit for your exam, particularly at Diploma level, including range of free or low cost CPD information from conference presentations and section events, networking opportunities, latest news and analysis in the BDI magazine and more. In addition, our online student membership provides a low cost way to become a member during qualification studying. CIBD members are required to abide by the Institute’s Code of Professional Conduct and undertake continuing professional development to ensure the highest levels of professional standards.

Candidates who booked their Diploma module(s) for examination(s) in 2026 before the requirement was in place will not need to be members to sit the June 2026 examinations. There is no additional fee to pay for this year. If you wish to purchase membership please do so at https://www.cibd.org.uk/cibd-membership/. 

Yes, you must be a member of the CIBD when you sit your examination(s). When you renew your membership you will be able to choose from three membership options including online student. 

You can choose any of the membership options available when you book your Diploma – go to https://www.cibd.org.uk/cibd-membership/ to find the best option for you. 

The requirement is in effect now. You will need to be a member of the CIBD when you sit your Diploma examination(s) unless you booked your Diploma before the requirement was in place. To join please go to https://www.cibd.org.uk/cibd-membership/. 

The membership requirement does not affect previous Diploma modules you have completed, it only applies to modules examined from 2026 onwards. You will need to be a member of the CIBD when you sit your examination(s) in 2026 unless you booked your Diploma before the requirement was in place. 

The CIBD Examination Board completes a thorough series of procedures and quality assurance checks to ensure accuracy in the evaluation of your exam.

The CIBD aims to release candidate results approximately 16 weeks from the date of the last examination.

All results are published in a candidate’s MyCIBD account.

All candidates will be sent an email confirming when the results have been published. The email will explain how to access results through your MyCIBD account.

*^{Passing grade}

^{**Failing grade}

Master candidates who do not meet the passing threshold for any 1 of the 2 papers will receive an overall ‘Fail’ result

Any candidate who fails to meet the minimum passing grade is required to re-book via the CIBD website (www.CIBD.org.uk).

Candidates are required to pay the full qualification fee.

Candidates must check the website for details of when the next registration window will open.

Re-sits are not permitted.

The CIBD Examination Board do not provide feedback to candidates, only the grades.

Hard copy certificates are available upon request, for the Diploma and Original Master qualifications. These are currently printed once a year around November/December. Candidates must log in to the certificate portal to request a hard copy certificate. Candidates will be asked to confirm a postal address where the certificate will be sent. Failure to confirm the address will result in the certificate NOT being printed/sent out.

A digital version of the certificate will be available for each candidate approximately 2 weeks after results have been published. Candidates will be emailed details of how to access their digital certificate.

Digital Certificates are available to view and print on the CIBD Certificate portal.

In order to access your digital certificate, candidates will be required to register their details on the CIBD Digital Certificate Portal (hosted by Advanced Secure Technologies).

You must follow the steps below for registration:

• Please enter your email address and a create a password.
• Please ensure you use the email address and details you have previously provided us with when registering for your exam. If you do not provide exact matching data, then the system will put your registration into a Pending authorisation queue. This will need to be manually checked by a website administrator, who will either accept or deny the registration.
• Once you have completed registration you will receive an email verification which you will need to follow in order to complete your account setup.

From the top menu click ‘Documents’.

Once the page opens you have the option to view the certificate, by clicking ‘View’ at the bottom:

Candidates MUST use the email address they were originally registered with. Registration is a multi-step process and each candidate MUST verify their email address to complete their registration. Once you input your initial details you will be sent a link to verify your email address. If you do not use this link to verify your email the registration process will not be completed.

If you input the incorrect details too many times your account will become locked for a period of 60 minutes. You can re-try your details after this. If you are still unable to access your account you must use the forgotten password link on the main page.

Candidates MUST ensure they have completed their registration part of the account set-up before they attempt to login and access their certificate.

Within the certificate portal please ensure that you have chosen to ‘opt in’ to Third-Party Searches:

Or you can add a new person/organization in here so they can see your certificate.

Click Add Connection (top right hand button).

Add the person’s Name, email address you wish the verification to go to, if you want an expiry date on how long they can see your certificate for, and a brief message, then click SEND:

If you know your original email address and login details please login using this information, then go to your profile (top right hand corner).

You can edit your username/email address in this section. Remember to save the changes before exiting.

If you do not know your original email address to log in to the portal you must contact CIBD: examinationboard@cibd.org.uk who can then manually re-set your username and password on your behalf. To do this you may be asked for security/identity documentation so we can verify that you are the person on the account. Please note during busy periods these requests may take time to be looked into.

All our learning material is hosted online via Moodle. To access your specific exam material, visit https://learn.cibd.org.uk. Once on this new page, click on the image of the computer or select the link.

This will take you to the login page where you can gain access to your learning material.  The login instruction would have been sent when you purchased the exam.

When you have logged in, there will be a menu bar displaying learning material that is available to you.

After you have selected the qualification that you are preparing for, you will arrive at the course home screen.

All our courses are split into units.

Each unit will have a list of lessons followed by a multiple-choice quiz at the end of the unit to test you on what you have just learned, so you can assess your knowledge step by step.

Master candidates retain access to the learning materials for 90 days after the date of the examination.

Diploma candidates who are members of the CIBD will receive three years of access to their learning materials. Diploma candidates who are not a member will  retain access to the learning materials for 90 days after the date of the examination.

The main feedback was the qualification needed to ensure that candidates successfully completing the qualification had competent knowledge of end-to-end value chain processes within brewing and distilling and that this knowledge could be applied back in the workplace. Other feedback included the importance of Digital and AI, Sustainability and the links to commercial activities such as new product development. Being able to demonstrate critical thinking skills was also highlighted as being key. 

The revised syllabi content has been derived after consultation with a variety of key stakeholders including a customer reference group (CRG) which had representatives from all sizes and locations of organisations globally and the senior members of the CIBD Examination Board. The final syllabus is approved by the CIBD Examination Board on behalf of the CIBD Board of Trustees.

The key changes are the rebalance of focus to include end-to-end value chain topics and importantly enable the candidates to have some choice as to what topics they can choose as their Advanced electives. This allows candidates to tailor their qualification to their career choices. 

The new Master syllabus has been written with the support of leading ‘unique contributors’ who are experts in their fields to write the specialist content, and this has been supplemented with CIBD Brewing and Distilling expertise. The peer review sign off process of the content was led by senior industry professionals and senior academics. 

The CIBD Master qualification sets you apart through demonstrating your detailed understanding and ability to apply the technical, scientific and operational aspects of brewing/distilling, whilst underpinning the collective knowledge of these areas at the highest levels for the benefit of the industry.  

The CIBD Master qualification  demonstrates and gives confidence to your employer that you have the leadership understanding of the sciences and operational practices of brewing and/or distillation needed to deeply understand end to end value chain processes and continuously improve them at your brewing or distilling company within the context of a period of ongoing change and technological advancement.  

The assessment methodology has been modified to enable examiners to best gauge candidate’s skills, knowledge, and overall readiness for the workplace. The new assessments include an examination, preparation of a portfolio and a Viva Voce.

A piece of academic work given to candidates by the CIBD designed to assess their understanding, application, or analysis of specific course content. 

It typically requires candidates to research, reflect on, and apply knowledge.

Assignments contribute to overall course assessment and are intended to support learning outcomes.

The revised qualification will be available for candidates to register in 2025 for assessments commencing in 2026.

This is recommended, please contact us for further advice on this.

Yes, this is a requirement, please contact us for further advice on this.

Congratulations! You will still be a Master qualified CIBD Brewer or Distiller.  

Please contact the CIBD Examination Board to discuss (enter email address for EB help) further so we can best advise based on which Modules you have already completed. 

Please contact the CIBD Examination Board to discuss (enter email address for EB help) further so we can best advise based on which modules you have already completed.

No, absolutely not. The value of the CIBD Master Brewer/Distiller qualification as the world's highest level of recognition in the technical leadership/management of brewing and distilling production processes stays unchanged. We are only making changes to the content of the syllabus.

It is key that all of the CIBD qualification syllabi are kept up to date therefore reviews of the syllabi for our other qualifications are also part of an ongoing syllabus maintenance program. 

The way the new Master programme will be assessed has changed significantly and will include vivas to check understanding of the content and its application. This has added to the cost of delivering the Master programme but is a more effective way to assess students against the new subject areas than written examinations only. The price increase has been kept to a minimum and we believe represents excellent value versus any other similar Master programmes in the world. 

The viva will be held remotely using a video call and will last no more than 60 minutes per candidate. 

A Viva Voce is an oral examination on your Master learnings and your collated portfolio.

These will be carried out by a panel of two CIBD examiners who will be subject matter experts and senior leaders in the fields of brewing and distilling. 

No, at Master level, the expectation of industry is that the learning for this qualification is self-directed and is also based on experience. To support the candidates, the CIBD will be providing supporting reference materials to the topics within the syllabus. These will be available to Master candidates post registration for the qualification. Candidates are also expected to do their own study and read around the topics.

All five modules must be completed to become CIBD Master qualified. The culmination of each candidate’s studies will be to prepare and present their portfolio of evidence gathered throughout, to examiners and answer questions about it via a Viva examination.

The syllabus has been revised to reflect the changing needs of the industry.

No. It is anticipated that the qualification can be completed in a period of three years, but candidates can take longer if required. (see CIBD Examination Regulations for maximum amount of time permitted).

Yes, it is a requirement.

The new assessment methodology will still include an exam.  The revised assessments have been designed to enable examiners to best gauge candidate’s skills, knowledge, and overall readiness for the workplace.

Yes, all assessments will be online including the Viva Voce.

In 2025/26 the fee for each new Master module will be £750. 

Qualifying Exemptions

All Members of the CIBD are required to engage in annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Studying the CIBD Master qualification is an excellent way of demonstrating your commitment to CPD. 

We have not yet gained the ability to award Individual Chartered Status (ICS), and this cannot happen until 2027 at the earliest.  For further updates see Chartership FAQs.