Hi Liam,

We've discovered here before (if you search on these forums for IntPE) that unfortunately there doesn't seem to have been anybody on these forums that knows much about IntPE. But here's my non-expert understanding:

Unfortunately it looks as if you have been told correctly, if you look here:

https://www.engc.org.uk/international-activity/international-engineering-education-accords/washington-accord/

you'll see that a Washington Accord degree is (my underlining):

• an accredited Bachelors in Engineering with Honours (BEng(Hons)) degree plus an accredited Masters degree or an accredited Engineering Doctorate (EngD) [or]
• an accredited integrated Masters in Engineering (MEng) degree

Your bachelors may have been accredited, but as I understand it, it wasn't a "Washington Accord Degree" until you'd added the Masters.

So it looks as if your choices for obtaining IntPE are either:

• Wait until you have three/four more years experience, or
• Obtain one of the equivalent qualifications from here https://www.engc.org.uk/international-activity/international-recognition-outside-europe/international-register-of-professional-engineers-intpe/ (which I'm guessing will probably take 3-4 years!)

All of this could explain why so few people on these forums can advise on this...I can't imagine there's very many of us who are actually eligible for it! (For example I've got over 40 years post-grad experience, am CEng FIET, have something like 30 years "responsibility for significant engineering work" up to the equivalent of Technical Director level, and yet I'd have to go and take a new qualification from that list to be eligible for IntPE.)

Sorry that's not the answer you were looking for, it may still be worth checking with  profreg@theiet.org if you haven't already to check that there is no alternative route (you didn't say who'd advised you when you wrote "I'm being told").

And also check that IntPE will actually be of use to you in your career anyway...don't assume you need it, or even that it will be helpful. I'm guessing you are looking at career options in a non-UK country, it's worth checking if you can with other UK ex-pat engineers there to find out what they actually needed to be allowed to work.

Good luck, if you do find anything more please do come back here and share it.

Thanks,

Andy

Good day Liam Barness 

Per the Engineering Council, a Bachelor's (honours) degree, commenced in or after 1999 and accredited for CEng with the requirement of further learning, held in conjunction with a Master's or Doctorate programme accredited as CEng further learning, constitutes a combination of programmes recognized under the Washington Accord.

The seven years of postgraduate experience required for IPEA International Register of Professional Engineers registration eligibility will be assessed from the date of award or completion of the Master's or Doctorate (or equivalent) programme accredited as CEng further learning. Given that you completed your accredited MSc in 2021, this year marked your fulfilment of the Washington Accord academic CEng (Full / combination) requirement. Consequently, your eligibility for seven years of postgraduate experience for IntPE(UK) will be met in 2028. Check with profreg@theiet.org to validate the aforementioned of course. 

Please refer to the ECUK Recognized Course Search to check details related to accredition of the university programmes you completed.

Submitted for your information and necessary consideration.

Yours respectfully,