CHECK Team Leader requirements are changing

Funding for Professional Titles available for a limited time

Key points:

New requirement for CHECK Team Leaders to have gained a professional title (Principal or Chartered) by 31 March 2025
Funding is available to CHECK Team Leaders throughout July – September 2024, to cover the cost of their application (excluding any exam costs)

What are the changes?

From 31 March 2025, there will be a new requirement for CHECK Team Leaders (CTLs) to gain a UK Cyber Security Council (UK CSC) Professional Title (Principal or Chartered) in the Security Testing specialism.

The NCSC has established an equivalence between the CHECK certifications currently recognised for CTLs (including CREST’s CCT INF and CCT APP) and the Council’s professional registration titles. This covers most of the technical element of the professional title requirements, leaving the non-technical competences to be assessed and an overall review conducted to achieve either the Principal Cyber Security Professional (PCSP) or Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP) professional titles.

What funding support is available?

To support CTLs and CHECK service providers with this transition, the UK CSC is providing funding for a limited time to cover the application and registration process (i.e. excluding the cost of sitting any required exams).

CHECK Team Leaders submitting their application between 1 July and 30 September 2024 can receive funding to cover the costs of the application and registration.

Ready to apply?

Fill out our online registration form to start your journey.

Please note: you must hold a valid CTL accepted qualification to be eligible for the funding.

If you’re not a CTL, you can take advantage of a CREST Member 30% discount. You can find out more on our Professional Titles webpage.

Apply now

General FAQs

What is happening and why?

The CHECK scheme standard has always required CTLs to pass specific examinations provided by CREST and The Cyber Scheme (and previously the Tigerscheme). However, now that the UK Cyber Security Council (UK CSC) has created a specialism for Security Testing and launched the ‘Chartered’ and ‘Principal’ Professional Titles, the NCSC changing our approach for CHECK.

By 31 March 2025, all CHECK Team Leaders must have achieved a UK Cyber Security Council Security Testing Title at the ‘Principal’ level or higher.

Is it mandatory for CTLs to acquire the relevant Security Testing professional title?

Yes: to Principal level, at a minimum.

By 31 March 2025, all current CHECK Team Leaders will need to hold a Professional Registration Title from one of the Licensed Bodies approved by Council for the Security Testing specialism. The ‘NCSC-approved’ exam will no longer be sufficient: instead, NCSC will recognise one of the relevant Council Professional Registration Titles in the Security Testing specialism. All CHECK Team Leaders will need to have undertaken and passed Part A (technical) and Parts B-E (soft skills) in Security Testing, to the minimal level of Principal.

What is the process, moving forward?

The process will be to apply for an appropriate Security Testing title through one of the Council’s approved licensed bodies. The title process will cover the technical examination (Part A) and an additional soft skills assessment (Parts B-E).

This application process will require you to submit an application form and undertake a mandatory exam (Part A, unless this is already passed and remains valid). It is then followed, depending on the license body chosen, by either a peer-review interview or a written independent attestation, most likely from your employer. You choose which license body through whom to make your application, regardless of which organisation you took your examination with.

Why can Team Leaders gain a professional title at two different levels, Principal OR Chartered?

New or recently-qualified CTLs (with less than three years’ experience) generally map to the Principal title. More experienced CTLs tend to map to Chartered title, particularly when they have more than five years’ experience.

Timing and available funding FAQs

When do CTLs need to apply for a Principal or Chartered Title in Security Testing?

Your professional title will need to have been awarded by 31 March 2025.

You have between 1 July and 30 September 2024 to get your application in, if you would like to receive funding to cover your application (funding excludes the exam fee).

You will only be funded if you apply (and are successful on your first attempt) within this timeframe. Applications outside of this timeframe will not receive financial support through the UK CSC, nor will second attempts be funded.

What must I do if my exam expires before the end of March 2025?

You must re-sit and pass your exam as usual before the expiry date. You must achieve professional registration at Principal or Chartered level by 31 March 2025. The Council will not cover the exam fees.

What must I do if my exam expires on or after 1 April 2025?

You must achieve professional registration at the Principal or Chartered level by 31 March 2025. The Council will not cover the exam fees (i.e. for the Technical Assessment, Part A of the application).

Who is offering funding and how do I access it?

Funding is available through the UK CSC to cover the cost of obtaining UK CSC professional registration if (and only if) CTLs submit their application by 30 September 2024.

How are applications processed?

In order to process applications, names of all eligible CTLs will be provided to the Council. If, for any reason, you do not wish to share your name with the Council, you MUST notify the NCSC CHECK Scheme ([email protected]) by 21 June 2024. However, withdrawing your consent means that the Council will be unable to fund your professional registration.

What happens if I don’t obtain a Council Title?

Any CHECK Team Leader who has not successfully obtained their Council Title at Principal or Chartered level by 31 March 2025 will no longer be eligible to operate in the CHECK Scheme.

Will I need to re-sit my technical exam if I have already passed and it remains valid?

No. If your technical exam has been passed and remains valid, you will only need to undertake the application form for the non-technical competences and provide an independent attestation.

What if I believe myself to have exceptional circumstances preventing me from gaining a title in time?

If you believe there are exceptional circumstances preventing you from meeting these deadlines, please contact the NCSC CHECK team at [email protected].