Discounted price for current students, and/or volunteers undertaking regular voluntary work within the environmental sector; AND who are not employed in a professional capacity in an ecological or botanical field.

Delivered in partnership with BSBI https://bsbi.org, the FISC is a one day assessment course of botanical skills. It comprises both lab and field based exercises. It is recognised nationally by employers.

Running on 25th June 2025

This course is a nationally recognised qualification in the identification of field botany and plant recording.

This assessment has been designed in collaboration with the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and acts as an empirical assessment of your skill and employability as a botanist. Many consultancies recognise the FISC accreditation which is often included in job descriptions.

The FISC is a test that assesses botanical proficiency on a scale from 1 (beginner) to 5 (professional), with a level 6 awarded in exceptional cases. It is an assessment of current skill level and not a course by which to learn botanical identification. The FISC is an enjoyable experience, consisting of two class-based sessions where candidates identify fresh specimens from across Britain and Ireland. Following this is a field survey where you spend a couple of hours building a species list on an interesting local site. With no pass or fail, the FISC is open to everyone, regardless of skill level.

Upon completion, you receive an electronic certificate from the BSBI indicating your skill level, along with advice on activities you are competent to undertake and further studies for progression.