Receiving Credit for non-IDCEC Approved Courses

Continuing education has been a mainstay of IIDA. IIDA supports the pursuit of life-long learning and accepts all IDCEC-approved courses as well as other educational programming.

Use the following to determine how to report your course participation.

Qualified CEUs

IDCEC-approved programs

Submitted to IDCEC by Provider. If unreported after two weeks, self-report under Self-Report IDCEC Course Attendance. www.idcec.org

IDCEC-approved conferences

Self-report to IDCEC under Report IDCEC Conference Attendance. Upload IDCEC CEU Verification Card as proof of attendance. www.idcec.org

Courses approved by AIA/CES or USG/GBCI

Self-report to IDCEC under Report Non-IDCEC Course or Activity Attendance. Enter IIDA pre-approval code "IIDA-1617." Upload proof of attendance. Must show affiliated organization logo and course number. www.idcec.org

Conferences approved by AIA/CES or USG/GBCI

Self-report to IDCEC under Report Non-IDCEC Conference. Enter IIDA pre-approval code "IIDACF-1617." Upload proof of attendance. Must show affiliated organization logo and course number. www.idcec.org

Courses offered by other providers, including those offered at an accredited college or university (not taken toward a degree)

Complete the NICA Submission form and submit it along with proof of attendance and a $25 processing fee. Sessions are reported to IDCEC in eight-hour increments per day. For example: A 10-hour day will be divided into two days for reporting purposes. IIDA will report to IDCEC. Read the NICA Instruction form.

Conferences offered by other providers

Complete the NICA Conference form and submit it along with proof of attendance and a $25 processing fee. Sessions are reported to IDCEC in eight-hour increments per day. IIDA will report to IDCEC.

Individual approvals will be applied towards the IIDA Compliance requirement. It does not offer IDCEC credit and may not qualify for state licensing or other association requirements.

Review Process

The review process may take four to six weeks.

Approval and Registration

Upon approval, the IIDA Education Department sends you an approval notification. Keep this information with your CEU records. For additional information, please contact ceu@iida.org.

What Can I Submit for CEU Approval?

The following educational activities qualify:

• Structured travel/study tours led by qualified instructors (self-guided tours are NOT acceptable)
• Courses at museums and other cultural institutions that are led by qualified instructors and directly relate to the Interior Design industry
• Courses taken at an accredited college or university (courses will not qualify if they are taken as part of a degree program)
• Courses taught by professional consultants that are related to the design industry
• Courses approved through professional organizations which do not offer automatic reciprocity with IDCEC, i.e. IFMA, NEWH, etc.
• Distance education courses via the Internet or trade publications that directly relate to the Interior Design industry
• Education tracks at industry-wide conferences and symposia
• Use the Subject Code Index to help you determine the course relevancy to the design industry

What are Unacceptable for CEU Credit?

IIDA cannot accept the following types of activities for CEU credit:

• Association membership, leadership activities, committee meetings
• Volunteer experiences at industry-related events, i.e. competition judging
• Professional exam preparation
• Courses taken at an accredited college or university toward a industry-related degree
• Stand-alone mass media programs (TV, radio, newspaper articles, journal articles) do not qualify unless they are a planned, integral part of an established continuing education experience subject to IDCEC CEU criteria
• Conventions and expos – only planned learning activities through the program sponsor within such events may qualify for CEU credit
• Self-guided tours
• Work experience and internships
• Individual scholarship such as articles, books, research projects, presentations of papers, or teaching a course that has not been IDCEC-approved 

Don't Forget

• Submittal of the NICA form does not automatically guarantee approval
• CEU is awarded in whole hour increments only (1 hr = 0.1 CEU, 2 ½ hrs = 0.2 CEU, 10 hrs = 1.0 CEU)
• IIDA does not post-date CEUs. The attendance date will be used as your completed date. You must submit CEUs within one month of attending the program.
• You must keep a copy of all CEU records including Non-IDCEC CEU approval forms and certificates of attendance/completion. According to IIDA policy, members may be requested to submit proof of course completion to IIDA Headquarters.

Questions and More Information

Visit the compliance or FAQ sections of the site, or email ceu@iida.org.