CIM, CIPR and ISP publish guidance on entry criteria for each level of study. Oxford College of Marketing will help interpret this to advise which level is the most suitable depending on your objectives. We may suggest that you undertake a pre-course to revise the basics before embarking on your qualification. This may mean you are able to study at a higher level than you thought. These pre-courses are unique to the college and are generally free of charge if you study the whole qualification.

In the unlikely event that you start your studies and find you are at the wrong level, please contact our Support Team who will be happy to help.

The initial information will tell you how long your course will take to complete. However, we always offer a comfortable window for you to complete your qualification.

  • CIM courses have 3 years of access to complete your qualification
  • CIPR courses have 2 years of access to complete your qualification

After your final assessment, we will let you keep access to the material for 6 months. This enables you to revisit any material you require in the months after your qualification.

All our tutors are experienced teachers and marketing or sales practitioners. We only use English speaking, predominantly UK-based tutors who have been rigorously interviewed by our academic team.

Throughout your course, you will have opportunities to interact with your trainer, assignment tutor and our in-house Support Team. These people will check that you are on the right track with your studies and your assessment projects. If applicable, your assignment tutor will provide guidance on any written assessments, including comprehensive feedback. Our online learning platform will also offer a large number of resources to assist your progress.

All costs are clearly shown in your formal quote. For most qualifications, in addition to your training fees, you will need to pay assessment fees and an annual membership to the awarding body. These may be included in your training fee or paid separately to the awarding body.

You may wish to purchase some additional books to support your studies. These costs will vary but we can advise a rough total and recommend reading materials.

We understand that life can be complicated, and we always take a compassionate position as far as our students’ lives are concerned. Just let us know if you need to defer and delay your studies.

The number of hours you should study a week will depend on how much prior knowledge you have and the level you are studying. We estimate between 5 and 10 hours a week is normal. But be warned – approaching assignment submissions or exams, you may be putting extra hours in!

Our pass rates are exceptional but in the unlikely event you fail a module, you will need to retake. You will be charged for additional assignment tutor support. This is between £60 to £300 + VAT depending on the qualification you are studying. Our Support Team will advise you when the results are published.

For CIM, if you marginally fail a unit, there is an opportunity to resubmit this, but the grade will be capped at a ‘pass’.

Oxford College of Marketing has a network of study centres across Britain and several international centres, which run a mixture of face to face evening and weekend classes for our CIM and CIPR courses. We also offer online distance learning and live virtual learning. If you find that your study mode is not working for you or want to change venue, just let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

There are numerous resources and free chapters on our online learning platform, that support all our courses and qualifications. Your accredited body membership will also give you access to excellent resources. If you are studying a CIM qualification, most modules are accompanied by a study guide.

However, depending on what you are studying, you may wish to purchase additional textbooks. Sometimes these are expensive but try to view them as an investment which you will refer to during your entire marketing career. You can buy these from the CIM bookstore, other book retailers, or Amazon.

Recommended reading lists are available on our online learning platform but if you need any advice on your book purchases, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If English is not your first language, we may require written evidence that you will be able to complete the work (such as achievement of English Language competency IELT level 6.5 or above). A language test may be required. However, usually, if you are living and working in the UK or an English-speaking country, your level of English will be fine.

course
Sarah W.
I have studied with the Oxford College of Marketing for the last 3 years and completed 3 qualifications. They have always been so supportive and professional! I plan to continue to study with them this year!
Samuel J.
Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and the tutors were experts who gave excellent guidance and support.
Alyssa N.
My CIM qualification is currently being completed at the Oxford College Of Marketing, and although there has been a lot of navigating , the support team are incredible, especially Rebecca Wagner! From prompt responses to detailed explanations, their support has been invaluable. I highly recommend using them.
Katie S.
I recently finished my studies for a level 6 digital marketing and have had a great experience with Oxford college of marketing. My only complaint is that you get a new tutor for each unit and each tutor was asking me to format my coursework in a different way from the last which was quite time consuming and had me worried at times that I had formatted the previous unit wrong. This was only a minor part of my course however and everything else was great from the platform used, support, webinars, downloads and more. I loved how it was manageable to balance with my work which meant I could stay in full-time work during my studies.
Sarah W.
I have just completed my Level 7 Marketing Leadership Programme with OXCOM (MBA equivalent) and couldn't rate them highly enough. I have completed 2 courses with this study centre and they are brilliant. The tutors are great, they push you to do the best you can and challenge you when they know you have more to give. The courses are tough, you really have to apply yourself - it's not something to take on half-heartedly. But if you throw yourself into it they will support you right to the end. The course materials are thorough and the recommended reading was great too. I honestly learnt so much with them. I am thrilled to have passed with distinction. Couldn't recommend them enough.
Camelia P.
Last year I decided to take the Level 3 certification in Digital Marketing with OXCOM and I am so happy with my choice. They provided so much guidance, even if I was a distant learner the support I received was priceless. I landed on my first ever Marketing job and now I am looking forward to completing the next step. They teach you from scratch and after taking the course you have the confidence to apply the knowledge. Outstanding service provided!
Deborah R.
I recently completed the L6 CIM Diploma in Professional Digital Marketing via distant learning, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. The course content was well-structured, covering all essential areas such as SEO, PPC, social media marketing, email marketing, and analytics. The instructors were knowledgeable, responsive, and provided real-world examples that made complex topics easy to understand. What I loved most was the flexibility — I could complete the modules at my own pace, which made balancing work and study much easier. The resources provided, including case studies and practical assignments, helped solidify my learning and prepared me to apply these skills in real-life scenarios. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to upskill in digital marketing, whether you're a beginner or looking to deepen your expertise. It’s a valuable investment in your career!
Richa K.
I really appreciate the way Oxford college support in all communications and the material shared by them is really fantastic which is quite friendly and easy to grab and understand. I highly recommend this college.
Alex S.
Just completed a Level 6 Apprenticeship with the college. Highly recommend! Both my tutor and the office team were great and really supportive throughout! I've been so pleased with the quality of everything here that I'm now going on to study further for marketing and digital marketing diplomas through the college.
Deborah R.
I did my CIM level 3 in Professional Marketing and it was very good. Really easy to access and use the resources. The customer service was great and were always really fast to answer any questions or issues. I would highly recommend.
anastasia H.
As someone who’s never been a big fan of studying, I’ve been surprised by how much I’m enjoying my Level 4 Professional Digital Marketing Certification with Oxford College of Marketing. The course is clear, practical and easy to fit around a busy schedule. The tutors are friendly and supportive, always wanting you to succeed. I’ve learned so much already and feel far more confident in my skills. I couldn’t recommend them enough!
RM K.
I'm currently studying the CIM Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing at the Oxford College of Marketing. I have been very impressed with everything regarding my virtual learning: Jane Adrain has been the tutor on my modules so far and she teaches the topic in every engaging and knowledgeable way - having breakouts so topics can be discussed with other students in the class, giving the online learning a social element; tutors are also very helpful and available for questions during assignments; college staff are very responsive and friendly; lots of learning resources are provided and reading materials suggested. Very positive about my learning so far and I highly recommend the Oxford College of Marketing.
Adam P.
I recently completed a Marketing Leadership Gateway course with the Oxford College of Marketing. The teaching and support was excellent and I would recommend them to any aspiring or experienced marketing professional.
Richard B.
I recently completed my CIM Diploma with Oxford College of Marketing and had a great experience with them. Their online learning facilities are fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone looking to complete a CIM qualification.
Cristina A.
Ho recentemente completato il livello 6 del CIM presso l'Oxford College of Marketing, dove ho potuto scegliere la modalità distance learning che avendo un lavoro full time mi ha consentito di seguire le lezioni e svolgere gli esami secondo i miei tempi. Qualifica raccomandata per gli argomenti che si studiano e apprendono, questo è davvero un valore aggiunto per chi vuole lavorare nel marketing. Inoltre mi sono trovata bene con docenti e team di supporto che sono stati sempre competenti, professionali e gentili. Unica nota di cui non sono stata pienamente soddisfatta, uno dei miei tutor a mio parere non sempre è stato molto chiaro, infatti mi sono trovata a dover chiedere chiarimenti sul feedback che forniva perchè sembrava mi desse indicazioni diverse rispetto a quelle generali fornite sul compito, e al completamento non sono stata pienamente soddisfatta dei risultati ottenuti visto che lui mi diceva che avevo corretto bene il compito in base ai suoi suggerimenti, perciò mi aspettavo di raggiungere risultati finali migliori. A questo proposito però è intervenuto il team del college dimostrando di tenerci alla mia qualifica con un risultato soddisfacente, quindi mi hanno proposto delle soluzioni per incrementare i miei risultati finali, e attualmente sto continuando a studiare con loro altri 2 corsi che mi aiuteranno ad ottenere un risultato complessivo più soddisfacente! Grazie per la disponibilità e la gentilezza!
Georgia C.
I recently completed the CIPR Professional Certificate with the OXCOM team and felt thoroughly supported throughout the course, my tutor Mel provided help and guidance at every stage and I am pleased to be #CIPRQualified, I look forward to seeing where this takes me in my future career.