Admission depends on knowledge and experience concerning the craft and professional seniority, or heredity. There are two kinds of membership:

(i) Freemen

Freemen are admitted by three traditional routes:

• Patrimony: any child, male or female, born to a Freeman of the Livery, is entitled on reaching the age of 21 to be admitted to the Freedom of the Company and become eligible to claim admission to the Freedom of the City of London.
• Servitude;
  (i) on successful completion of apprenticeship to a Liveryman;
  (ii) on successful completion of a SIM scholarship in higher education, the sponsored scholar may be admitted to Freedom of the Company, initially as a Scholar Freeman.
• Redemption i.e. on payment of an admission fee by people with an adequate knowledge and experience of scientific instruments but who are not sufficiently senior to become a Liveryman; or are eligible but are awaiting a vacancy in the Livery.

Freemen are expected to progress to become Liverymen as soon as they are eligible and if there is a vacancy.

(ii) Liverymen

Liverymen must be sufficiently senior in their profession to be capable of supervising the work of apprentices.

Liverymen must meet one or more of the following requirements:

• be directly concerned in the technology of scientific instruments
• be scientifically qualified or skilled in the use of scientific instruments

be able to satisfy the Advisory Committee and the Court that they are directly concerned in the well-being of the craft. Commitment of membership is for life so that the knowledge and experience of several generations is retained for the benefit of the Livery's objectives.

Citizenship Qualifications

Admission is now open to all regardless of nationality. Associate membership is open to those who do not seek the freedom or the livery.

Note

The expressions "freeman" and "liveryman" are used regardless of gender, and should not be taken to imply that membership is restricted in any way.