Entry-to-practice examinations currently approved by CSHBC as part of the pathway to become a Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioner (RHIP) are:

• ILE Written Exam and
• CSHBC HID Practical Exam

Applicants to become a RHIP must pass both exams, including audiology graduates applying to become dually registered RAUD, RHIPs.

ILE Written Exam

The International Licensing Examination (ILE), a written examination administered by the International Hearing Society (IHS), is one of the two examinations required for registration as a RHIP with CSHBC. If you have already passed the ILE Written Exam, please advise CSHBC at the time of applying. You will need to have IHS provide proof of this directly to CSHBC.

Otherwise, once approved as a Conditional RHIP, you are eligible to sit for the ILE Written Exam. You must register for your first attempt within six months of completing your Conditional RHIP practicum (660 hours of supervised clinical practice). Conditional registrants who have satisfied the practicum requirement prior to obtaining Conditional registration should register for their first ILE Written Exam attempt within six months of being granted Conditional registration.

CSHBC provides your details to IHS — they will contact you directly to provide instructions about your examination booking, including payment for the examination. ILE Written Exam results are sent directly to the College after at least 10 business days, and the College will provide you with notice of your results shortly thereafter. For more information about the ILE Written Exam, visit the IHS website.

Testing candidates can request “domain-level performance results” from a previous exam attempt. This includes the percentage score the test-taker achieved in each of the five examination domains (topic areas). The information can assist unsuccessful testing candidates in preparing for another exam attempt. Candidates may request this information directly from IHS by filling out an online request form.

CSHBC HID Practical Exam

Upon successful completion of the Summary of RHIP (Conditional) Practicum Hours form (PDF) and proof of passing the ILE Written Exam, Conditional RHIPs are eligible to take the CSHBC Hearing Instrument Dispensing (HID) Practical Examination. The Practical Examination has recently undergone revision.

The upcoming examination dates are as follows:

*Fall 2023 retakes only

Applicants wishing to enroll for the upcoming examinations should contact [email protected].

During the enrollment process, candidates will be provided with an examination guide setting out what to expect on their examination day.

Each applicant takes the examination during a pre-scheduled time slot on one of the examination dates. Exam sittings require one day only. Following enrollment, candidates will be allocated an examination day and time. Examination scheduling is done at the discretion of the College. Personal preferences for examination dates may not be accommodated.

Additional retake sessions may also be scheduled for candidates who are unsuccessful at one of the above sittings, and who have not exhausted their permitted number of examination attempts in line with the Entry-to-Practice Examination Requirements policy (PDF).

In 2023 and onwards, the examination will be held twice annually, in the Fall and in the Spring.

After you have been determined eligible to take the CSHBC HID Practical Examination, the College will contact you directly to provide instructions about your examination booking. At that time, you will also be required to pay the HID Practical Examination fee, which is currently $1,450 but subject to change for future examination sessions.

Audiology graduates applying to become RHIPs must pass the ILE Written Exam and CSHBC HID Practical Exam.