IHGS Courses
Distance Learning and Online Courses from Elementary to Professional Qualifications
IHGS offers flexible family history learning for beginners, experienced genealogists, and those working toward professional qualifications. Choose a full distance learning pathway, topic-led Bitesize study, or on-demand recorded talks to fit your time, goals, and stage of research.
At a Glance
Three ways to study family history with IHGS.
Build deep research skills through the Higher Certificate, study focused topics with self-paced Bitesize Courses, or learn on demand through Anytime Talks.
Flexible study
Learn at your own pace through distance learning, self-assessed online modules, and recorded talks.
Beginner to professional
Start with essential skills or progress toward recognized genealogical qualifications and professional practice.
Supportive pathway
The Higher Certificate route includes tutor guidance, continuous assessment, and peer discussion through the student forum.
An extensive working library supports the depth of IHGS research and teaching.
Located at the IHGS site in Canterbury, Kent, UK, the library is housed in a building dating largely from the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries. Built around the personal collections of founder and first Trustee Cecil Humphery-Smith, and expanded through donations and acquisitions, it now contains nearly thirty thousand items.
Much of the collection is unique and has grown to fill the length of the first floor, adjoining passages, and the walls of the lecture hall. Its holdings are designed to support IHGS staff, students, professional genealogists, family historians, and heraldists, with strong finding aids, textbooks, county source material, probate indexes, parish register transcripts, directories, pedigrees, maps, surname and place-name dictionaries, heraldic works, and original deeds.
Flagship Program
The Higher Certificate in Genealogy Course
Renowned as the Correspondence Course in Genealogy, this distance learning course provides an in-depth knowledge of UK genealogical sources and their application. It prepares students for examination at the level of Higher Certificate in Genealogy.
- No fixed timetable, allowing students to study in their own time, at their own pace, and from home or local archives
- Twenty-four modules covering records from materials found in the home through birth, marriage and death records, censuses, criminal records, manorial records, Chancery Court records, and research beyond England and Wales
- Assignments are based on the student's own family history research rather than fixed sample projects
- Suitable for beginners, experienced genealogists, and those intending to operate a professional genealogical practice
- Each student is allocated a tutor, and an online Students' Forum supports discussion with fellow learners
- Overseas students can be accommodated with adapted assignments where appropriate
Higher Certificate Graduates Now Receive an AGRA Research Assignment Exemption
Future graduates of the Higher Certificate in Genealogy are now exempt from AGRA's 20-hour research assignment when applying for membership, because the course now concludes with a 20-hour assignment that meets AGRA criteria.
This recognition reflects AGRA's confidence in the quality, rigour, and professional research skills developed throughout the course.
What Higher Certificate students say
The best people to describe the benefits of the Correspondence Course are the students who have completed it.
Most surprising was the amount I gained from lectures dealing with topics I had thought I knew well already!
J Collins of Hampshire
The course has made me aware of records that I would never have looked at; having Ag Lab ancestors I only thought as far as the Workhouse! It also made me visit repositories that I would not have thought of.
P. Dagwell of Kent
The comments of my tutor are always constructive and informative.
A. Foreman of Kent
The course has been of inestimable value.
A. Baker of Surrey
I have found the course stimulating and interesting.
H. Jennings of Australia
The knowledge I have gained… is almost immeasurable.
S. Mendel of Lincolnshire
Every lecture has been a challenge in some way. Each acts as a catalyst for the student who wishes to know more.
G. Strachan of Northamptonshire
Each subject has been dealt with expertly... I would certainly recommend the course to anyone. I eagerly look forward to the next lecture.
B. Myers of Co Durham
I would just like to say that I enjoyed the course immensely - it took me into dark and mysterious areas of family history research and enabled me to uncover my ancestors back to the 17th century. Sadly I did not discover a lord, baron or famous general. My lot worked the fields, sailed the canals and marched in the ranks.
L. Mitchinson of Hampshire
CPD Certified
The Higher Certificate course is presented here as a CPD accredited learning option.
RQG pathway
Students on the IHGS Higher Certificate course are accepted by the Register of Qualified Genealogists as student members.
AGRA recognition
Future Higher Certificate graduates are exempt from AGRA's 20-hour research assignment when applying for membership.
Approximate US pricing
Approximate USD prices on this page are shown for convenience using an exchange rate of about 1 GBP = 1.35 USD, based on publicly available GBP/USD data for April 23, 2026. Your actual charge may differ depending on the exchange rate used by your payment provider and any card fees.
Single payment option
The course fee is £2,600, approximately $3,510 USD.
Students may enroll at any time by paying the full fee or the first installment. The Higher Certificate examination fee is included within the course fee.
Save 10% on new Higher Certificate enrollments with code IHGSAGRA10.
Enroll with full paymentInstallment payment option
IHGS also offers a monthly payment route with an initial fee of £320 (about $432 USD), followed by 24 monthly payments of £95 (about $128 USD each).
After enrolling, IHGS sends a banker's order form to arrange the remaining monthly payments. Enrolling in this plan commits the student to paying the full course fee of £2,600.
View the installment optionProgression after the course
The course prepares candidates for examination at Higher Certificate level, with the option to progress to the Diploma in Genealogy and eventually toward the Licentiateship of the Institute.
IHGS Higher Certificate and Diploma graduates are recognized in specified ways by RQG, AGRA, and the University of Strathclyde.
Bitesize Courses
IHGS Bitesize Courses are self-assessed online courses designed for flexible study around specific topics. Prices below are shown in GBP with approximate USD conversions. USD prices are approximate and based on roughly 1 GBP = 1.35 USD as of April 23, 2026. Final charges may vary.
Elementary
The Awaken Your Ancestors Elementary Family History Course is suitable for those who are new to family history, those who have already started but need guidance on how to do things properly, and those who are looking for inspiration on how to break down that brick wall.
£230 / about $311 Enroll nowIntermediate
The Broadening Your Family Tree Intermediate Family History Course offers a selection of records that will help further your research and broaden your family tree.
The records of the census and GRO certificates will have offered clues to schooling, occupations and professions. They may also have provided evidence of a soldier, sailor, marine or airman. Most of us will encounter the odd nonconformist in our family tree and hopefully they all passed away having written a will, which you may have difficulty in reading. The Broadening Your Family Tree Intermediate Family History course has something for everyone.
£285 / about $385 Enroll nowAdvanced
The Completing Your Ancestral Journey Advanced Level Course in Genealogy is a natural progression for those who have already completed the Awaken Your Ancestors and Broadening Your Family Tree family history courses, and it is also suited to the experienced family historian who wishes to gain a better understanding of a collection of valuable and accessible records that will help complete the ancestral journey.
£480 / about $648 Enroll nowAnytime Talks
Recorded talks for focused, on-demand learning
IHGS Anytime Talks are recorded lectures by expert tutors, available on demand through the IHGS website. They are ideal for learners who want professional insight on a single topic without committing to a full course.
- Available whenever it suits you, with no scheduled class time
- Topics currently include newspapers, poor law records, local history, nonconformity, legal records, and more
- Most talks are priced at £10, approximately $14 USD
- Pairs well with Bitesize study or as a starting point for a specific research problem
19th-20th Century Census Substitutes
Buy nowPoor Law
Buy nowTreasures of the Parish Chest
Buy nowTracing Your Illegitimate Ancestors
Buy nowTracing Your Nonconformist Ancestors
Buy nowScottish Heraldry at Its Best: The Thistle Chapel and the Knights of the Order of the Thistle
Buy nowUnlock Your Family's Legal Past Part 1: Establishing the Rule of Law
Buy nowUnlock Your Family's Legal Past Part 2: Manorial Courts
Buy nowUnlock Your Family's Legal Past Part 3: Quarter Sessions, Petty Sessions, Assize Courts and Old Bailey
Buy nowFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions about IHGS family history study options.
Which course is best for a beginner?
Beginners can start with Bitesize Courses or Anytime Talks for focused, flexible learning, while the Higher Certificate is best for students who want a deeper structured pathway from the start.
Do I have to follow a fixed class schedule?
No. The Higher Certificate is designed for distance learning at your own pace, and both Bitesize Courses and Anytime Talks are flexible online options.
Can American family historians benefit from these courses?
Yes. Many American family history lines trace back to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, so British Isles records, place research, and pre-immigration sources are often essential.
What is the difference between Bitesize Courses and Anytime Talks?
Bitesize Courses are self-assessed learning modules on specific topics, while Anytime Talks are recorded lectures that offer focused guidance without the structure of a full course.
Does the Higher Certificate include tutor support?
Yes. Higher Certificate students are assigned a tutor, receive marked assignments, and can also engage with other learners through the online Students' Forum.
Can the Higher Certificate lead to further qualifications?
Yes. It prepares students for Higher Certificate examination level and can lead on to the Diploma in Genealogy and further professional progression routes.