Student Support
Everything you need for your course and your licence
Trusted links and practical checklists for learners: set up your SIA online account, take free counter-terrorism training, and make sure you bring the right ID on day one.
Your SIA online account
Everything to do with your SIA licence happens in your personal online account: applying for your first licence, renewing it, and checking its status. Set it up as soon as you book your course, do not wait until you pass.
- Register with your own email address, you will need it for every renewal
- Have your ID documents ready, the same ones listed below
- Licences are applied and paid for online through the account
Free ACT counter-terrorism training
ProtectUK hosts the free Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) e-learning used across the security industry. We recommend every learner completes it alongside their course:
- ACT Awareness, around 45 minutes, for anyone working in public-facing roles, with a certificate on completion
- ACT Security, for security professionals with protective security responsibilities
- Both are free and can be done on your phone
Day one checklist
The ID you must bring to your course
Awarding organisations require us to check your identity before you can sit any assessment. Without acceptable ID you cannot take the exam, so check this list before you travel. Documents must be originals: photocopies and photos of documents are not accepted.
Highfield courses
Highfield licence-linked courses follow the SIA identity rules: one document from Group A and two from Group B, and at least one Group B document must show your current address.
Group A, proof of identity (bring one)
- Current, valid, signed passport (any nationality)
- Current, valid UK photocard driving licence (DVLA)
- Northern Ireland photocard driving licence with paper counterpart (DVA)
- UK birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth
- UK adoption certificate
- UK biometric residence permit card
- HM Armed Forces Veteran Card
Group B, proof of address (bring two)
- Bank or building society statement (within the last 3 months)
- Utility bill, gas, electric, water or landline (within the last 3 months; mobile phone bills are not accepted)
- Credit card statement (within the last 3 months)
- Council Tax statement (within the last 12 months)
- Mortgage statement (within the last 12 months)
- Official letter from HMRC, DWP or your local authority (within the last 3 months)
- P45 or P60 tax statement (within the last 12 months)
- Pension, endowment or ISA statement (within the last 12 months)
- UK firearms licence with photo
Full list: GOV.UK SIA identity documents
QNUK courses
QNUK requires one form of photographic ID. If you do not have any, bring two forms of non-photographic ID from the second list instead.
Photographic ID (bring one)
- Signed UK photocard driving licence
- Signed passport (any nationality)
- Valid EU photo identity card
- SIA security licence (with photo)
- HM Forces or police warrant card
- Prison service card (with photo)
- Proof of age card
- Employee or student photo ID card (recognised establishment)
- Firearms licence (with photo)
No photo ID? Bring two of these
- Birth certificate
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Bank or building society statement or official letter (within the last 3 months)
- Credit card statement (within the last 3 months)
- Utility bill, excluding mobile phone bills (within the last 3 months)
- Benefit statement, for example child benefit or pension (within the last 3 months)
Documents not in English need an official translation from an accredited body such as the ITI or CIOL.
Not sure your documents count? Contact us before your course date on 0330 133 4984 or contact@thesecuritytutor.com. We would rather check now than turn you away on the day.
Still got a question?
We answer learner questions every day. Call, email, or let Find My Course point you at the right qualification.