IEI pioneered non-formal education in engineering. For those who have pursued a formal education in engineering, an associate membership engineering degree certificate can be achieved by qualifying in the examinations conducted by the institution.

The Associate Member (AMIE) examination has two sections. Section A is common to all candidates, while Section B is specific to a particular stream of engineering. To take the examinations, the candidate must have been a technician member of the IEI for a year. Examinations are held twice yearly.