Although less and less patronised as the years pass, particularly in New Zealand, the institution examinations continue to provide an alternative means of qualification for those who find it impracticable to attend university full time.

Owing to the high standard set for the examinations, some full-time study is highly desirable and, as most technical colleges in this country withdrew their professional engineering courses on the introduction of the New Zealand Certificate in Engineering, some candidates attend university classes for a year's sessions or longer. The Universities do not provide courses for institution examinations, but attendance at selected lectures in the degree course covers requirements fairly satisfactorily. Attendance at university has the additional advantage of enabling candidates to do some laboratory and practical work.

Notwithstanding the difficulties, some candidates succeed in completing the examination with the sole aid of part-time instruction at technical college or by correspondence. In this way, employment is uninterrupted, although experience shows that the candidate does not benefit fully from his practical work until he has completed his examinations.

The examinations of the Institutions of Civil and Mechanical Engineers, and of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers, are divided into two parts. The Institution of Electrical Engineers adds a third part to these. Part I is devoted to mathematics and physical sciences, with the addition of engineering drawing which is not studied by degree students until their more advanced years. Part II is akin to the professional section of the degree course in that the preparation for it is directed towards the application of science to engineering problems. The high degree of specialisation in the modern engineering world is recognised by the provision of many optional subjects in the Part II examination.