AIH certifies people qualified to provide professional services in hydrology or hydrogeology. A person earns certification with 1) a college degree with a major in hydrology, hydrogeology, or related science building from a calculus foundation, 2) at least five years of professional experience, 3) documentation of performance and reporting of substantive work, and 4) passing an examination. Part I of the examination deals with fundamental principles, and Part II addresses applications in solving practical problems. A person becomes a hydrologist-in-training upon passing the first part of the examination, and is fully certified after passing the second part.

In its first decade, the Institute certified hydrologists, hydrologist - ground water and hydrogeologists. In response to a growing need for expertise in preserving a high quality environment, we are now certifying hydrologists - water quality. In the past, most of the certification went to relatively senior people. We would like to recruit more people earlier in their professional careers. One way is to have student chapters that convey the importance of uniting hydrologists as a profession to younger people. We want to see effective student chapters and to encourage the state sections of AIH to support the students.

• To establish a Student Chapter of AIH in each university or college granting degree(s) in hydrology or related sciences.
• To use these student chapters to foster professional interaction among students entering hydrology from different disciplinary backgrounds and among related faculty.
• To provide students in hydrology moral and procedural assistance in launching their professional careers.
• To facilitate and thereby increase the number of student members who become hydrologist-in-training in AIH.
• To establish a working presence in each university to support national interactions among professional hydrologists.
• To assist students in preparing for the Part I examination.
• To administer the Part I examination through a designated faculty member, to students before they leave the university.
• To encourage faculty members in hydrology to set an example for their students by becoming certified through AIH.