Things to consider before you apply for the APC

• Are you a senior professional, specialist or academic?

  If your career has progressed based on seniority, specialisation or through academia, we have assessment routes to match your experience:

  • senior professional – you have experience as a leader and manager
  • specialist – you have enhanced skills as a recognised authority
  • academic – you are teaching or researching at a university.

  Find out more about senior professional, specialist or academic assessment

• Direct entry: you may be eligible if you already have professional qualifications

  If you already have professional qualifications, or are a member of another professional body, you may be exempt from some of our entry criteria and be eligible for direct entry.

  To apply to be Chartered through direct entry, you’ll need:

  • a proposer who is Chartered (MRICS) or a Fellow (FRICS)
  • a record of your recent CPD
  • a letter from the professional body confirming your membership
    
    

  Find out more about direct entry

• APC Prelim: do you have 5 or more years of relevant work experience?

  Combine 5 or more years of relevant work experience with any degree, or with an RICS-approved professional body membership qualification, and you may be able to progress to a final APC assessment following a preliminary review.

  Qualifications approved for APC preliminary review

  You can enrol on APC Prelim at any time, but must have 12 months of experience post degree or membership qualification when you submit at the preliminary review stage.

  Find out more about APC Prelim

  apply for preliminary review

• Do you have an RICS accredited degree?

  If you hold an RICS accredited degree, there are a number of entry points available to you depending on your relevant work experience.

  Find out if you have an RICS accredited degree

  Your entry route will depend on how much relevant work experience you have and therefore if you need to undertake structured training.  See 'Structured training' below.

• Sector pathways: you must choose a specialist business area based on your experience

  Surveying is a very broad profession covering disciplines as varied as building surveying, geomatics and valuation.

  When you join RICS you must choose a sector pathway related to your surveying experience. During your assessment process you will have to demonstrate your skills and knowledge related to this pathway.

  For Chartered membership, you can choose from 22 different Sector Pathways.

  Find out more about our Sector Pathways

• Counsellor: you must find an RICS member to help you

  You must appoint an RICS-qualified counsellor to support and guide you through your application and assessment process. Your counsellor must be either an RICS Fellow (FRICS), Chartered Member (MRICS) or an Associate Member (AssocRICS) with at least four years’ of RICS membership.

  If you don’t know an RICS member who can be your counsellor, we can help find someone to guide you through your application. Please contact our Membership team on +971 (04) 375 3075 or email aemeacandidatesupport@rics.org to find out how we can help you.

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the systematic updating and enhancement of skills, knowledge and competence that takes place throughout your working life.

  It should be closely linked to your current work.

  CPD can be taken from various sources including attending conferences, meetings or seminars, completing an academic course or informal reading. 

  Having met any specific CPD requirements to qualify, all RICS professionals must complete at least 20 hours of CPD activities each year.

• Enrolled Candidate Guidance

  Once you have started your assessment journey, you’ll have access to support resources, peer groups and mentor support.

  Find out more about enrolled candidate guidance

• Structured training

  You will be required to undertake some level of structured training if you have less than 10 years of relevant work experience.

  Structured training enables you to demonstrate how you have gained the skills and abilities needed to perform specific tasks or functions and therefore the required experience to achieve the competencies for your pathway.

  The length of structured training required depends on your previous experience:-

  • up to 5 years of experience requires 24 months of structured training
  • 5 to 10 years of experience requires 12 months of structured training
  • over 10 years of experience requires no structured training

  Structured training is either undertaken by you or provided by an employer.

  You will not be able to apply for the final assessment interview until your counsellor (and supervisor) certifies that, in their opinion, you have reached the level of competence required and have fulfilled the minimum training period.

  See a draft APC candidate training plan

• Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)

  The Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) is an online tool where you will manage your assessment details, CPD and selected competency records, and prepare your submission for assessment.

  You will use ARC throughout your assessment journey.

• Formal assessment: understand the different parts of the assessment process

  The formal assessment process is the same for all APC candidates.

  Written submissions
  You will need to submit the following written summaries for formal assessment:

  • Summary of experience: statements for each level of competence required for your sector pathway. Mandatory competencies (1,500 words) and technical competencies (3,000 to 4,000 words)
  • Case study: 3,000 words on a recent project that shows your technical abilities. The project should not be older than 24 months.

  
  CPD record
  You must have completed 48 hours of CPD training during the last 12 months. Or 96 hours of CPD undertaken during the last 24 months, if you are undertaking 24 months structured training.

  RICS online ethics course
  You’ll also need to complete the RICS online ethics course, before you can attend an assessment interview

  60 minute assessment interview
  Following a 10-minute presentation by you on your case study, the panel of trained RICS assessors will ask questions on your presentation and your selected competencies.
  
  

  Download our Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) Candidate Guide for a full outline of the assessment process

• How long will it take?

  Excluding any required periods of employment, the formal assessment process can take between six and twelve months to complete.

  You have a maximum of six years from your date of enrolment to achieve the MRICS qualification.

• How much does it cost?

  Fees while you are a candidate

  These are made up of a one-off enrolment fee and ongoing candidate subscription fees.

  Enrolment fee: £737

  The enrolment fee covers your candidate registration, online ethics course and final assessment.
  The candidate subscription fee covers support materials and access to our Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) and is payable each year up to the point you become qualified.

  Find the ongoing annual candidate fees for your location

  Fees once you have qualified

  These are made up of a one-off election fee and ongoing subscription fees.

  Election fee: £642

  The election fee covers your member registration and award pack and includes your first-year annual subscription fee that provides access to all RICS professional services.
  Any candidate subscription fee (see above) paid for the same calendar year will be deducted from the election fee.

  Find the ongoing annual candidate fees for your location

  Refunds

  All fees are non-refundable unless you withdraw your application within a cooling off period of 14 days (10 working days) from the date your enrolment is processed by RICS. If you decide to withdraw your application please contact us on the details above.