The RICS Assessment Platform is the secure online platform that RICS uses for managing all elements of assessments for candidates, counsellors, assessors, and training managers.

We have carried out a thorough four-stage testing program before going live. This covered all elements of the Assessment Platform including the data issues that were experienced in 2021 and led to the removal of ARC.

The RICS Assessment Platform goes live on 12 December 2022. At this point all users (candidates, assessors, counsellors and training managers) will be able to access the platform to familiarise themselves with its functionality and update their personal details.  

The Assessment Platform will take a phased approach. See more below: 

UK assessments 

All “Chartered” assessment (APC and Senior Professional) candidates in the UK will apply for Session one 2023 using the current manual process, completing the Microsoft application form and attaching a copy of their submission to that application. These candidates will NOT need to apply through the platform and specific instructions will be given in the eligibility communications sent out by RICS.     

UK candidates will apply for Chartered assessments using the RICS Assessment Platform from Session two 2023. UK candidates will apply for March-April APC Preliminary Reviews and April 2023 Associate assessments on RICS Assessment Platform.

It is important that the Assessment Platform is available as soon as it is ready to improve the assessment experience for everyone involved and move away from the current resource-heavy manual operations. 

The Assessment Platform must be used for all RICS assessments, except in Brazil and China.

RICS Assessment Platform has an improved design and layout that creates a better assessment experience for all users. New functionality is summarised below: 

Candidates: 

• ability to change Counsellor details and pathway directly 
• Ability to provide more employment history details  
• summary of experience is now a single word template 
• option to provide seconder and proposer details in advance of applying for assessment 
• candidates who used ARChave access to data they had previously uploaded. 

Counsellors: 

• a simple three-stage sign off 
• ability to view candidates’ CPD, competency selection and employment history 

Training managers: 

• a read only views of the candidates they are supporting through the assessment, showing candidates' progress, selected competencies, application status and option to download their submission

You can access the RICS Assessment Platform directly using this link: https://assessment.rics.org, the top of the  or in the quick links on the bottom of any rics.org page

We have created a series of guides for candidates, assessors, counsellors and training managers – Training Manager roles will be introduced in January 2023.  You can access guidance on www.rics.org/assessment  and on the Assessment Platform.

Please contact your local candidate engagement support team: 

UK & I - ukicandidatesupport@rics.org

AEMEA - aemeacandidatesupport@rics.org

APAC - apaccandidatesupport@rics.org

The Associate Assessment application window in January 2023, along with the application windows for APC, Senior Professional, Specialist and Academic will be completed through the current process. Click here for full details and submission templates

Preliminary review applications for March/April 2023 and Associate Assessment for April 2023 will be using the new Assessment Platform.  All Chartered assessments post-August 2023 will be submitted on the new Assessment Platform.

Chartered assessment

There are two submission windows every year to be accepted for final assessment. Session 1 is Spring/Summer and Session 2 is Autumn/Winter. The dates for 2023 are set out below.

The following dates apply to APC candidates only.

Northern Ireland based only

Scotland based only

England and Wales based only

Preliminary Review

We run two preliminary review sessions each year, approximately 5 months before the submission deadlines for the interview sessions above.

Associate Assessment

We run four associate assessment sessions each year.

The following dates apply to SPA candidates only.

Some pathways require you to select a specialist area when you apply for final assessment. View the document for more information.

Pathways and their related specialisms

You will be required to declare your chosen specialist area in Assessment Resource Centre (ARC).

Confirmation of date and time

Confirmation of your interview date and time will be emailed to you 3 weeks prior to your assessment.

Once your assessment date has been set, it will not be possible to change unless there are extenuating circumstances. Sometimes due to circumstances beyond RICS' control, interview dates and times may change. If this happens you will be contacted, and we will follow the rescheduling procedure as laid out below.

Rescheduling APC interviews

We aim to ensure any previously referred candidates see a new panel at their next assessment. Sometimes, due to the chosen specialist area, assessor availability or other conflicts of interest this is not possible and therefore a referred candidate may see one member of a previous panel at a subsequent assessment.

Assessors are trained to assess each candidate as if it was their first time based on the submission and performance of the current assessment. Candidates should not be alarmed if they see a panel member who has assessed them before on entering the assessment room.

If you have submitted your application for final assessment, and then wish to defer, you must inform RICS Membership Operations by email. It is your responsibility to notify RICS if you wish to defer, RICS will not accept notification from a third party.

RICS will grant a 14 day cooling off period from the date you submit for assessment within which you can defer without charge, after this point a £275.00 deferral fee will be payable when you next apply.

Candidate questionnaire

A few days after your interview you will receive a questionnaire from RICS about your experience; RICS would appreciate you completing this as your feedback is important to us.

Receiving your result

Chartered assessment: The result will be sent via email within 5 working days after your interview.

If you have not received your result by 17:00 hours on the due date, then please do get in touch on apc@rics.org. 

APC Preliminary Review: The results will be available approximately 8 weeks after the end of the application period, on the last working day of the month (i.e. apply 15-31 March, result issued last working day of May)

Associate assessment: The result will be available the last working day of the month after the submission date and display on your homepage of ARC.

If you have not received your result by 17.00 on the due date please contact RICS. RICS disregard bank holidays so you will not have to wait longer for your result if there is a bank holiday close to your assessment date.

RICS website

The successful candidates will have their names added to the Global Members Directory  and a full pass list will be added to the Assessment Results within a few days of receiving your result.

Referral reports and award packs

Unsuccessful candidates will receive a referral report via email within 21 days from the date of their result.

Successful candidates will receive an Award Pack by post. This is ordered on the first day of the next month following receipt of the result and can take 6-8 weeks to be delivered.

Please note that successful candidates will be required to pay an upgrade fee and any increase in annual subscription* upon qualification and can be paid online at rics.org/renew. An email will also be sent alerting newly qualified members to this updated online invoice.

* For qualifications after October, the subscription invoice will cover the following year rather than the current year.

Candidates who are referred will be required to pay as resit fee of £275.00 for every additional assessment. This payment will be requested via ARC at the next application.

Candidates who are referred have the right to appeal.

You cannot appeal simply because you disagree with the assessors’ decision about your competence. The appeal panel does not question the merits of the assessors’ decision. It looks at the way the final assessment was conducted, and will allow the appeal only if, on the balance of probabilities, there was fault in the process.

It does not reach any conclusion about the candidate’s competence to practise: it considers only administrative or procedural matters.

Appeal panel

Appeals are considered by an RICS appeal panel of three chartered surveyors who have no connection with you or your employer, and no previous knowledge of your final assessment interview.

The appeal panel has no powers to admit a candidate to RICS membership: if an appeal is approved, the original final assessment interview is disregarded and you will be given a fresh interview.

How to appeal                                                 

You have 21 days in which to appeal. This is taken from the date on which your referral report is issued.

• Complete the APC candidate appeal form (download it from this page) and submit the required appeal fee (no third party may appeal on your behalf).
• Detail, in no more than 1,000 words, the reasons for the appeal. No further supporting documentation is permitted and no representations may be submitted by another party who was not present at the interview (e.g. supervisor, counsellor, employer)
• Send to RICS within 21 days of the date your referral report was issued.

The process takes approximately seven weeks following receipt of your appeal.

• Decline

The panel decides to decline the appeal - RICS will write to you explaining the reasons for the decision.

The original decision stands along with the panel’s referral report and instructions on how to apply for re-assessment.

The appeal panel’s decision is final. There is no further right of appeal.

• Allowed

The panel decides to allow the appeal - RICS will write to you advising that the appeal has been allowed and that the original assessment result and referral report are now void.

You will be provided with a re-assessment by a new panel using the existing submission documents. RICS will do its best to establish a date suitable for all parties as soon as possible, and not more than three months after the outcome of the appeal. You may not submit any new documentation for the re-assessment.

The appeal fee will be held in credit.

Please note that the outcome of the appeal re-assessment is final. There is no further right of appeal following this decision.