Chartered Member: before you apply for the APC

• 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. Because of this, 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 +32 2 733 1019 or email membership@rics.org to find out how we can help you.

• Assessment: understand the different parts of the assessment process

  Your selected APC route will determine your progress to final assessment:

  • structured training – the required period of structured training must be completed
  • preliminary review – your written submissions must be approved by an RICS assessor.

  The final assessment process is the same for all APC candidates. You will need to submit a written summary of your professional experience, a case study, and a record of your continuing professional development (CPD), as well as completing an online ethics course. You then need to pass a final assessment interview.

  Online ethics training

  All candidates must complete and pass the RICS online ethics course. If you initially fail this course, you can retake it.

  Written submissions

  • Summary of experience: brief statement for each level of competence required for your 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: 48 hours of training undertaken during the last 12 months (96 hours of training undertaken during the last 24 months, if you are undertaking 24 month structured training).

  Submission for assessment

  Once you have passed the ethics training, your counsellor will confirm when you are ready for your written submissions to be sent to us for assessment.

  Assessment interview

  You attend a 60-minute interview with a panel of trained RICS assessors. Following a 10-minute presentation by you on your case study, the panel 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

• Direct entry: see if you are eligible to become an RICS member without assessment

  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. However, you must pass the RICS online ethics course to join through direct entry.

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

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

  Download: List of approved qualifications for Chartered Member direct entry

• Costs: find out about our application fees and annual subscription fees

  Application fees

  Enrolment fee: €950

  This amount is made up of an initial enrolment fee and candidate subscription fee. 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

  Membership fees

  Election fee: €881

  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 subscription 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.

  Questions

  If you have any questions about fees, please contact our Membership team or +32 2 733 1019 or complete our membership enquires form.

• 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