Associate Member: before you apply

• 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 Associate membership, you can choose from 11 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 +1 212 847 7400 or email membership@rics.org to find out how we can help you.

• Assessment: understand the different parts of the assessment process

  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. Depending on your experience, it takes between 6-12 months to complete the assessment process.

  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: a total of 3,000 words showing your experience related to aspects of your chosen sector pathway.
  • Case study: 2,500 words on a recent project that shows your technical abilities.
  • CPD record: 48 hours of training undertaken during the last 12 months.

  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.

  Download our Associate Member: Candidate Assessment 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 Associate 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 Associate Member direct entry

  Apply for direct entry

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

  Application fees

  Enrolment fee:

  • Canada: CAN$300 + candidate subscription fee
  • Caribbean: US$300 + candidate subscription fee
  • USA: US$300 + candidate subscription fee
  • Brazil: TBC + candidate subscription fee
  • Rest of Latin America: TBC + 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:

  • Canada: CAN$178 + annual subscription fee
  • Caribbean: US$178 + annual subscription fee
  • USA: US$178 + annual subscription fee
  • Brazil: TBC + annual subscription fee
  • Rest of Latin America: TBC + annual subscription fee

  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 +1 212 847 7400 or complete our membership enquires form.