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Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)

MRICS: Assessment of Professional Competence

The APC is suitable for individuals with a degree-level qualification and work-based experience.

The 5 stages of assessment

Eligibility

You must have at least a bachelor’s degree or approved professional qualification. Depending on your qualification and length of work-based experience, you will progress as an APC candidate via structured training or via preliminary review.

Education/Qualification required Work experience and minimum structured training required When to enrol
Already successfully completed an RICS accredited degree (undergraduate or post graduate)
 
Or completing an RICS accredited part time (undergraduate or post-graduate) 

Less than 5 years’ experience -  24 months structured training

OR

If 5 - 9 years’ experience your choice of 

  • 12 months structured training 
  • Preliminary review (see below for more information)

OR

Over 10 years’ relevant work experience - No structured training

Enrol as soon as in relevant employment

Enrol in Structured Training

Enrol in No Structured Training
Non RICS accredited Bachelor’s degree A minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience (1 year must be post qualification experience) before your APC preliminary review

You can enrol at anytime

Enrol in Preliminary Review
Membership of RICS approved professional body Differs depending on approved qualification or professional body Visit our Direct Entry Page

Download: Enrolment form & guidance

APC Candidate Guide (0.54MB)

Requirements and Competencies (0.80MB)

Apply now

When enrolling you will need the following details to hand:

  • The start year, course title and institution name of where you undertook your degree (if applicable)
  • Proof of qualification or professional body membership - you will need to upload a copy of this to the online form 
  • Your counsellor’s RICS number.  
  • Your payment details.

More information

All APC candidates must appoint a counsellor who is RICS qualified. Their role is to support you and guide you throughout your assessment journey. Counsellors for the APC must be MRICS or FRICS.

Vetting

APC via structured training

Your employer and counsellor should support you in planning, reviewing and developing your experience relevant to your chosen pathway and competencies over the course of your structured training period.

APC via preliminary review

You will complete your submission based on your existing experience. This will be reviewed by trained RICS reviewers who will confirm if you are ready to proceed to the assessment stage.

Ethics

Candidates for all RICS assessments must successfully complete the RICS online ethics module and test.

Submission

The submission for the APC is the same for structured training and preliminary review candidates. It includes:

  • Summary of experience – 5,500 word summary of your experience against competencies set out in your chosen pathway. 
  • Case study – 3,000 words on one of your recent projects that demonstrates your technical ability 
  • CPD – a record of 48 hours of CPD for the last 12 months or each year of structured training

Assessment

Your counsellor will confirm when you are ready to submit for assessment.

You will 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.

APC through structured training

APC through preliminary review

How long will it take me to qualify?

It will depend on your current experience and the time required to obtain the necessary training to meet the competency requirements before coming forward for assessment. It generally takes between 6 - 36 months to complete the submission .

How much will it cost?

Candidate fees

An assessment fee is payable when you apply to become an APC candidate. This covers all the support materials, access to the online ethics module and test, access to the Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) where you will complete your submission, the preliminary review (if applicable) and the interview assessment. A subscription fee is payable every January to cover up to the point you become qualified. If you apply between 1 October and 31 December, you will pay the candidate subscription for the following year.

Qualification fees

When you are awarded the qualification an election fee and your professional subscription fee is payable. The election fee covers the award pack and election process giving access to all RICS professional services. The professional subscription fee covers your RICS professional status for your first calendar year. Depending on what month you qualify there may be a reduction in the professional subscription fee to take account of the candidate subscription you have paid.

Find out more about our fees and subscriptions

UK enrolment information

  • Whilst you can enrol at any time there are specific enrolment dates that will affect when you will potentially be able to sit final assessment interview.

    The final assessment dates are split into two sessions; Session 1 (May/June) and Session 2 (October/November). 

    Session One Enrolment Deadlines

    based on 24 months training

    based on 12 months training

    Pathway

    Enrolments up to

    Interview

    Enrolments up to

    Interview

    Antiques & Fine Arts

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Building Control

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Building Surveying

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Built Infrastructure

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Commercial Property Practice

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Environment

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Facilities Management

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Geomatics (including hydrographic)

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Management Consultancy

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Minerals & Waste Management

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Planning & Development

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Project Management

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Property Finance & Investment

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Quantity Surveying & Construction

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Residential

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Rural

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Taxation Allowances

    30-Apr-18

    Session 1 2020

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2019

    Valuation

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

    Valuation of Business & Intangible Assets

    31-Mar-18

    Session 1 2020

    28-Feb-18

    Session 1 2019

     

    Session Two Enrolment Deadlines

    based on 24 months training

    based on 12 months training

    Pathway

    Enrolments up to

    Interview

    Enrolments up to

    Interview

    Antiques & Fine Arts

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Building Control

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Building Surveying

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Built Infrastructure

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Commercial Property Practice

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Environment

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Facilities Management

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Geomatics (including hydrographic)

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Management Consultancy

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Minerals & Waste Management

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Planning & Development

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Project Management

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Property Finance & Investment

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Quantity Surveying & Construction

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Residential

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Rural

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Taxation Allowances

    31-Oct-18

    Session 2 2020

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2019

    Valuation

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

    Valuation of Business & Intangible Assets

    30-Sep-18

    Session 2 2020

    31-Aug-18

    Session 2 2019

  • You can back date your APC application by up to 1 month if your application is accompanied by a covering letter from your employer or counsellor. This can be emailed to enrolmentsuk@rics.org after you have enrolled online.

  • You should follow the process as detailed below:

    • Start work on/at your placement.
    • If you are not an RICS student member then join online
    • Review the APC candidate guide and your chosen pathway guide
    • Email enrolmentsuk@rics.org to advise us you wish to start recording your experience and to receive the relevant documentation.
    • Obtain guidance/support from employer and counsellor (a professional member MRICS or FRICS). If your employer/counsellor requires additional support they can contact an RICS Training Adviser
    • Obtain sign off of the competencies achieved, by a professional member (as per counsellor role), in order to be able to use this experience towards the minimum of 400 days/2 years APC requirement.
    • Following graduation, enrol onto APCwhen employed and pay the full APC application fee (£502) plus current year’s subscription.
    • Email a letter to enrolmentsuk@rics.org from your counsellor confirming when your work placement started and finished and that you were working towards APC requirements.
    • Complete a minimum of 1 year structured training, post-graduation of an RICS accredited degree (more may be required depending on when you started and finished your work placement).

    After recording a minimum 23 months APC requirement your counsellor will decide when you are ready to apply for final assessment (in accordance with the final assessment dates).

Contact us

To discuss RICS qualifications with our dedicated team: