How To Become RICS Accredited in the UK?

Becoming RICS-accredited in the UK means proving that your knowledge, experience and professional conduct meet established international surveying standards. The main route for most candidates is the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), which tests both your technical capability and your commitment to ethical practice.

What Are The RICS accreditation routes?

RICS offers two primary professional designations that you can gain through different assessment routes.

Associate (AssocRICS) suits candidates at an earlier career stage with relevant experience and a related qualification, or substantial experience alone.
Chartered (MRICS) suits experienced professionals who hold an RICS-accredited or other relevant degree and have a deeper track record in surveying practice.
You can enrol for either grade at any point in your career, provided you meet the eligibility criteria before your assessment.
For both grades, you pass through a formal assessment process that reviews your evidence and tests you at an interview.

Route	Typical entry profile	Outcome
Associate (AssocRICS)	1 year experience plus a relevant bachelor’s degree, or 2 years with a higher/foundation qualification, or 4 years’ relevant practice with no formal qualification.	Entry-level professional recognition with the option to progress to Chartered status.
Chartered (MRICS)	RICS-accredited degree plus relevant experience, or 5 years’ experience with any bachelor’s degree, or 10 years’ senior / specialist / academic experience.	Full professional status with global recognition of your surveying competence.

What Are The Core stages of the APC process?

Once you have selected the appropriate pathway and grade, the APC submission and assessment follow a structured flow through the RICS Assessment Platform.

Intent to submit: In regions such as the UK, you must register your intent within a defined window before assessment so that RICS can schedule your submission.
Summary of experience: You provide concise statements for each mandatory and technical competency at the levels required by your pathway, using the current APC Candidate Guide and templates.
Work experience record (APC 12 / APC 24): Structured training candidates record their on-the-job experience through a diary and logbook in the platform, covering Levels 1, 2 and 3 where relevant.
Case study: You submit a project-based case study (up to 3,000 words) focused on issues you handled within the last 24 months, clearly linked to your pathway competencies.
CPD record: You keep an accurate record of continuing professional development activities that sustain and develop your competence.
Professionalism and ethics: You complete the RICS Professionalism module, including an ethics test, within 12 months before your final assessment date.
Proposer and seconder: You nominate three chartered surveyors who can support your application through the Assessment Platform.

In this year, you have up to five attempts to pass your RICS assessment, with earlier attempts not counted in that total.

How To Draft Strong Submission Evidence For RICS APC Assessment in UK?

Your submission should present a coherent picture of your practical experience, professional judgement and ethical standards (so think about how each element fits together, not just individually).

Tips For RICS APC Summary of experience Preparation

Use the latest Summary of Experience template from the Assessment Platform and align each entry with the correct competency level.
For Level 1, explain how you gained knowledge and understanding through education, structured training and relevant on-the-job learning.
For Level 2, focus on your direct involvement in projects, the tasks you carried out and the processes you applied.
For Level 3, demonstrate reasoned advice you provided to clients or stakeholders, explaining options, recommendations and outcomes, with minimal supervision.
Stay within the word limits: 1,500 words for mandatory competencies and up to 4,000 words for technical competencies, counting only the “Summary of Experience” column content.

Work experience record and diary

For APC 12 and APC 24 structured training candidates, the diary is more than an administrative record; it underpins your competency progression.

Record your activity regularly through the Assessment Platform so that you can track progress and hold meaningful discussions with your counsellor.
Focus mainly on Level 2 and Level 3 experiences, but show progression from foundational understanding to applied work and independent advice.
Write diary entries that clearly describe context, your role and outcomes rather than brief, generic notes.

Tips For Case study Writing, preliminary review and final interview

The case study and assessment stages bring your written evidence into a clear, structured assessment of your capability as a prospective chartered surveyor.

Your case study must be based on work you have carried out within the previous 24 months at the point of submission. It should demonstrate several technical and mandatory competencies, including at least one at Level 3.
Use the prescribed template and keep within the 3,000-word limit between the introduction and final lessons learned section, excluding supporting elements such as appendices and contents.
Structure the content carefully across sections: project introduction and role, key issues and options considered, proposed solutions and achievements, and reflections on lessons learned.
If you follow a preliminary review route, a trained reviewer will check your submission for suitability and provide structured feedback; if found unsuitable, you adjust and resubmit at a later window.

At the final assessment, a panel of two or three trained chartered professionals conducts a one-hour online interview.

The interview includes a 10-minute presentation on your case study, 10 minutes of questions on that presentation, a 30-minute discussion of your overall experience, CPD, competencies, rules of conduct and professional practice, followed by closing questions from the chair.
Your understanding of the Rules of Conduct, ethics and professional practice is tested throughout the discussion, and you can be referred purely on this aspect if it is weak.
Results are normally released within five working days, with pass outcomes followed by steps for election to membership, and referral outcomes supported by a report explaining required improvements.

How CDRAustralia.Org Support To Get RICS Accreditation in the UK?

If you want structured support with competency evidence, project selection and assessment report writing like summary of experience, CPD or case study writing, CDRAustralia.Org provides specialist report-writing assistance for RICS UK applicants, drawing on experienced professionals who focus on clear, assessment-ready documentation and practical guidance for stronger outcomes across your submission, interview preparation and supporting records.