RICS APC Explained: Pathways, Competencies and Final Assessment

The RICS APC (Assessment of Professional Competence) is the route to becoming a Chartered Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS). You choose a pathway, build up evidence of competence through structured training and CPD, submit a written record, and then sit a final assessment interview with a panel of RICS assessors. According to RICS, the whole process takes 6 to 12 months once any required experience is in place, and you have a maximum of six years from enrolment to achieve MRICS.

This guide explains each stage as RICS describes it in its APC Candidate Guide (August 2026 edition) and on its APC web page. RICS is an international body, so the guide is not specific to the UK, but the process below applies to UK candidates too. Always check the current guide for your own pathway before you enrol, because RICS updates it regularly.

What the APC is

RICS says the APC checks that candidates are competent and meet the professionalism standards required of a chartered surveyor. Completing it, including the professional interview, leads to the MRICS designation. It assesses technical competence alongside interpersonal, business and professional practice skills, and it places real weight on ethics.

Step 1: Choose a pathway

You pick a pathway based on your qualifications, experience and current job role. RICS says there are 22 sector pathways for Chartered membership, and you must choose the one that fits the work you actually do. There are also assessment routes by career type: senior professional (leadership and management), specialist (a recognised authority) and academic (teaching or researching at a university).

The two documents RICS highlights at this stage are the pathway guide for your sector and the self-assessment form. Read both before you enrol, because they set out the competencies you will be expected to evidence.

Step 2: Understand the competencies

The APC is built around competencies, which come in two groups:

• Mandatory competencies: personal, interpersonal, professional practice and business skills. These apply on every pathway.
• Technical competencies: split into core competencies (the primary skills of your pathway) and optional competencies (chosen from a list for that pathway).

RICS describes three levels of competence, reached in sequence:

• Level 1: knowledge and understanding.
• Level 2: application of knowledge and understanding.
• Level 3: reasoned advice and depth of knowledge.

Check your own pathway guide for the competencies and levels that apply to you.

Step 3: Work out your route and structured training

How much structured training you need depends on your education and experience. RICS sets out the main routes like this:

Source: RICS APC Candidate Guide, August 2026. Training can be arranged by you or provided by your employer. RICS also says structured training is valid for up to five years, counted back from your assessment date, and that enrolment can be backdated by up to six months with a supporting letter from an employer or counsellor.

If you do not hold an RICS accredited degree, you will go through a preliminary review. The outcome is either suitable to proceed to final assessment, or not currently suitable, in which case you resubmit at the next available date. The separate APC Prelim route is for candidates with five or more years of relevant experience.

Step 4: Record your experience

During structured training you record your experience in the APC diary. Entries must cover at least half a day. You can record Level 1 work, but RICS says your training should mainly reflect Levels 2 and 3. Mandatory competencies are not recorded in the diary, but they must appear in your summary of experience.

You will also need two people alongside you. A counsellor must be an MRICS or FRICS member, and a supervisor. RICS expects formal meetings with your supervisor and counsellor at regular intervals, at least every three or six months. Both certify your competence and the minimum training period before you can apply for the interview. The logbook, rather than the diary, goes to the assessor panel, and without it your submission is invalid.

Step 5: Prepare your submission

Your final assessment submission includes:

• Summary of experience: a maximum of 1,500 words for the mandatory competencies and 4,000 words for the technical competencies.
• Case study: a maximum of 3,000 words, based on your personal involvement in a project in the two years before submission. You must state the start and end dates.
• CPD record: the hours set out for your route (see the table above). On structured training, RICS asks for at least 48 hours per 12 months, with at least 50% structured.
• RICS Professionalism module: four e-learning modules and a test, completed before final assessment and valid for 12 months.

RICS states that generative AI must not be used to produce your submissions. Spelling, grammar and word-count tools are permitted.

Step 6: The final assessment interview

RICS says the interview lasts about 60 minutes, takes place by video, and is held with a panel of two or three trained RICS chartered professionals. The structure is:

• A 10-minute presentation on your case study.
• 10 minutes of questions on the presentation.
• 30 minutes on your overall experience, including CPD, technical competencies, the Rules of Conduct and professional practice.
• 10 minutes of chairperson-led questions and close.

The five Rules of Conduct cover honesty and integrity, competence, quality of service, respect and the public interest. RICS says the interview places significant emphasis on the Rules and ethics, and a candidate can be referred on this area alone.

For structured training, you can apply for final assessment at month 11 (12-month route) or month 23 (24-month route), with the interview taking place after month 12 or 24.

Outcomes, referrals and attempts

RICS issues results within seven days of the interview. A pass means MRICS is awarded. If you are referred, a referral report follows within 21 days. Reassessment normally requires further experience, continued CPD and a new or updated case study.

From 1 January 2026, candidates have up to four attempts at the Chartered assessment, with a fifth and final attempt available after 12 months of further experience. Appeals must be made in writing within 21 days of the referral report and address procedure only. The appeal panel cannot award the qualification.

CPD after you qualify

The APC is not the end of the learning. RICS says qualified members must complete at least 20 hours of CPD each year, including 10 structured hours (from January 2026), and that CPD should be closely linked to your current work. If you work across several professional bodies, our guide to ICE CPD for civil engineers shows how another institution approaches the same idea, and the Learnsignal CPD hub collects our CPD guides in one place.

It also helps to keep a simple record of what you have completed and when. Our training matrix template is designed for compliance training, but the same approach of listing activities, dates and evidence works for tracking CPD hours.

Quick reference

RICS does not state fee amounts on its APC page. It says enrolment involves an assessment fee and an annual subscription fee, so check the RICS fees page for current amounts.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the RICS APC take?

RICS says the process takes 6 to 12 months, excluding any required employment periods. Structured training itself is 24 months, 12 months or none, depending on your route.

Do I need an RICS accredited degree?

No, but the route differs. Candidates without one go through a preliminary review, and need a bachelor degree or higher (or membership of an RICS-approved body) plus five years' relevant experience, with at least 12 months after qualifying.

What happens if I am referred?

You receive a referral report within 21 days. Reassessment normally needs further experience, continued CPD and a new or updated case study. RICS allows up to four attempts, with a fifth after a further 12 months of experience.

Can I use AI to write my submission?

RICS says generative AI must not be used to produce submissions. Spelling, grammar and word-count tools are allowed.

Is the interview in person?

The August 2026 Candidate Guide describes the interview as taking place by video, and RICS says all future final assessment interviews will be held via a digital platform.

Where to start

Read the pathway guide for your sector, complete the self-assessment form, and find a counsellor before you enrol. Then start your diary and CPD record from day one, because gaps are hard to fill in later. Keep the RICS Candidate Guide to hand and check it for any updates before you submit.