Assessment of Professional Competence
Becoming chartered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is an important landmark in any surveyor’s career. It evidences expertise in your field, shows commitment to professional development and entitles you to put MRICS after your name. Chartered status can give you the opportunity to travel the world, work on a huge range of projects, and earn a great salary.
How we can help you get accredited
To pass the APC, you will first need to be employed as a surveyor and have an RICS-accredited degree.
If you complete an accredited undergraduate degree, you’ll be able to begin your APC with an accredited company as soon as you graduate. If you choose to undertake a four year sandwich degree and gain a placement with an accredited company, you also have the opportunity to begin your APC during your placement year. However, at least 12 months of study must take place on a graduate training scheme.
If you’re looking to get into the industry, or already work in the field, and don’t have a RICS degree, you can undertake an accredited postgraduate conversion course. A conversion course can act as a ‘fast-track’ route into industry, and toward completing your APC.
These are both options at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). We have RICS-accredited undergraduate and postgraduate courses which can act as your first step towards being a Chartered Surveyor.
RICS accredited degrees at NTU
These are the RICS accredited degrees we offer for undergraduate and postgraduate study.
How you'll be assessed for your APC
The APC is based on competencies. It’ll assess you on the skills you need to do your job, including personal skills, business skills and specialist professional skills, as well as your knowledge of professional ethics and RICS rules. Assessment for the APC is a rigorous process, so it’s important you have the right support around you, including from your employer.
To meet the APC's requirements you'll need to show that you've undertaken a broad variety of work. Your employers can help you to do this in a number of ways. They can place you in a rotational training scheme, exposing you to the work of different departments in the same firm, or by keeping you in one relevant department, but ensuring that you are given a range of projects to work on.
For graduates with limited practical experience, the APC must take a minimum of 24 months and include a minimum of 400 days’ practical work experience.
How to complete your APC
To complete the APC, you must:
- Regularly fill out your RICS records evidencing your understanding of required competencies and how you've applied them to your job role.
- Have regular reviews with your APC supervisor - generally assigned to you by your company.
- Complete 96 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) per year whilst undertaking the APC.
- Submit a critical summary (essay) of the mandatory and technical competencies you have completed.
- Complete a final assessment interview.
Which APC pathways can I choose?
You can choose to follow a number of specific pathways for your APC. It’s ultimately up to you but these can depend on your graduate company of choice. Your options can range from commercial real estate to environmental surveying and project management, to planning and development.
Further information
To find out more about how to complete your APC and become RICS qualified, visit the RICS website.
During my placement year, I worked towards completing my APC which I'll finish after graduating from NTU. I've gained a lot of practical knowledge and experience that I can use in my final year of study and future career.
James Brown, BSc (Hons) Property Finance and Investment and Gerald Eve placement student