Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Candidate guide
August 2019
Published by: RICS, Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD.
All rights in this publication, including full copyright or publishing right, content and design, are owned by
RICS, except where otherwise described. Any dispute arising out of this publication is subject to the law and
jurisdiction of England and Wales
Candidate guide 2
APC candidate guide
Entry requirements................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
The Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)................................................................................................................. 6
APC pathways.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Essential guides...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
The people involved in your APC..................................................................................................................................................... 6
The APC competencies........................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Section one
Structured training................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Recording your experience.............................................................................................................................................................. 11
Section two
Continuing Professional Development .......................................................................................................................................12
Section three
Ethics.........................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Ethics module........................................................................................................................................................................................13
Plagiarism................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Section four
Summary of experience.....................................................................................................................................................................14
Case study submission.......................................................................................................................................................................14
Candidate guide 3
Section five
Preliminary review...............................................................................................................................................................................17
Outcomes................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Section six
Final assessment interview...............................................................................................................................................................18
Structure of the interview.................................................................................................................................................................18
Presentation...........................................................................................................................................................................................19
Interview.................................................................................................................................................................................................19
After the assessment...........................................................................................................................................................................20
Pass result................................................................................................................................................................................................20
Referral result........................................................................................................................................................................................20
Appeals....................................................................................................................................................................................................20
Conflict of interest...............................................................................................................................................................................20
Section seven
Help and support.................................................................................................................................................................................21
Candidate guide 4
Entry requirements
RICS recognises that a mix of academic and professional qualifications with relevant experience
provide the skills and levels of competence to become a chartered surveyor. The eligibility
requirements to begin the APC are:
• RICS accredited degree – At least 24 months’ structured training and a minimum of 96 hours’
Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• RICS accredited degree with a minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience – At least
12 months’ structured training and a minimum of 48 hours’ Continuing Professional
Development (CPD).
• RICS accredited degree with a minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience – Demonstrate
a minimum of 48 hours’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) over the preceding 12
months. No structured training period required.
• Bachelor degree (or membership of a RICS approved professional body) with
a minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience (at least 12 months must be post
qualification) – Successfully complete the preliminary review and a minimum of 48 hours’
Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
If you need further information on any of the entry requirements for the APC please refer to
rics.org/howtojoin or your local RICS office.
Candidate guide 5
Introduction
The Assessment Essential guides The people involved in
of Professional From the beginning of your APC there are key
documents that you need to download and read.
your APC
Competence (APC) You need to continue to refer to these throughout These are the people who will influence and support
your progress towards achieving
your training, preparation and assessment. The
The Assessment of Professional Competence documents can all be found at rics.org/pathway RICS membership.
(APC) ensures that candidates are competent
• Pathway guide – the guide that is specific You: You must commit to following the process
and meet the high standards of professionalism
to the pathway you have selected to follow. through from beginning to end. You must familiarise
required to become a chartered surveyor.
It details the competencies you will need to yourself with the guidance and abide by it, planning
The APC is based on candidates achieving a set of meet and provides examples of the knowledge and organising your time conscientiously. You must
requirements and competencies. These are a mix of and activities that fall within the scope of take responsibility for your own CPD, undertaking
technical and professional practice, interpersonal, each competency. independent learning.
business and management skills. Completing the
• Self-assessment form – this is a pathway Your employer: Your employer should encourage
APC and the professional interview successfully
specific document that is designed to help you you and make facilities and time available to you
leads to professional qualification with RICS and the
understand where your skills and experience to complete your assessment documents. Some
much sought after letters – MRICS.
match the pathway requirements and your employers may not be able to give you access to the
areas to develop. full range of experience needed. If this is the case
Commitment is key you may need to gain a temporary secondment to
These guides are generic and apply to all world
When you enrol as a candidate, you are making regions. supplement your experience.
a commitment to become a chartered surveyor
Your counsellor: Your assessment must be supported
(MRICS). You have 6 years from your date of
enrolment to achieve the MRICS qualification. Assessment Resource by a member of RICS. They must be satisfied that
you have achieved the required levels in all the
This guide will help you prepare for the APC.
Although there will be people to support
Centre (ARC) competencies needed for your chosen pathway.
Your counsellor should support you through your
you through your APC, it is your responsibility ARC is an online tool where you will manage
training. They may not have personal knowledge
to make sure you start and remain committed your assessment details, CPD and selected
of your experience in all the chosen competencies
to the assessment. competency records, and prepare your submission
as you may have achieved some of them a number
for assessment. You will use ARC throughout your
of years ago or in a different job. They will still be
Pathways assessment journey.
Visit rics.org/assessment for guidance on using
able to support you and verify your experience by
having discussions with you about your experience.
You will need to choose your pathway. A pathway ARC and to access assessment dates, locations and
is the area of the profession that you wish information specific to the APC in your part of the
to qualify in. This needs to be based on your world.
qualifications, experience and current job role. For
more information please refer to rics.org/pathway
Candidate guide 6
Your supervisor: Best practice is to have someone way so that they can be applied to different Level 1 – Knowledge and
overseeing your day-to-day activities, areas of practice and geographical locations.
who is responsible for giving you guidance and It is important that you interpret them within
understanding
support. This is particularly important if you are the context of your own area of practice or You will be required to explain what learning/
completing a period of structured training. specialism and geography. training you have done, and when, to gain
level 1 competency.
It is important we hold your most up-to-date The competencies are in two distinct categories
details. If your employer, supervisor or counsellor This may have been through formal education
Mandatory competencies – personal, interpersonal,
changes at any point during your APC please and/or formal training in the workplace or on-the-
professional practice and business skills common to
contact your local office to update the details. job experience. If your degree is relevant to your
all pathways and compulsory
chosen pathway, you can draw on this to indicate
The assessors: chartered surveyors who for all candidates.
how you have gained the required knowledge.
conduct your final assessment interview. Technical competencies which are split into
The interview panel has a minimum of two Alternatively, you may have developed your
• Core competencies – primary skills of your knowledge and understanding through targeted
members. All assessors are specially trained
chosen pathway formal training. Formal training could include online
for this purpose.
• Optional competencies – selected as additional courses, in-house seminars or workshops, distance
Your local support team: can provide advice
skill requirements for your pathway from a list of learning, academic study, day-release programmes,
on completing your APC and can help you
competencies relevant structured learning or mentoring. You may have
source training, CPD and counsellors.
to that pathway. participated in a training programme developed
rics.org/contactus
Each competency is defined at three levels of by your employer or in partnership with a training
attainment. You must reach the required level in provider.
The competencies a logical progression and in successive stages. In order to reduce the number of words used,
To be competent to practise as an RICS Level 1 – knowledge and understanding you can provide a list but you should include
member you must have the skill and/or ability Level 2 – application of knowledge and understanding some brief detail, if necessary, to ensure that
to perform a variety of tasks or functions. The the assessor can be confident the education/training
Level 3 – reasoned advice and depth of knowledge.
RICS competencies are not only a list of tasks is relevant to the competency. You can also link this
or functions, they are also based upon attitudes to your CPD record.
and behaviours.
RICS has drawn up competencies in a generic
Candidate guide 7
Level 2 – Application of Level 3 – Reasoned advice and Choosing your
knowledge and understanding depth of knowledge
You will need to be able to show how you have put Where the pathway requires level 3 to be achieved, competencies
your knowledge and understanding into practice. you will need to be able to explain the professional It is important that you give careful thought to
Briefly review your career and the activities you have advice you have given to clients. Provide specific your choice and combination of competencies.
performed that are relevant to this competency. examples that describe the nature of the advice, Your choice will inevitably reflect the work you
The following may help you to structure your the options you considered and the outcome. do in your day-to-day environment (driven by the
thoughts in regard to level 2 competencies: The advice should be predominantly your needs of your clients/employer). Your choice and
• refer to projects you have been involved in individual responsibility, rather than collective. combination of competencies will be a reflection of
• identify the type of client - but be aware of your It should demonstrate that you are working with your judgement.
clients’ confidentiality. minimum supervision. At the final assessment interview, the assessors
You can describe companies, buildings or land The advice should have financial or strategic will take these choices into account. They will
in financial terms (revenue, value) or in terms of implications for the client, and should be given on expect you to present a sensible and realistic
size (large, small), area (floor size, levels, capacity) or behalf of your firm in order to fulfil your contractual choice that reflects the skills needed to fulfil the
location obligations to the client. role of a professional in your area of practice and
You must satisfy yourself and your counsellor that geographical location.
• describe your own role
• explain how your involvement demonstrates your you have reached the required level of experience
practical competence before applying for final assessment.
• provide specific examples.
Candidate guide 8
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Structured training
Month
Supervisor and counsellor
This section is for candidates who hold:
• an RICS accredited degree – up to 5 years’
Your record-keeping
APC enrolment 1 appointed. Start recording
experience and CPD
relevant experience; or in more detail
2 • an RICS accredited degree – 5–10 years’ relevant
As soon as you enrol on to the APC, you should start
experience (pre-degree experience
3-month supervisor’s meeting 3 can count).
recording your experience in the ARC diary. You will
use the information from your diary to complete
4 APC structured training requires you to your summary of experience. You should not record
5 demonstrate how you have gained the skills a period of less than half a day.
6-month supervisor’s meeting and abilities needed to perform specific tasks
6 or functions. The competencies are based on
You do not need to record the mandatory
6-month counsellor’s meeting competencies in your diary. These are an intrinsic
7 attitudes and behaviours as well as skills and
part of your day-to-day work and are not normally
knowledge. Your training must be structured to
8 allow you to gain the required experience to enable
part of the minimum days of experience. However,
9-month supervisor’s meeting you must record your attainment of the mandatory
9 you to achieve the competencies for your pathway.
competencies in your summary of experience for
10 Throughout the APC your counsellor (and final assessment. Section 6 details what is required
supervisor, if appointed) will need to continually for your summary of experience.
11 monitor your progress. You will not be able to
12-month supervisor’s meeting Begin identifying suitable At the end of 11 or 23 months (minimum) you can
12 project(s) for case study
apply for the final assessment interview until your
apply for final assessmentin ARC.
12-month counsellor’s meeting counsellor (and supervisor) certifies that, in their
13 opinion, you have reached the level of competence You will then sit your final assessment interview
14 required and have fulfilled the minimum training after month 12 or 24, depending on which level of
period. If you have less than 5 years’ experience structured training you need to complete.
15-month supervisor’s meeting 15 Case study – identify and agree you are required to complete a minimum of 24
16 subject, prepare synopsis, discuss months’ (400 days’) structured training to meet the
with supervisor/counsellor competency requirements. If you have between
18-month supervisor’s meeting
17
five years’ and 10 years’ experience you will be
18 required to complete a minimum of 12 months’
18-month counsellor’s meeting (200 days’) structured training to meet the
19
competency requirements.
20
21
23-month final assessment
Case study complete
meeting with supervisor and 22
counsellor; earliest date to apply
23 Earliest date for final assessment
for final assessment
24 interview
Candidate guide 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Month
Supervisor and counsellor
appointed. Start recording
Day-to-day
experience and CPD Your supervisor and counsellor must keep in
APC enrolment 1 regular contact with you, with formal meetings
Begin identifying suitable at least every three/six months, but ultimately you
2
project(s) for case study are responsible for your day-to-day activities.
3-month supervisor’s meeting 3 You must:
4 Case study – identify and agree • ensure your day-to-day work covers the
5 subject, prepare synopsis, discuss required competencies of your pathway
6-month supervisor’s meeting • keep your diary in a format that will encourage
with supervisor/counsellor
6 meaningful discussion at the formal quarterly
6-month counsellor’s meeting
7 reviews of progress against the competencies
and will assist with the preparation of your
8
assessment records
9-month supervisor’s meeting 9 • discuss before, and evaluate after, any planned
10 training or professional development events
• keep notes of examples of practical experience
11-month final assessment 11 Case study complete and casework to assist at your quarterly reviews.
meeting with supervisor and
counsellor; earliest date to apply 12 Earliest date for final assessment
for final assessment interview
Candidate guide 10
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Candidate guide 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Candidate guide 12
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Ethics
Behaving ethically is at the heart of what it means
to be a professional; it distinguishes professionals Ethics module Plagiarism
from others in the marketplace. You are required to successfully complete the RICS RICS uses Turnitin, a system to help check
RICS has five ethical standards. You must ethics module prior to final assessment. The module candidates’ submissions are their own work and
understand them and how you apply them in your includes online learning and an online assessment. stand up to independent scrutiny. The system
everyday role. The standards are: It can be accessed via your Assessment Resource will compare a candidate’s submission against
Centre (ARC) account. submissions from other candidates and other
Take responsibility existing works. RICS reserve the right at any time
either to submit or require you to submit your
Please note once successfully completed this is
Treat each other with respect valid for 12 months.
documentation into Turnitin. If the system flags
concerns with the level of similarities between
Always provide a high standard work you have submitted and existing works then
There will be a significant emphasis on we may refer the matter for further investigation
of service professional practice and ethics in the interview, which could result in disciplinary action being
so you must familiarise yourself with them. taken against you. In addition, the progress of your
Act with integrity Please note you can be referred on Conduct application may be impacted including potential
rules, ethics and professional practice alone. removal from the assessment process pending the
Act in a way that promotes trust outcome of the investigation.
in the profession
Candidate guide 13
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Submissions
Summary of experience Remember, RICS is looking for evidence that you
can do the relevant job at the required level: for Case study submission
For your summary of experience, you must write a some competencies one of your examples may be The case study is a maximum of 3,000 words, and
brief statement about each of your mandatory and sufficient, for other competencies you may need to must be on a project or projects that you have been
technical competencies. It is important to ensure provide multiple examples. personally involved in the two years prior to your
you have a copy of the pathway guide for your Once you have completed the statements you assessment submission date. A project may have
chosen pathway with you when you are completing should review them as a whole: together, they started over two years ago but your case study
this stage. form your summary of experience. In addition to should reference your involvement in the past two
If the competency you select is a level 3 showing your abilities in individual competencies, years. It must provide a critical appraisal of the
competency, you should ensure you write the they should provide the assessors with an overview project(s) together with an outline of your learning
summary covering levels 1, 2 and 3. Level 3 of your training and experience, the work that you outcomes. This provides important evidence of the
competencies are the most important: they are are doing and the levels you are working at. competencies you have achieved.
crucial to demonstrating that you practise at a Your summary of experience should be a maximum The case study must give detailed evidence of
professional level. 1,500 words in total for the mandatory competencies your ability to work competently and to apply the
For level 1 you must provide a statement of and a maximum 4,000 words in total for the technical knowledge relevant to your pathway. You will use this
learning – how you gained the knowledge and competencies. case study to make a 10 minute presentation to the
understanding. This should link to any relevant CPD You may find the preliminary review feedback report final assessment panel. See section 9 for full details of
in your CPD record. template beneficial as a checklist to consider if the professional interview.
For level 2 you must provide a statement of the you have met the submission requirements for the Your choice of project is very important and must
range of experience you have achieved and include summary of experience. reflect your specific APC pathway. You may have
real-life project/process examples. been working on a complex instruction or large
project. Alternatively, the instruction or project may
For level 3 you must provide a detailed statement
be more straightforward and not of great financial
of advice given and include real-life project/process
value. It may simply be typical of the work with
examples where you have personally given advice.
which you have been involved. The project may
Levels 2 and 3 require you to provide at least include work undertaken outside your country of
one example. The number of examples you need assessment.
to provide will be determined by the experience
and competence each example demonstrates.
Your case study validity will be calculated on
a rolling period from the date you submit for
assessment. You should check that activities you
discuss in your case study are within the required
24 months, working back from the date you
submit.
Candidate guide 14
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The assessors will be looking for you to have You should include the following four aspects: 4. Conclusion
chosen a real life project that you have been
In this section you need to reflect on and analyse
involved in or may have led on. Consider a project 1. Introduction your performance and make reference to the
process where you have had to deal with a key In this section you should provide a summary lessons you learnt and what you would do
issue, anomaly or challenge that you have had the of the project and what your role was – include differently next time.
task of overcoming. the following. We suggest this section should be
This section is very important in showing the
Make sure this relates to the competencies of your approximately 500 words.
assessors your analytical thinking and how you
pathway demonstrating your professionalism and • What did you do? develop as a professional.
ability to problem solve.
• What was your level of responsibility?
You are not necessarily expected to be running the • Who were the stakeholders? Appendix A – Competencies
project. It is your involvement or role in the team
that you must outline, analyse and comment on.
• What was the timeline? demonstrated in this case study
If the project has been running for some time, you You need to use the template to list the
may not have been involved from the start, so your
2. My approach competencies that you believe are demonstrated in
involvement may not have been continuous, or the In this section you should describe the key issues your case study.
project may not be finished when you prepare your or challenges on the project. You may write about
case study. In this latter case, you should provide a one or more key issues but remember you only Appendix B, C etc
prognosis of the outcome. If you know the outcome have a limited word count for the case study.
You may insert illustrations, photographs or
between sending in your case study and your Explain the issues. Make it clear to the assessors plans to this section. Please keep the attachments
interview then include this in your presentation. why it became a challenge for you, include to a minimum ensuring they are relevant to the
You must explain not only the project itself but the options you considered and the solutions case study.
the processes you followed and the rationale that you identified explaining why some options
The assessors will use your case study as a
behind your decision-making. Your focus must be weren’t feasible.
starting point to question you beyond what you
on analysing the project: do not simply provide actually did, probing your understanding of your
a summary of what it involved. It is quality not 3. My achievements project’s wider issues. You will need to think
quantity that counts. Appendices should support In this section you should describe what you about these processes while you are writing
your report, not add to or expand on it. achieved and how. your case study, so that you are well prepared
List the mandatory and technical competencies Demonstrate your ability to think logically, laterally for the interview.
demonstrated in your case study in the box and professionally giving examples of where you
provided in the submission template. gave reasoned advice to a client for your level 3
competencies.
Candidate guide 15
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your submission also take a holistic view. Review all your written
evidence together before you submit it, and make
• Confidentiality: you must ensure you have your sure there are no omissions or contradictions.
employer’s and client’s consent to disclose Finally, your submission must reflect your abilities in
any sensitive details in your final assessment the following areas:
submission. If you cannot get this consent you
• written and graphic communication
should disguise facts that might otherwise make
the project identifiable. • professional standards of organisation and
presentation
The information contained in your submission
will be treated as confidential by your panel of • analysis, reflective thought and problem solving
assessors and RICS. • learning from experience gained.
• References: extracts from Acts of Parliament, You may find the preliminary review feedback report
case law and other sources should not be template beneficial as a checklist to consider if you
quoted at length but essential references must have met the submission requirements for the
be given. case study.
• Total word count: you must include a word
count at the end of our case study. You can RICS staff reserve the right to cancel interviews
include notes on what you have included in the if at any time it becomes known that the key
count. The assessors will be looking to see that assessment/submission criteria have not been
you have kept within the prescribed word count met. This includes: word count, case study
for both your summary of experience and your validity, ethics module and test, plagiarism,
case study. fees, proposer and seconder confirmation, CPD,
• Appendices: remember you need to use your qualification and experience eligibility, and any
appendices to support your case study and other criteria set out in the RICS Regulations.
enhance the information you have given to the
assessment panel. If it isn’t relevant, don’t use it.
• Overview: while writing the case study you
should be aware of what evidence you have
already provided in your summary of experience
and ensure that the level and scope of activities
you are describing is consistent with what has
been detailed in the summary.
Candidate guide 16
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Preliminary review
If you do not hold an RICS-accredited degree you
will be required to submit your submission for a Outcomes The purpose of the review is to advise you on
meeting the submission requirements, it is neither
preliminary review. This review is carried out to After submitting for your preliminary review you an assessment of your competence nor any form
determine if your submission is suitable for you to will receive one of the following outcomes. of guarantee of success at interview. It is only at
proceed to final assessment. interview that your competence against the pathway
Your submission will be read and reviewed by a Your submission is suitable for requirements will be assessed based
on your final submission and how you perform
trained professional who has specialist knowledge you to proceed in the interview.
in your field of practice. They will consider the
You may receive some additional advice from the
totality of the evidence you have provided in your
submission. The preliminary reviewer will seek to
reviewer, if appropriate, and the report will advise Your submission is not currently
you of the next steps. You will now be eligible to
answer the question: Is the submission suitable for
apply for final assessment at the next available date.
suitable for you to proceed
the APC assessors to prepare for and conduct the The feedback report will explain why your
final assessment interview effectively? You should now prepare for your final assessment.
submission has not been considered suitable to
This can include an update to your summary
All elements of your submission will be reviewed proceed to final assessment. The report will advise
of experience that reflects the work you have
against the submission requirements. The you of the steps you need to take in order to meet
undertaken between preliminary review and
requirements are divided into two sections on the the submission requirements.
submitting for your final assessment, especially
preliminary review feedback report template: You will need to resubmit for preliminary review at
where this will address feedback from the reviewer.
A. Format requirements – submission This must not take your summary of experience over the next available date.
elements including compliance, standard of the word count.
writing and RICS assessment requirements.
Remember, your case study is only valid for a limited
B. Content requirements – submission elements
time as it must refer to experience within the last 24
including mandatory competencies, technical
months. If your case study is no longer within the
competencies and the case study.
24-month period you are able to apply for the next
The preliminary reviewer will mark whether each available final assessment session in your market
element of your submission is suitable and provide using the same case study. However, if you choose
feedback, where possible, if it is not. The reviewer to apply for assessment at a later session your case
may also provide feedback where the element is study must be updated or changed, as appropriate,
marked as suitable if they judge that the element to meet the 24-month requirement.
could be improved prior to final assessment.
Candidate guide 17
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Candidate guide 18
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Candidate guide 19
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Candidate guide 20
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Candidate guide 21
Confidence through professional standards
RICS promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the valuation,
development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name
promises the consistent delivery of standards – bringing confidence to markets and effecting
positive change in the built and natural environments.
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