Frequently asked questions
Q.
A.
What is the Associate qualification?
The Associate qualification (AssocRICS) is a new grade of membership that provides an opportunity for those with work experience and/or relevant vocational qualifications to gain recognition of their competence. It is an entry-level qualification that provides a stepping stone to advance to chartered membership.
Q.
A.
How is the Associate qualification achieved?
A candidate can obtain the Associate qualification by demonstrating that they meet RICS competency and ethics requirements. Candidates complete an online registration which determines their requirements for assessment – this will vary for each candidate depending on their prior qualification and work experience. Certain qualifications allow a candidate to proceed more quickly to Associate Assessment,
or provide eligibility for Direct Entry.
Candidates record evidence of work-based experience and structured development online to demonstrate that they meet the relevant competency requirements. When evidence against all competency requirements is complete, they submit it for Associate Assessment and complete an ethics test which they must pass before they can qualify as an Associate.
Q.
A.
When will the new Associate Assessment be available?
In 2009 the new Associate Assessment launched in the UK for Quantity Surveying and Construction (now available in Hong Kong),
Residential Survey and Valuation, and Residential Estate Agency. In 2010 the Facilties Management and Project Management pathways were
launched and further pathways will continue to be rolled out throughout 2010.
Q.
A.
What is a candidate able to do if they want to become an Associate but the qualification is not available in their part of the world or in their chosen pathway?
They can still join RICS as an Associate but they will go through a different assessment process, the Assessment of Technical Competence. Further details about the ATC can be found on www.rics.org/atc.
Q.
A.
What happens if the new Associate Assessment process becomes available for a candidate's pathway/region whilst they are on the ATC?
Should the new Associate Assessment launch for their pathway after they have already enrolled on to the ATC, they will be given the option to swap on to the new Associate Assessment or complete the ATC to qualify as an Associate during a
6 month transitional period.
Q.
A.
What happens if their pathway is available on the Associate Assessment and they want to swap from the ATC/APC, what do they need to do?
To swap over to the new Associate Assessment they would need to email requesting the swap with; their name,
trainee membership number, desired Associate pathway, details of their highest vocational/academic qualification, and number of
years surveying related experience.
Q.
A.
When is a candidate able to enrol on the Associate qualification?
Providing their pathway is available, they can enrol on the Associate qualification at any time; however their eligibility to apply
for assessment is dependent on attainment of relevant work experience and/or vocational qualifications. The relevant work experience
can include experience gained prior to Associate enrolment. They will need to demonstrate that they meet all the
competency requirements before applying for assessment.
Q.
A.
What are the requirements for the Associate Assessment?
The Associate qualification has been developed to recognise the experience, qualifications and skills of an applicant
working within the land, property and construction sectors. The base requirements are for them to have a minimum of
four years' relevant work experience, which can be retrospective and to provide evidence against each of the technical competencies to
prove that they have reached the level of competence RICS is looking for in an Associate.
Candidates will also be required to provide details of 48 hours of structured development that have been completed in the previous 12 months and successfully complete the RICS online ethics test.
Should your candidate hold membership of a recognised professional body or have a vocational or academic qualification that is relevant to the area they are looking to qualify in, this may reduce the number of years experience you need.
Some qualifications will grant your candidates direct entry to becoming an Associate. Direct entry candidates will not be required to submit evidence against competencies, however they will still be required to successfully pass the ethics test.
Q.
A.
What do you mean by competency?
A competency is a specific task or function that a candidate must prove that they are able to perform to an agreed standard to become an Associate. There are two distinct types of competency that they will be required to meet:
Technical Competencies – These are the primary skills of a chosen pathway. A candidate will be asked to demonstrate that they are competent in these skills by submitting work-based evidence against each competency.
Mandatory Competencies – These are the skills that are common across all pathways and are deemed essential to becoming an Associate. They are:
• Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice
• Client care
• Communication and negotiation
• Health and safety
• Sustainability
• Team working
• Data management
• Conflict avoidance, management and dispute resolution
A candidate will need to demonstrate these competencies through their structured development records and their technical competency submissions.
Q.
A.
How many competencies will a candidate need to meet?
They will be required to submit evidence against six technical competencies, and eight mandatory competencies.
Q.
A.
What does RICS mean by structured development?
Structured development is training or learning that enables a candidate to gain extra skills and knowledge that can be applied in their day to day role. This structured development could be in the form of distance learning, formal training courses or structured reading. It must be planned and recorded with all learning outcomes evaluated.
When a candidate applies for their Associate Assessment we will ask them to provide records of a minimum of 48 hours structured development gained within the 12 months' prior to their assessment.
Q.
A.
How will a candidate record their evidence and structured development for the Associate Assessment?
They will record their evidence and structured development through an online system called the Managed Learning Environment (MLE). The MLE is a user friendly online system which allows candidates to upload and manage their evidence submissions online. It is through the MLE that they will submit their evidence for assessment.
Q.
A.
How do my candidates access the Managed Learning Environment (MLE)?
Once your candidate has registered on the Associate qualification they will be emailed their RICS membership number. This will give them
access to the member zone on rics.org where they will be able to set their password. Once this is complete they will be able to
access the Managed Learning Environment (MLE) directly via; https://mle.rics.org.
Q.
A.
What do you mean by evidence?
Evidence is actual documented examples of a candidate's work which show that they meet specific competency requirements. For each pathway, candidates will be given examples of the types of documented evidence to be presented.
Q.
A.
What can be uploaded as evidence?
Each pathway will have different requirements.
For further information please click here.
Evidence can be submitted from the last four years of their career, however, it is important that at least one piece of evidence for each competency is from the 12 months prior to their Associate Assessment.
If they have completed or are studying towards a vocational qualification such as an NVQ, it is important that the evidence they submit for their NVQ is different to the evidence they submit for the Associate Assessment.
Q.
A.
Can more than the minimum amount of evidence be uploaded?
A candidate is able to use the MLE to record experience and structured development throughout the time they are training. When they prepare
for assessment they will be required to indicate on the MLE which pieces of evidence and structured development they would like to
be assessed. We recommend that you seek advice from your supporter regarding suitability of evidence and structured development.
Q.
A.
Who 'signs off' competencies and submissions
When a candidate is ready to submit their portfolio of evidence for assessment they will need to have it 'signed off' by someone familiar
with their work and who is able to verify that it is their own and meets the requirements for Associate Assessment, as defined by RICS, e.g their line manager.
They will also need to have their membership application proposed by an existing member of RICS (FRICS, MRICS and AssocRICS).
It is considered best practice for a candidate to have ‘a supporter’ within their firm who can provide them with support
and guidance through their training period. Typically this would be their line manager.
It is considered best practice for a candidate to have ‘a supporter’ within their firm who can provide them with support and guidance through their training period. Typically this would be their line manager.
Q.
A.
What additional support would a firm need to provide a candidate?
Although there is no formal requirement to have someone supporting your candidates throughout their assessment, it is considered best practice to have someone within your firm who can provide your candidates with some level of support and guidance.
Q.
A.
If the assessment is completely online how will RICS be able to ensure consistency of assessment?
RICS has developed a rigorous auditing process which will sample a percentage of the assessments carried out to ensure the candidates being assessed are meeting the competencies, the standards set are being adhered to and the assessors are assessing at a consistent level. This monitoring of the Associate Assessment will also enable RICS to keep the qualification relevant to the market requirements.
Q.
A.
Why must candidates do an ethics test?
As a professional body RICS has a responsibility to protect the public through ensuring our members operate to a high level of professional and ethical standards. This is embodied in the RICS Rules of Conduct. To become a member of RICS, candidates must prove they are ethically sound. The online assessment tests a candidate's ethical views and professionalism.
Q.
A.
What happens if a candidate fails the online ethics test?
If they fail the online ethics test they can take the test again but they must wait at least 24 hours before they can do this.
Q.
A.
What happens if a candidate passes the assessment but not the ethics test?
To become an Associate they will need to pass both the ethics test and the assessment. If they fail the ethics test they will be able to take the test again, however, they will need to wait 24 hours before doing so.
Q.
A.
What are the costs of the Associate qualification?
The cost to register for the Associate qualification is £225 per candidate. This fee
includes:
-
access to the member zone on rics.org
-
use of the Managed Learning Environment
-
the Associate Assessment and ethics test
-
subscription fee for the calendar year. Thereafter, each candidate will be required to pay a candidate subscription fee on 1st January of each year.
To register on the Associate qualification as a direct entry candidate costs
£150 and includes their subscription fee for that calendar year. Thereafter they
will be required to pay a member subscription on 1st January of each
year.
Q.
A.
What are the payment options for the fees?
All fees linked to the RICS Associate grade may be paid securely online by credit card. Alternatively, for the Associate Assessment RICS has introduced a voucher code system. You can request a corporate voucher code which you can give to any candidates you wish to put forward for Associate membership. RICS will then invoice you for any candidates using their unique code. To get a corporate voucher code you will need to download and complete the
Voucher Code Agreement and return it to
requesting a code. RICS will then issue the nominated person on the agreement with the firm’s new code.
Q.
A.
What is an Associate Corporate Partner of RICS?
RICS has set up an Associate Corporate Partner scheme which is available to firms that have five or more candidates to enrol on to the Associate qualification. Firms are required to support the assessment by providing a minimum of two assessors and benefit from corporate invoicing and support services. Firms may also use the strap line "RICS Associate Corporate Partner" in marketing material. For further details please email
Q.
A.
What happens when a candidate receives their result?
Candidates will have their results emailed to them approximately four weeks after having submitted their evidence for assessment. If they pass the assessment their membership will be upgraded from Associate candidate to Associate – AssocRICS. They will then receive their membership welcome pack which will include their membership card and certificate.
Q.
A.
What happens if a candidate is unsuccessful at the assessment?
If they have been unsuccessful they will receive an email directing them to their feedback report on the MLE. The assessment panel will provide feedback on each of the competencies and their structured development and will detail what they need to do to be ready for re-assessment (including how to pay the
re-assessment fee).
Q.
A.
When will the re-assessment fee need to be paid?
The re-assessment fee will need to be paid when a candidate submits their evidence for re-assessment.
Q.
A.
Can a candidate appeal their assessment result?
Yes. If they feel their assessment was unfairly carried out or the process wasn't completed as described in the guidance they are
entitled to appeal against the decision. Appeals need to be received in writing within two weeks of notification of their assessment result. If
the appeal is successful they will be put forward for re-assessment based on the original work submitted.. For further information please see the Associate Assessment Appeal Form.
Q.
A.
Is a candidate able to progress to chartered membership after becoming an Associate?
Currently an Associate can progress to chartered membership by completing an accredited degree followed by the Assessment of
Professional Competence (APC). As an Associate they will be able to gain advanced entry to an accredited degree, available courses can be
found by visiting www.ricscourses.org.
The ladder from Associate (AssocRICS) to chartered membership (MRICS) is being developed. It will involve a combination of modular academic study and work experience. It is expected that this would typically take four years to complete.
If you have a candidate that already meets the requirements of an APC Graduate Route to membership they will not be required to complete the further study hours and could enrol onto the APC as soon as they are ready. For further information
on this please contact RICS;
Q.
A.
What if an employee has a higher level of professional membership than is listed in the registration pages. Can they still register?
If they have a grade of membership that is higher than those listed, e.g. Member of Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (MCInstCES), then they will still be able to register for RICS Associate membership. However if they have a higher grade of membership they may be eligible for the
Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) via Adaptation Route 1.
Q.
A.
If an employee is already a student member of RICS, can they register online for the Associate Assessment?
They can register for the Associate Assessment if they are a current student member of RICS. When completing the registration process they will need to login to the Member Zone of www.rics.org before completing their registration.
If they are currently an ATC or APC trainee member of RICS they will need to email requesting a code. RICS will then issue the nominated person on the agreement with the firm’s new code.
requesting to swap from their
existing route to the new Associate Assessment.
Q.
A.
What is an Associate assessor?
An Associate assessor is an RICS member who plays an integral role in the Associate Assessment ensuring that candidates are competent to become an Associate of RICS.
Q.
A.
How can an employee become an Associate assessor?
For an employee to be eligible to assess the Associate Assessment they will need to have been a qualified RICS member for a minimum of two years, hold Associate, Chartered or Fellowship membership, have a clean membership record and complete the assessor training course. Unfortunately members who currently assess for the APC will not be eligible to assess on the Associate Assessment. Employees who are interested in becoming an Associate assessor should email for further information.
