APC: Getting down to brass tacks – how to become a chartered surveyor

Jen Lemen gets to grips with who can and how to become a chartered surveyor. It is very much a myth that only graduates from property or construction courses can become MRICS qualified. There are a wide range of routes available to aspiring chartered surveyors across myriad pathways. What does chartered surveyor mean? The term “chartered surveyor” is protected by a Royal Charter and can only be used by surveyors who attain the MRICS or FRICS qualifications. There is a third RICS qualification, AssocRICS, which is highly regarded but does not confer the chartered surveyor title. The Royal Charter sets out the aim of the RICS, which is “to maintain and promote the usefulness of the profession for the public advantage in the United Kingdom and in any other part of the world” (RICS, 2020). Chartered surveyors work across every facet of the built and natural environments. They are involved throughout the entire property lifecycle, from conception of a project through to demolition. In fact, there are approximately 110,000 RICS-qualified surveyors globally (AssocRICS, MRICS and FRICS), with circa 77,000 of these being located in the UK. Approximately 84% are male, 15% are female and less than 1% preferred to not state their gender, according to RICS research in 2020. Why become a chartered surveyor? There are wide-ranging benefits to becoming a chartered surveyor. These include: enhanced career and earning prospects. RICS reported in 2020 that UK members earn £16,000 more annually than non-members; global recognition, networking and peer support; enhanced skills and employability globally; client recognition and trust, particularly when undertaking valuation work; compliance with a set of ethical and professional standards; and having a voice and input into issues of global concern, eg climate change.   If you are reading this while still at school, why not consider T-levels or an apprenticeship? T-levels are a vocational equivalent to A-levels, taking two years to complete with blended classroom learning and work experience (of at least 315 hours or 45 days). The most relevant T-level subject is currently design, surveying and planning for construction. Successful completion of T-levels provides UCAS points for application on to an undergraduate course later on, with the benefit of already having good industry experience. Apprentices also combine work-based experience and classroom learning. Government apprentice funding is often attractive to both apprentices and employers, so it is an option worth considering. There are two levels of apprenticeship: level 3 surveying technician (A-level equivalent taking two years) or level 6 chartered surveyor (degree equivalent with 60 months study at undergraduate level or 30 months study at post graduate level). The end point to the former is AssocRICS and to the latter is the APC to become MRICS qualified. Next, we have the more typical graduate routes to becoming a chartered surveyor. Graduates who complete an RICS-accredited course can proceed via structured training (24 months or 400 days if you have zero to five years’ experience or 12 months or 200 days if you have five to 10 years’ experience). This means that you must keep a diary of your structured training experience. For graduates with more than 10 years’ experience, the requirement to undergo structured training is removed. Graduates with non-cognate or non-RICS-accredited degrees typically need to proceed via preliminary review. This is an additional written submission, adding around four to six months minimum to the qualification timeframe. If you have another professional body membership, for example, MCIOB, then preliminary review may also be available to you by a process known as “direct entry”. There are also a few very specific qualifications that give access via direct entry without preliminary review. If you are already AssocRICS qualified, then there are various routes available. One of these is the progression route, which requires 900 study hours to be completed from the final year of an RICS-accredited undergraduate or postgraduate degree course. We understand that RICS is due to launch a revised route next year which will make AssocRICS progression a lot more streamlined. Finally, there are three other very different assessment routes: senior professional, specialist and academic. The senior professional route will be right if you are in a senior management position and not at the coal face, on a day-to-day basis. You may, for example, lead a team that is undertaking the technical work, leaving you to manage and lead. You will need over 10 years’ experience (but no qualifications), which is reduced to five years if you have a postgraduate degree. The specialist route will be right for you if you have a high-level decision-making position and a track record of providing specialist consultancy work. You may have lectured, provided formal training, be qualified above masters level or be involved in dispute resolution for a specialist technical area. The entry requirements are the same as for senior professional in terms of experience and qualifications. Finally, if you are a lecturer or researcher, the academic route is available for you to become a chartered surveyor. All of the routes discussed above are outlined in the table. Final words It is always worth seeking advice before deciding which pathway is right for you – primarily because often there is more than one available. Making sure you are on the right pathway from the start will make your journey to becoming a chartered surveyor much more positive. Professional guidance alert RICS Guidance Note – Asbestos: legal requirements and best practice for property professionals and clients (4th edition, May 2021) RICS Guidance Note – Land measurement for planning and development purposes (Global, 1st edition, May 2021) RICS Regulation – Use of social media: guidance for RICS members (Version 1, June 2021) Further reading How to Become a Chartered Surveyor (Lemen, J, Routledge, 2021) Jen Lemen BSc (Hons) FRICS is a partner at Property Elite   Photo by Positive Images/Pixabay