We recently kicked off a new SDL Academy APC cohort, and the successful candidates are outstanding. What makes it even more rewarding is that many of them are former trainees, colleagues we supported through their AssocRICS qualification, and now, a few years on, we’re guiding them towards full chartered status.
But this success is tinged with frustration.
We had to turn away two exceptional AssocRICS surveyors. Young, bright, enthusiastic, experienced and meticulous, exactly the kind of professionals our industry needs. Competent and talented individuals who are already excelling in practice but, under current RICS rules, are ineligible to progress to chartered status.
Why? Because despite holding AssocRICS and having over five years of relevant experience, they don’t have a degree. And under the current system, a degree of any kind is required to move forward, regardless of whether it’s relevant to surveying.
Access Denied
So, under the rules, a candidate with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology (yes, the study of wine) could be eligible to become a Chartered Surveyor, while a highly capable AssocRICS qualified professional without a degree is blocked. I’ve chosen an exaggerated example for effect (though in this line of work, knowing a thing or two about wine sometimes does come in handy!)
Now, I do understand RICS’ reasoning. The degree requirement is meant to demonstrate that a candidate can operate at a degree level: that they possess academic discipline, critical thinking, and strong communication skills. It also helps maintain parity with other chartered professions, such as architecture and engineering, both in the UK and internationally.
All valid points.
But the reality is this: some of our most talented professionals, those already working at a high standard, are being locked out unless they commit to an expensive and time-consuming degree or master’s, often while working full-time and juggling family responsibilities. For many, it’s simply not feasible.
What makes this even more difficult is that I’m aware of AssocRICS surveyors who are deeply involved with RICS itself, contributing to advisory groups, shaping professional standards, and helping develop future guidance. These individuals are clearly trusted to influence the direction of the profession, yet they remain unable to progress to full chartered status because they don’t hold a degree
Possible alternatives
There are, technically, workarounds. For example, you could gain membership of another RICS-recognised professional body and use that to apply via the APC Preliminary Review route. But this is far from straightforward. It involves more applications, subscription fees, and may still require a degree, depending on the body.
In 2023, RICS launched a review of its entry and assessment processes, receiving input from over 1,000 professionals. The findings confirmed what many of us already knew: thousands of AssocRICS members are stuck, unable to progress.
This was one of many similar comments published in the review ‘In my situation with 6 years’ experience I cannot progress to APC Preliminary because I don’t have a degree (in any subject). A degree in an entirely unrelated subject such as media studies would allow me now to proceed with Preliminary Review. This seems ridiculous to me.’
In 2024, the RICS Entry and Assessment Steering Group (EASG) issued a recommendation in response:
“RICS should develop a clear and inclusive single point of entry. Every candidate should be able to access the RICS assessment. Eligibility exemptions should be given in recognition of relevant industry experience and/or prior learning, including for holders of an RICS-accredited degree.”
Encouraging words. But it’s now 2025, and we’re still waiting to see if, when, or how that recommendation will be implemented. A new, rigorous APC assessment model? Technical exams? Enhanced interview processes? We don’t know. But what we do know is that the current system is blocking brilliant surveyors, and that’s a problem in a profession already grappling with skills shortages.
We should be building pathways, not barriers.
As I write this, it’s a sunny Friday evening. My wife sent me to Sainsbury’s to pick up a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for the garden. I grabbed one from the Western Cape, feeling quite pleased with myself, until I got home. Apparently, it’s no match for one from Marlborough, New Zealand, and I’ve now been firmly (and vocally) informed of this fact. Safe to say, I’m spending the evening in the dog house.
See? Maybe I should have taken that course in Viticulture and Oenology after all.
By Adrian Drummond, Head of Academy Services at SDL Surveying