Starting your journey on the RICS APC can often feel overwhelming in the early stages, especially when figuring out how the overall process works. With so many requirements and milestones to track it can be hard knowing where to focus your efforts each month. So during this post we’re going to explain what the APC process involves and break this down into a step-by-step process that you can follow each month to add some structure to your APC. The step by step plan we’ll discuss has helped around 90% of my colleagues pass their APC first time and I really hope you find this a useful resource.
The RICS Assessment of Professional Competence process requires candidates to demonstrate their technical, interpersonal, professional practice, business and management skills. This is achieved by producing a Summary of Experience and Case Study Report in addition to obtaining Continuous Professional Development hours and passing the RICS Online Ethics Module and Final Assessment Interview.
Now we have a high level understanding of the key outputs required, let’s explain each of these in more detail starting with the Summary Of Experience.
RICS APC Summary of Experience
One of the most critical elements of the RICS APC process is producing your Summary of Experience. This report demonstrates how you have achieved the required competencies through your professional experience in a series of brief statements for each core and mandatory competency. Your Summary of Experience consists of a 4,000 word report covering the core and optional competencies relevant to your pathway. For example, candidates on the Quantity Surveying pathway must demonstrate competence in five core areas (e.g., Design Economics, Procurement and Tendering, and Contract Practice) along with two optional competencies. The summary of experience also includes 1,500 words detailing how you have achieved the mandatory competencies that apply to all candidates, regardless of discipline. These include competencies such as Client Care, Communication and Negotiation, Health & Safety and Business Planning. There are 11 mandatory competencies in total. This report is your opportunity to clearly showcase your expertise and experience, making it a vital component of your final assessment. In the next section, we’ll break down how to structure this effectively to maximise your chances of success.
Click here for in depth advice on how to write your Summary of Experience
Case Study
Another essential component of your RICS APC submission is the Case Study report. This comprises a 3,000 word report on a project you have undertaken. This should be a project where you have been heavily involved and where you have encountered some key issues. You should be able to explain how you went about trying to resolve these issues and discuss the options you considered along with their respective outcomes including a reflective analysis of your own performance. Your case study should include:-
- A detailed overview of the project – Choose a project where you were heavily involved and had to navigate key challenges.
- Identification of key issues – Clearly outline the challenges you faced and why they were significant.
- Your approach to problem solving – Explain the options you considered, the decisions you made and how you implemented the solutions.
- Outcomes and lessons learned – Provide a reflective analysis of your performance, discussing what went well, what could have been improved and how the experience has contributed to your professional development.
Click here for in depth advice on how to write up your Case Study
Continuous Professional Development Record
As part of your APC you will also need to produce a record of the CPD you have undertaken. If your period of structured training is over 12 months, then 48 hours of CPD are required however if this is over 24 months then 96 hours are needed. Your CPD record should track the activities you are undertaking each day and which of the core competencies you are achieving. The CPD record details the type of CPD activity for example a formal training course or private study, the number of hours of CPD per activity, the date the CPD was undertaken and a brief summary of the learning outcomes.
APC Diary
Candidates on the structured training route must also keep a daily diary that logs the activities they have undertaken and the core competencies they are developing. However if you are submitting via the Preliminary Review route, you are not required to submit diary entries. The APC diary is recorded in either full days or half days and contains brief descriptions of the day to day surveying activities that have been undertaken and also records which competency this experience relates to.
- For candidates on the 2 year structured training route, a minimum of 400 days experience must be recorded prior to sitting the final assessment interview.
- For candidates on a 1 year structured training route, a total of 200 days experience must be recorded.
Click here to access the APC excel diary template
RICS Online Ethics Module
All candidates, regardless of their APC route, must complete the RICS online ethics module to demonstrate an understanding of the RICS professional and ethical responsibilities.
Final Assessment Interview
The APC process concludes with the Final Assessment Interview which lasts for one hour with the majority of questions based on your own summary of experience and case study. This means that the questions are specific to each candidates own experience in a ‘tell us what you did’ style of questioning. The Final Assessment Interview is made up of the following sections:-
- 3-4 minutes – introduction by the chairperson
- 10 minutes – your case study presentation
- 10 minutes – case study and presentation questioning
- 25 minutes – assessors’ questioning
- 10 minutes – chairperson’s questioning, with a focus on mandatory competencies, Ethics and Rules of Conduct
- 1-2 minutes – chairperson close of the interview, including your opportunity to go back and revisit any questions you have noted down
Click here for an in depth explanation of the Final Assessment Interview
Recommended Approach to Pass First Time
Having helped numerous candidates pass their APC over the last 9 years, I really try to recommend that they break the APC down into manageable activities they can complete each month. There is no one timeline that applies to everybody but for the purposes of this video we’re going to assume that we’re aiming to pass the APC within two years. The step-by-step process we’ll discuss is all about trying to ensure that the majority of your documentation is completed within 18 months so during this time we’re going to focus on completing the summary of experience and case study whilst maintaining our diary and CPD log. This will then mean that for the last six months you have more time to focus on revision, Q&A practice and rehearsing your presentation in readiness for the final assessment interview.
High Level Two-Year APC Plan
✅ First 18 Months: Focus on Documentation
- Complete your Summary of Experience – Methodically working through each competency, ensuring your examples match to the requirements shown within the pathway guide.
- Write your Case Study – Choose a strong project early and allow enough time to refine and perfect your report.
- Maintain your Diary & CPD Log – Track your experience and use the diary to address any shortfalls in experience.
✅ Final 6 Months: Focus on Final Assessment Preparation & Presentation Practice
- Revise your competencies – Review your Summary of Experience and be ready to discuss your projects in depth.
- Q&A Practice – Rehearse questions and answers focussed around your summary of experience.
- Presentation Practice – Refine and deliver your 10 minute Case Study presentation multiple times to build confidence.
By following this structured approach, you’ll ensure that the bulk of your documentation is completed early, allowing the final six months to focus on revision, mock interviews and refining your presentation. In the next section, we’ll break this down into a detailed month-by-month plan to help you stay on track.
Months 1-3
Key Activities:
- Schedule your first supervisor meeting and ensure future meetings are diarised.
- Start populating your Diary Entries and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) log.
- Begin drafting your Summary of Experience, focusing on Level 1 competencies.
- If possible also try to document Level 2 experiences, ensuring that you make reference to your specific practical experience.
- Engage in some background reading of RICS publications, Q&A revision sessions or CPD videos to strengthen your level 1 knowledge.
Suggested Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Review diary entries to address any competency shortfalls.
- Ensure broad coverage of core competencies.
- Develop a plan to address experience gaps.
- Aim to have at least 25% of Level 1 competencies documented and reviewed.
Months 4-6
Key Activities:
- Continue updating your diary and CPD log.
- Expand your Summary of Experience, progressing in both Level 1, Level 2 & Level 3 competencies if possible.
- Conduct regular checks for grammatical accuracy and check your entries against the example experience contained within the RICS Pathway guides.
- Share drafts with your supervisor and counsellor for feedback and potential sign-off.
- By Month 6, aim to have 50% of Level 1 competencies completed and reviewed.
Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Identify any competency gaps and create a strategy to address them.
- Review 50% of Level 1 competencies and seek sign-off where possible.
Months 7-9
Key Activities:
- Maintain momentum in diary and CPD updates.
- Increase focus on Level 2 competencies (targeting 25% completion by Month 8).
- Begin working on Level 3 competencies.
- Continue regular background reading.
Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Ensure diary entries cover all core competencies.
- Review and approve completed Level 1 and Level 2 entries.
- By Month 9, strive for 75% completion of Level 1 and 50% of Level 2 competencies.
Months 10-12
Key Activities:
- Keep your diary and CPD log updated.
- Aim for 100% completion of Level 1 competencies and 75% of Level 2 competencies by Month 12.
- Identify and shortlist potential case study projects.
- Ensure CPD log reflects at least 48 hours of recorded activity.
Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Review all Level 1 entries for final sign-off.
- Discuss shortlisted case study topics and choose a final project.
- By Month 12, you should have reached the halfway point in your APC timeline with structured progress across all competencies.
Months 13-16
Key Activities:
- Finalise your case study topic and start drafting the main sections.
- Focus on completing any remaining Level 2 and Level 3 competencies.
- Continue CPD activities and background reading along with maintaining your Diary and CPD entries.
Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Review draft case study headings and key content.
- Assess Level 3 competency progress (aim for 50% completion by Month 15).
- Assess Level 2 competency entries and aim to have the majority of these signed off.
Months 17-20
Key Activities:
- Finalise all Level 3 competencies for supervisor sign-off.
- Complete and refine your case study, ensuring grammatical accuracy and professional formatting.
- Ensure the case study remains within the 3,000 word limit.
- Begin preparing for the final assessment interview.
- Complete the RICS Online Ethics Module.
Supervisor Meeting Agenda:
- Conduct a final review of the case study and summary of experience with a view to having all Level 1, Level 2 & Level 3 competencies signed off.
- Identify potential final assessment interview questions reviewing these with your supervisor and wider study group if possible.
Months 21-24
Key Activities:
- Print and review your submission documentation.
- Generate a list of potential interview questions and draft responses.
- Schedule mock interviews (aim for at least two to three sessions).
- Focus on RICS Ethics, Rules of Conduct, and Professional Standards.
- Undertake Q&A practice with peers or mentors.
- Continue refining weak areas based on mock interview feedback.
- Focus on finalising your presentation and rehearsing this.
Month 24
- Rehearse your presentation and Q&A responses.
- Ensure complete familiarity with ethics and professional conduct.
- Attend final mock interviews and refine responses.
Final Thoughts
This structured plan provides realistic monthly goals to help you stay on track with your APC journey. However, remember that the APC is personal to each candidate and your timeline may vary. The key is to maintain steady progress, seek support from your supervisor and counsellor and stay committed to achieving your RICS accreditation.
Good luck with your APC journey!
RICS APC Process Explained Video Tutorial
RICS APC Q&A STUDY GUIDES
