Reinstatement cost assessment surveyor speaking to a Southampton client after survey

Overview

Session One of the 2026 RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) is now underway, with Built Environment final assessment interviews beginning on 11 May 2026. For candidates working towards MRICS status, this is one of two key windows in the year to demonstrate that they have reached the required standard of professional competence, and with significant changes now in place, it is more important than ever to be properly prepared.

Session One of the 2026 RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) is now underway, with Built Environment final assessment interviews beginning on 11 May 2026. For candidates working towards MRICS status, this is one of two key windows in the year to demonstrate that they have reached the required standard of professional competence, and with significant changes now in place, it is more important than ever to be properly prepared.

At Bressummer A.R.K., we have a direct connection to the APC process. Our Managing Director, Derek Johnson, has been a trained RICS APC assessor for six years and currently acts as an APC Counsellor for three candidates. That experience gives us a particular perspective on what the assessment demands and what the recent changes to the process mean for those currently working towards their qualification.

What Is the APC?

The Assessment of Professional Competence is the principal route to becoming a Chartered Member of the RICS (MRICS). It is a structured process through which candidates demonstrate that they have developed and applied the technical competencies required for their chosen pathway, alongside the mandatory professional skills expected of all chartered surveyors.

The APC is not simply an exam. It involves a period of structured work-based training, regular engagement with a Counsellor, the preparation of a detailed Summary of Experience, and ultimately a final assessment interview. That interview tests not only technical knowledge but the candidate’s ability to reason at an advisory level, apply professional ethics and draw on real experience in practice.

There are two main routes to assessment:

The Graduate Route is designed for candidates who hold an RICS-accredited degree and are working towards their first professional qualification. Depending on the route taken, this typically involves either 12 or 24 months of structured training before becoming eligible to submit for final assessment.

The Senior Professional Route is available to those with significant relevant industry experience -generally  over five or 10  years – who are already working at a senior level. This route recognises that experienced professionals may not need the same period of structured training, though the rigour of the final assessment remains equally demanding.

What Has Changed in 2026?

The most significant change for candidates to be aware of is the introduction, from 1 January 2026, of a cap on the number of assessment attempts.

Previously, there was no formal limit on how many times a candidate could sit the final assessment. From this year, candidates are limited to four attempts. A fifth and final attempt may be made, but only after completing a further 12 months of additional work-based experience. Importantly, any referrals that occurred before 1 January 2026 do not count towards this total, so candidates start afresh under the new rules.

The rationale behind the change is straightforward; to encourage candidates to come forward for assessment only when they are genuinely ready. This places a greater responsibility on Counsellors to ensure that submissions meet the required standard before they are approved on candidates to reflect carefully on their preparation rather than treating the interview as a rehearsal or taking their chances.

As RICS has made clear, the cap is also intended to ensure that assessors are seeing candidates who are well-prepared and whose submissions accurately reflect their competence. From our position on both sides of the process – as assessors and as Counsellors – we believe that is a positive development.

Alongside the attempt limit, RICS has also introduced several updates to the Assessment Platform, including clearer guidance on employment history requirements, improved navigation for the submission stage and a mandatory new Counsellor Training Module that all Counsellors must complete in order to continue approving candidate submissions.

What It Means in Practice

The new limit on attempts changes the stakes for candidates in a meaningful way. Sitting the APC without being ready is no longer a low-risk decision. Each attempt counts and the buffer that previously existed, where a candidate might sit two or three times to understand the process, has been significantly reduced.

For candidates, this means taking preparation seriously from the outset: working closely with your Counsellor throughout the training period, ensuring your Summary of Experience contains specific, well-evidenced examples at the right level and treating the final interview with the focus and rigour it deserves.

For Counsellors, the new rules reinforce the importance of the sign-off process. Approving a candidate for submission is not a formality, it is a professional judgement that their experience and documentation are genuinely ready.

Our Role in the APC Process

Derek’s dual role as both an APC assessor and an active Counsellor gives Bressummer A.R.K. a complete perspective on the qualification process. As an assessor, he understands exactly what the panel is looking for and how candidates are evaluated against the pathway competencies. As a Counsellor, he works directly with candidates to help them develop their experience, structure their submissions and prepare for interview.

That depth of involvement in the profession, from both sides of the table, reflects the standard we hold ourselves to in our day-to-day work. The rigour, professional ethics and technical grounding that the APC demands of candidates are the same qualities we bring to every instruction.

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