Graduates who have fully completed their accredited course and are now working towards Corporate Membership must apply to become Licentiates of the RTPI. Licentiate Membership is a new class of membership introduced to support the needs of new graduates working towards membership through the APC.

Graduates must apply for Licentiate Membership as soon as they receive written confirmation from their Planning School that they have been successful in their accredited qualification, and assuming they are engaged in eligible employment. Prompt applications are encouraged as Licentiate Membership cannot be backdated.

Applicants should complete the online application form, print, and return with original signatures, along with a copy of the written confirmation they have received from their Planning School confirming success in their qualification. They should also include a cheque for the £50 Licentiate registration fee. Licentiates are eligible for the lowest annual subscription of £35, for which they are able to take advantage of all membership benefits, although they may not use the designation MRTPI. Subscription notices will be issued following election to Licentiate Membership.

Students working alongside accredited courses

All students who are also working alongside their accredited course and who wish their experience to be eligible towards their future APC application should be recording this experience in a reflective log book. Detailed guidance on how to complete the log book is available in Section 4 of the Guide to the APC, with a template log book in Appendix A. Many students will have existing experience that has not been recorded, and this experience is still eligible. However, they should now begin to keep a log book to assist them with a future application for membership through the APC.

Further information on becoming a Student member of the RTPI is available.

 APC Submission Dates

Having met the practical experience and professional competence requirements of the APC, Licentiates will apply for Corporate Membership through the APC by submitting a report reflecting on their experience and the ways in which they have developed their professional competence (Section 7 of Guide to the APC). APC submission dates occur quarterly, with forthcoming deadlines on:

• Friday 23 October 2009
• Friday 22 January 2010
• Friday 16 April 2010
• Friday 9 July 2010
• Friday 24 September 2010

Please note: Submissions must be physically received by the Membership Team before 4.30pm on the day of the submission deadline. Any submissions received after this deadline will be processed at the next available submission round. 

NO faxed or electronic copies of the submission will be accepted, a hardcopy version with original signatures and two extra copies must be received.

It is the applicant's responsibility to comply with the above submission guidance. We recommend that all applicants consult the Royal Mail for information regarding any industrial action that may affect the performance of the postal service.

In order to submit for a deadline, Licentiates must already have met the minimum requirements of the APC, including having been a Licentiate for at least a year of post-qualifying experience by the submission deadline. Please note that these deadlines refer to applications for Chartered Membership through the APC - applications for Licentiate Membership can be received at any time.

Notification of Results

Licentiates will usually be informed of the outcome of their application within ten weeks after the submission deadline. Results of applications for Chartered Membership through APC can only be issued in writing.

Fees for the APC

The fee schedule for the APC can be broken down as follows:

•  £50 Licentiates registration fee, payable on application to Licentiate Membership.
• £180 APC Assessment fee, payable with final submission.
• £50 administration fee, payable with final submission.

Licentiates are eligible for a reduced subscription rate of £35 per year, for which they can take advantage of all membership benefits and services. Invoices for subscriptions are issued annually in October, payable by 01 January each year. New Licentiates will be invoiced shortly after becoming Licentiates to inform them of their pro rata subscription for that year.

Licentiates have access to all RTPI membership benefits and services, though they may not yet use the designation MRTPI. RTPI Networks, free & low cost CPD events, conferences and the library & information service may well be of particular use to Licentiates at this stage in their careers.

Licentiates have access to their own online learning account through www.planningmatters.co.uk, where they may download free modules up to a value of £50 in their first year of Licentiate Membership. All Licentiates will be contacted with access to their account following registration. Licentiates are strongly encouraged to join the Young Planners Network in order to take advantage of the opportunities it offers for networking, knowledge exchange, and influencing the work of the RTPI.

Any Questions?

Responses to frequently asked questions are available. If you are unable to locate the information you need, please contact apc@rtpi.org.uk.

Useful Links

Guide to the APC

Licentiate Application form

Mentoring Agreement

Application for an APC Mentor

Change of Mentor form

Application for Membership through the APC (APC submission cover form)

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

03-Jan-07

Categories:

Assessment of Professional Competence 

This article has been read 37934 times.