Belong to a prestigious global organisation for architecture Membership of the RIBA is recognised worldwide as a symbol of
professional excellence. We support those who are just starting out in their
career, established architects and the many other professionals who have a
great passion for architecture.
In this brochure you’ll find out more about the benefits of RIBA Membership,
the various membership categories and how to join. We look forward to
welcoming you as a member soon.
RIBA Membership is about: Demonstrating your excellence … for qualified architects, your status as an
RIBA Chartered Member is recognised
as the gold-standard in the profession,
which communicates a strong message
to employers and clients about your
professionalism.
and career development … 
 your continuing professional development
management.
via weekly emails, bulletins, publications,
topical lectures and conferences. Membership
also gives you access to specialist support
from the advisory team in the RIBA Information
Centre giving you peace of mind that experts
are there to help with all manner of technical,
professional and legal problems.
RIBA Chartered, Associate and Affiliate Members receive a free copy of the flagship publication, the RIBA Journal.
Technical Topics
 Architects’ agreements and certification
Employment issues
wide range of specialist knowledge and the
backing of a gold-standard brand.”
Nick Willson RIBA Chartered Member
 
Giving you opportunities to network … at events locally, nationally and internationally.
RIBA Membership also enables you to exchange,
collaborate and share information with your
contemporaries via the RIBA’s thriving Knowledge
Communities, accessible to all members.
RIBA  Knowledge Communities include:
•  Housing
•  International
we campaign to positively influence public and
political opinion towards architecture. Working
to create the conditions that will enable good
architecture to thrive is central to what we do.
 As examples, the RIBA is working tirelessly to
promote the benefits of good design and Design
Review in the National Planning Policy Framework
and is influencing reform to improve the quality of
the nation’s newbuild housing through the high
profile, public facing ‘HomeWise’ campaign.
The HomeWise campaign at the 2011 Conservative Party Conference.
“My RIBA local branch holds a range of pertinent talks, visits and events whilst the RIBA
CPD Providers Network allows me to select from a huge range of assessed, high quality
talks to ensure that the content is appropriate to our practice needs.”
 Virginia Newman RIBA Chartered Member
Providing business support services through the RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation scheme … 
gives you access to business toolkits, promotional
support, standard contracts, agreements, policies
and insurance, all geared to embedding quality in
your business, helping you to continually improve
good practice.
 Accessing discounts and preferential rates … on a range of services such as meeting
room and venue hire in the RIBA’s London
headquarters through to membership discounts on
lectures, training, events and publications.
The RIBA in Numbers
•  More than 40,000 members worldwide
•  Over 3,200 RIBA Chartered Practices in the UK 
•  10 Nations and Regions offices
•  Over 4 million items in the world famous British Architectural Library 
•  10,000 enquiries dealt with by the RIBA Information Centre each year
•  30,000 individuals receiving CPD annually from the RIBA CPD Providers Network
•  Over 75 RIBA validated architectural
degree courses worldwide
Email membership.development@riba.org
Call +44 (0)20 7307 3686
 
Becoming a member
UK Chartered Members
RIBA  Associate Membership
RIBA Student Membership
RIBA  Affiliate Membership
International Chartered Members
To help you determine the right membership for you, the RIBA’s four
individual membership categories and their eligibility criteria are given below.
If you would like to talk to someone about your eligibility, please call the
Membership Team on +44 (0)20 7307 3686.
•  been awarded RIBA validated exams Parts 1, 2 and 3
•  been awarded a qualification that is recognised under the
European Directive 2005/36/  EC, plus over five years of post-graduate professional practice.
•  been awarded RIBA recognised Parts 1 and 2 examinations in architecture (or an examination approved  by RIBA Council as providing exemption)
•  been awarded an architectural qualification consisting of a minimum of five years of academic study which is listed in the European Union Directive 2005/36/EC.
•  be studying RIBA Parts 1 or 2 (including year out) at an RIBA validated school of architecture anywhere in the world.
•  been awarded an RIBA recognised Part 1 qualification
•  be a full member of a professional institute on the Construction Industry Council list
•  be a lecturer (or similar) at an architectural school
•  have a professional interest in architecture and/or construction and have an RIBA Chartered Member as a referee.
•  been awarded RIBA recognised Parts 1, 2 and 3
•  been awarded RIBA recognised Parts 1 and 2, and have 2 year’s post qualification experience
•  been awarded a qualification that is recognised under the European Directive 2005/36/  EC, plus over five year’s professional practice
•  you are a full architect member of one of 12 professional institutes approved by the RIBA Council (see website for the full list)
•  undertaken the RIBA’s personal assessment and five years of post-graduate experience.
When practising as an architect in the UK, you must also be registered
with the Architects Registration Board (ARB)
 Apply for RIBA Membership now: Go to www.architecture.com/JoinTheRIBA
Email membership.development@riba.org
Call +44 (0)20 7307 3686
Complete and return the form in the back of this brochure.
RIBA Chartered Membership   You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
 You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
 You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
 You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
 You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
 
RIBA Chartered Membership  As the professional body for architects for over 175 years, RIBA Chartered
Membership continues to be the mark of professionalism in architecture.
 The benefi ts of belonging  As well as having full access to all of the RIBA’s
Membership services, RIBA Chartered Membership
will enable you to:
Demonstrate your excellence … by using the RIBA designation after your name
and displaying RIBA Chartered Architect site
signboards at your project locations.
Promote your status as a
Chartered Architect ... by having automatic entry into the RIBA directory
of RIBA Chartered Members. This is viewed online
by over 200,000 visitors annually who use the
‘Find an Architect’ section on the RIBA website.
Promote your conservation
incremental process of accreditation, this register
supports and promotes architects involved in
conservation. To find out more about this specialist
register and how to apply, please get in touch.
Become an accredited RIBA Client
 Adviser … if you work with clients on commissioning buildings
and you provide consultancy services to help
clients maximise the value and quality of their
projects, then applying to become an RIBA Client
 Adviser is another benefit of RIBA Membership.
 To find out more about this specialist register and
how to apply, please get in touch.
“Some clients see an architect who is an RIBA Chartered Member as one with a desirable
level of professionalism – while this is not to say that many unchartered architects aren’t
equally as capable – there is definitely an added value in being a Chartered Member from
my point of view.”
 
RIBA Chartered Practice Membership RIBA Chartered Practices are the only architectural
practices endorsed and promoted by the RIBA.
If you run an architectural practice, large or small,
RIBA Chartered Practice Membership will give you
that extra mark of quality. RIBA Chartered Practice
accreditation sends a strong signal to clients,
employees and the wider construction industry that
your business is committed to excellence in design
and service delivery.
business through the RIBA, as well as giving you
access to information, advice and support to help
you continually improve your business effectiveness
and performance.
the continual development of my career
and I am proud to introduce myself as
an RIBA Chartered Member. There have
been a number of considerable benefits in
registering my company, KN Designs, as an
RIBA Chartered Practice. The many support
services provided by the RIBA ensures the
legitimacy and relevance of KN Designs as
we continue to evolve in tune with an ever
changing industry and society.”
Joe Knight KN Designs
Email membership.development@riba.org
Call +44 (0)20 7307 3686
Complete and return the form in the back of this brochure.
Chartered Practice
RIBA Associate Membership
Offices of Aedas
 The benefi ts of belonging RIBA Associate Membership is an inspiring and
progressive membership helping you to …
Network... with practices and prospective employers as well
as connecting with other like-minded professionals.
Strengthen your CV ... by having access to the RIBA’s high quality
resources, guides and toolkits to enhance your
expertise and advance your learning.
Get the help and guidance  you need ...
by having full access to all the information and
advisory services from the RIBA; an indispensable
resource to guide and keep you up to date on the
business of design and practice.
RIBA Associate Membership is the main route for aspiring Chartered
 Architects, who are studying towards their RIBA validated Part 3
qualification, providing you with career support and development
as you make the transition from graduate to practising architect.
In addition, RIBA Associate Membership is for you if you’ve completed
Part 2 and are pursuing a career in an inter-related field and you want
to keep the connection with architecture and the profession.
 
 
provoking advice from experts outside the world
of architecture in RIBA Perspectives and from
established architects in RIBA Vantage Point.
Both are exclusive to RIBA Associate Members.
Managing a Career in Architecture ...
learn more about what it takes to make it in the world of
architecture and watch the introduction to our set of
filmed interviews with established architects, including
Ken Shuttleworth, Barbara Weiss and Lee Polisano.
 Apply for RIBA Membership now: Go to www.architecture.com/JoinTheRIBA 
Email membership.development@riba.org
Call +44 (0)20 7307 3686
Complete and return the form in the back of this brochure.
RIBA Perspectives … are topical guides covering business
planning, finding a job, managing finance,
marketing matters and how to sell creative work.
We consulted industry experts from
other professions and architecture,
Bryan Edmondson of communications agency SEA, entrepreneur Rob Hamilton
of property company Instant, and Mark
Blayney Stuart of the Chartered Institute
of Marketing.
RIBA Vantage Point … gives you expert perspectives from top architects. Vantage Point is a new
publication providing you with
successful architects have
developed their careers
 
RIBA Student Membership is FREE and includes:
• Free use of the RIBA’s Collections - books,  journals, drawings and images in the British  Architectural Library.
• Help and support from the specialists in the RIBA’s Information Centre.
• 10% discount at RIBA Bookshops and preferential rates for seminars and lectures at the RIBA.
• Access to the RIBA’s Knowledge Communities.
• Monthly student newsletter telling you about all the latest architectural events that are
taking place.
If you’re a professional with a career in the built environment
and you would like to be connected to architecture and the
profession then RIBA Affiliate Membership is for you.
 Architecture students represent the future of the profession, so if you’re a
student, we are here to give you all the help that you need, inspiring and
supporting you in your journey to qualification.
RIBA Student Membership
RIBA Affiliate Membership
my subsistence costs at a time when my
rent had increased and I was struggling
financially. It also enabled me to pay for
better models and printing. Our final wall
presentation is a vital part of the course.
Thanks to the Fund I was able to print my
work and present my drawings in a way
that really did justice to my ideas.”
 Architecture student Zaynib Khan, Final Year, Part 2 (Diploma), Liverpool John Moores University
Membership gives you access to the full suite of
information and advisory services from the RIBA.
RIBA Affi liate Membership enables you to:
Keep up to date ... with the very latest issues and developments within
the architectural profession.
debate, exchange and build specialist knowledge
on a wide range of construction industry topics.
Engage ... with architects and other built environment
professionals at lectures, events and meetings
both nationally and in your local area.
Zaynib Khan ©Photo: Paolo Faoro
Surveyors, planners, architectural
technologists, engineers, lecturers,
 Affiliate Members. 
most prominent architectural
application form enclosed
provided opposite.
application forms:
membership.development@riba.org
Membership Department
66 Portland Place
+44 (0)20 7307 3730
 Architects champions better
buildings, communities and
the environment through
66 Portland Place
London W1B 1AD