Royal Town Planning Institute

41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL

Charity registered in England 262865 and Scotland SC 037841

Application for Student/Free Student Membership

Guidance
ELIGIBILITY

This application form can be used by full-time, part-time or distance learning students or employed planning graduates who
are currently not eligible for Licentiate or Chartered Membership of the RTPI.

Students or graduates of courses not accredited by the Institute can apply for Student Membership. However, they are not
eligible for Chartered Membership and will need to complete an accredited degree as a first step towards it.

The maximum period an individual can remain a Student Member of the Institute is ten years.

FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

√ Who is eligible?

The Institute is granting free student membership to final-year students who will be
eligible for Licentiate Membership and can work towards the Assessment of Professional Competence upon
completion of their accredited courses and finding suitable employment.

Therefore, all such students who are in their final year on RTPI-accredited courses are eligible for Free Student
Membership of the Institute. This includes full- and part-time students and distance-learning students (in the final
year of the accredited Masters degree offered by the Joint Distance Learning Consortium) and students enrolled full-
time on intensive one-year combined Masters degree programmes.

Undergraduate students must be in the 4th/5th year (usually the diploma year depending on course) of an
accredited programme to be eligible for free membership.

√ Who is not eligible?

Students enrolled on accredited specialist Masters programmes without completing an accredited spatial degree or
enrolled on accredited spatial degrees are not eligible for Free Student Membership.

Students enrolled on courses not accredited by the RTPI are also not eligible.

If you are in any doubt as to your eligibility, you should contact the Membership Team at the numbers given below.

√ How long is free membership for?

Free Student Membership for eligible students elected in the 2009/2010 academic year will run from
the date of election to 31 December 2010.

Thereafter, students will revert to fee-paying status. Free membership will not be extended beyond 31 December
2010. .

√ How do I apply?

ALL eligible students who would like to be considered for FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP must apply using this
application form, even if they are already Student Members of the Institute. Students who are already members will
not be given free membership automatically. They must apply using this application form and provide all the
information requested. Existing Student Members applying for Free Student Membership do not need to provide
sponsor details.

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√ What is the deadline for applying for FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP?

Students in their final-year in the 2009/2010 academic year should apply for FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP as
soon as they register with the university to take advantage of free membership for all of 2010 (students applying
in the autumn term will get over 12 months of free membership). Final-year students in the current academic
year must apply for FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP by30 June 2010 at the latest.

Distance-learning students who will start their final year of the accredited JDLC Masters degree in February 2010
may apply for FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP in or after October 2009 so that they can receive free
membership for the same amount of time as other students.

SPONSORSHIP

The applicant must be sponsored by a Chartered Town Planner, i.e. a Member (MRTPI) or Fellow (FRTPI) of the
Institute (see section G of the application form). Almost all Planning Schools should have at least one MRTPI or FRTPI
on their academic staff. If applicants encounter difficulties finding appropriate sponsors, the Institute can provide contact
details for local RTPI Regions through which they can be introduced to Chartered Town Planners. Existing Student
Members applying for Free Student Membership do not need to provide sponsor details.

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR STUDENT MEMBERSHIP (FEE-PAYING)

There is no application deadline. Student elections are on the first working day of every month. Applications received by
the end of the month will be considered immediately and applicants will be informed of their election to Student
Membership at the beginning of the following month.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Students NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP of the Institute are required to pay an annual
subscription. The initial annual subscription is calculated proportionately according to the date of election. The
subscription year is from 1 January to 31 December. Student Members will receive their annual subscription renewal
reminder in October. Subscription rates for the year are published on the Institute's website at http://www.rtpi.org.uk

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR SUBSCRIPTION FEES WITH THIS APPLICATION FORM. ALL SUCCESSFUL
APPLICANTS SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THEY HAVE RECEIVED A SUBSCRIPTION NOTICE FROM THE INSTITUTE
BEFORE PAYING.

Student Members on an annual income of less than £15,000 are eligible for a reduction in subscriptions. Successful
applicants eligible for the low rate should complete a Declaration of Low Income which will be sent to them with the
subscription notice.

CONTACT DETAILS

Please post your completed application form to:

Membership Team
RTPI
41 Botolph Lane
London, EC3R 8DL

Email: membership@rtpi.org.uk, Telephone: 020 7929 9462

PLEASE REMOVE THESE INSTRUCTION PAGES FROM THE COMPLETED APPLICATION

FORM BEFORE POSTING IT.

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Royal Town Planning Institute
41 Botolph Lane, London, EC3R 8DL
Charity registered in England 262865 and Scotland SC037841

Application for Student Membership

You can type directly into this form, but you cannot save a copy of the completed form on your computer. The
completed form must be printed and returned to the RTPI with original signatures.

If you are unable to type into this form, first ensure that you have the most recent version of Adobe Reader® installed
on your computer, and then open the form from Reader.

We recommend that you first write and save text for the more detailed sections of the application form using a word
processing programme. You can then copy and paste the text in the appropriate sections before printing the form. This
will prevent you from permanently losing data should you encounter problems while completing the form.

Section D should be completed only by academically qualified graduates in employment. Students in full-time or part-
time education need not complete this section.

A. Personal information

Title Mr Miss Mrs Ms Dr Other Please specify

Family name

Previous family name

Forenames

Preferred Forename

Address

Daytime telephone

Email

APPLICANTS FOR FREE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

Are you a Student Member of the RTPI already? Yes No

Your RTPI membership number, if known

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B. Education

RTPI-accredited undergraduate degree

University

Title of degree

Date of commencement

Date of successful completion of degree (date

degree formally conferred by the university)

Full- or part-time? Full-time Part-time Distance learning

RTPI-accredited postgraduate degree

University

Title of degree

Date of commencement

Date of successful completion of degree (date

degree formally conferred by the university)

Full- or part-time? Full-time Part-time Distance learning

Non-accredited undergraduate or postgraduate degree

Please provide information about degrees that you have completed which are not accredited by the
RTPI. It is important to provide this information if you completed a non-accredited undergraduate
degree prior to doing a RTPI-accredited postgraduate degree.

University

Title of degree

Date of commencement

Date of successful completion of degree (date

degree formally conferred by the university)

Full- or part-time? Full-time Part-time Distance learning

Other university degrees you have completed

Please provide dates, degree titles and universities.

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C. Employment
Please provide information on all relevant employment in spatial planning in chronological order. You may
attach additional sheets if necessary.

Your current employment

Your job title

Date of commencement of your post

Name of organisation

Address of
organisation

Your previous employment

Your job title

Dates you were in this post

Name of organisation

Address of
organisation

Your previous employment

Your job title

Dates you were in this post

Name of organisation

Address of
organisation

Your previous employment

Your job title

Dates you were in this post

Name of organisation

Address of
organisation

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 D. Professional Development Plan
All academically qualified graduates must provide an up-to-date professional development plan. Students in
full- or part-time education need not complete this section.

What have I achieved to date in my career with regard to skills, knowledge and competence?

What are my future development needs with regard to skills, knowledge and competence?

What are my career goals?

Please describe your short- and long-term career objectives.

Short-term objectives

Long-term objectives

How will my career objectives be met?

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 E. Data Protection

The information you provide in this application form will be held on the Institute's
database in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. This information will be used only for
administrative purposes, to keep you informed of the Institute's activities and to offer goods and services of the
Institute, including the services provided by its partners.
Your email address
The Institute may need to contact its members by email from time to time. Please let us know if you are happy
to receive email communications from the Institute.
Please tick here if you are happy to receive any email communication from the Institute. This includes
emails relating to the Assessment of Professional Competence and any other email communication from the
Institute and its partners.

Third-party mailings
Please tick here if you are happy to receive third-party mailings (these are communications from
organisations other than the Institute and its partners).

F. Declaration
Applicant
I wish to be elected as a Student Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. I promise that if I am elected I
will abide by and observe the provisions of the Royal Charter and Byelaws and the Code of Professional
Conduct, and that I will pay the appropriate subscriptions for my class and will work to promote the objectives
of the Chartered Institute.

Signature Date

Sponsor
I the undersigned, being a Chartered Town Planner, hereby support the application of the above candidate
for election to Student Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute. I consider from personal knowledge,
or from enquiries I have made, that the applicant is a suitable candidate and, provided that he/she satisfies
the conditions necessary for election as a Student Member, I recommend him/her accordingly.

Name of sponsor

Official position of sponsor

Name of organisation

Address of organisation

RTPI membership number of sponsor (if known)

Telephone number of sponsor

Email address of sponsor

Signature Date

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 H. Equality and diversity

The Institute regularly monitors the profile of itsmembership in order to comply with equality and diversity
legislation. Although it is not compulsory to provide the following information, it will be an invaluable aid for the
Institute to monitor its membership.

This information will be held on the Institute's database in accordance with the Data Protection
Act 1998. It will be treated confidentially and will not be divulged to other parties.

This page will be removed from your application before it is considered by the Membership Panel.

1) Your date of birth

2) Your gender Male Female

3) Which ethnic category best describes you?

White or White British White Welsh White Irish
White
British White English White Northern Irish Irish Traveller
White Scottish Other Please specify:

Gypsy/ Gypsy/Roma
Roma

Black or Black African Black Caribbean

Black
Other Please specify:
British

Asian or Bangladeshi Indian Pakistani

Asian
Other Please specify:
British
Chinese or Chinese
Chinese
British
Mixed White + Black African White + Black Caribbean White + Chinese
White + Asian Other Please specify:

Other Other Please specify:

Information Information refused

refused

4) Do you have a disability as defined under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995?
Yes No

If yes, what is the nature of your disability?

5) Are you a UK national?

Yes No
If you are not a UK national, are you a national of another EU country?

Please specify which country

If you are not an EU national, what is your country of origin?

Please specify which country

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 The Young Planners' Network

The Young Planners' Network is a virtual community of planners in the early stages of their
professional careers throughout theUKandIreland. It provides a voice for all young
planners within the RTPI, helping members exchange ideas and information. It also
provides a forum for expressing views and ideas and co-ordinates opinion to help influence
the governance of the Institute.

Membership of the network means that you will receive regular email bulletins from the
RTPI, and will also be able to access resources available only to members on the network's
website (http://www.rtpi.org.uk/young_planners_network/), such as the database of network
members.

The website is updated regularly and contains plenty of useful information, including
meetings and events and relevant articles from Planning magazine. Membership of the
Young Planners' Network is FREE to Licentiate Members (and other eligible members of
the Institute).

How do I join the Young Planners' Network?

1. Register as a user of the RTPI website www.rtpi.org.uk

2. Register as an RTPI member and fill in your member profile
3. Visit http://www.rtpi.org.uk/young_planners_network/ and request access to the
network.

This is a simple, quick process which does not require you to complete an application form.

Your completed application must be returned to:

Membership Team
RTPI
41 Botolph Lane
LONDON
EC3R 8DL

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