Test Guidance for applicants

An essential part of the Chartership application is for you to select the general area of geosciences/science for which you are claiming competency. This specialism is then assessed against the required criteria at interview.  Fellowship of the Geological Society encompasses a very broad range of geoscience, including a wide cross-section of geoscience themes, specialist groups and areas of expertise.

Please select from the dropdown list in the application form. Because you must demonstrate competency in any of each specialism nominated in your application, the Society recommends recording a maximum of two specialisms. Guidance for specific sectors is available. Contact chartership@geolsoc.org.uk if you need further advice about how best to align your skills.

Please note you are applying to become Chartered as a Geologist or Scientist but only for the specialism in which you practise and are competent (as nominated in your application form) and not geoscience or science as a whole. Once Chartered, we rely on the Code of Conduct and ongoing CPD undertaken by Chartered Fellows.  Should you start working outside your area of competence you will need to be supervised by a competent person or gain competency in that area through additional training.  

Although the interview may focus strongly on meeting competency in the designated specialism (criteria I, ii and vii for CGeol, and criteria A and D for CSci), the other professional competencies are equally important and must be addressed within your application. These will also be discussed and validated at interview.

All applicants for Chartered Geologist (CGeol) and Chartered Scientist (CSci) are required to have at least one Supporter who has recent, first-hand knowledge of the professional standing and Chartership competencies of the candidate.  It is recommended that the Supporter is professionally qualified and will have worked with the candidate for at least twelve months and within the last three years.  

You need one Supporter who is a Chartered Geologist or Chartered Scientist, matching your application. Other professional qualifications may be accepted but must be agreed in advance with the Chartership Officer.  If your Supporter does not match your professional qualification, you will also need to provide a CGeol/CSci Mentor. 

Key Supporter requirements at a glance:

• Your Supporter must have recent, first-hand knowledge of you and your work — they should have known you for at least 12 months within the last three years.
• Your Supporter should hold the same Chartership designation you are applying for.
• If your Supporter does not hold a CGeol or CSci designation, you will also need to provide a CGeol/CSci Mentor.

Things to consider:

Remember that validation as a Chartered Geologist or Chartered Scientist is based on your geological or scientific competencies, and not on your ability to do your job.

Your Supporter should be more than just a referee. They should be able to advise you on the preparation and focus of your application. Therefore, involve your Supporter early and discuss your application with them.

Your Supporter's statement will address each of the competency criteria, and you should ensure they have seen the entire application prior to submission.

Most of us benefit from having someone with whom we can discuss our aims, plans and problems. A mentor can offer:

• A different perspective
• Challenges based on experience
• Encouragement
• Help getting motivated when going through a tough patch
• Help with setting goals and defining how to achieve them

Fellows who have used a mentor in the past have found that the relationship has:

• Enhanced their training and career development
• Significantly influenced their attitudes and professional outlook
• Guided them round major procedural obstacles and pitfalls
• Improved their results by challenging their assumptions
• Enhanced their likelihood of a successful Chartership Application

How to acquire a Mentor

• Seek mentoring advice from a senior work colleague. If your employer already has a GSL Accredited Company Training Scheme, they will have a mentor assigned to work with employees
• See our various Chartership Groups below where you may be able to find a Mentor, including our Chartership Mentor Group on LinkedIn.

Our Talk and Q&A sessions outline the benefits of Chartership, the required competencies and the application process. There is also a chance to ask questions about your application.

These events are interactive and are therefore not recorded.

From time to time, our Regional Groups offer a Chartership event, which is usually held in-person with an option to attend online. Contact your Regional Group for further details on these events.

If your organisation has several staff looking to work towards Chartership in the next 12-18 months please contact us regarding the possibility of an online Chartership Q&A event at chartership@geolsoc.org.uk.

Chartership Mentor Group on LinkedIn - find a mentor, ask questions, and to get advice on the Chartership process and your application.

Early Career Network - for those in the first 10 years of their career

Regional Groups and Specialist Interest Groups - for support and advice

The online form includes applicant details, competency area selection, education record and employment/experience history.

In the Competency Overview section, address each criterion in turn to describe how you fulfil the requirements (maximum 3,000 characters for each). Please cross-reference to the Professional Report and Supporting Documents. To learn more about the competency requirements for both CGeol and CSci refer to the guidance notes and regulations.

We recommend you work offline whilst drafting these sections, before updating the online form.

The Professional Report should detail your professional development and focus on the relevant Chartership competency criteria being applied for. You should describe how and when you gained the necessary experience and skills to demonstrate you have the competencies needed to become Chartered. Think of this as an expanded CV which shows how you have developed the different competencies over time as you have gained professional experience.

You should cross-reference this against both the competency criteria, as well as the Supporting Documents in order to back up your evidence. Each part of the professional report should be signed off by the relevant person to confirm your statements. It is your responsibility to explain what is involved to those who are not familiar with the process.

Please note the Professional Report should not exceed 2,000 words. The Assessors will not review beyond this limit.

For those pursuing the 20+ years route to Chartership, you can submit a 'career account' instead of a professional report.

Professional reports for standard Chartership applicants and career accounts for 20+ years Chartership applicants can be found on the Chartership resources page under 'What to include in your application'.

You will need to upload your completed professional report or career account into the online application form.

A record of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activities for at least the last three years must be included with your application in the CPD section of the application.

Please use the Society's definitions of the various CPD categories. Your record must illustrate your aims and objectives for your professional development each year by using the Plan-Act-Reflect cycle.

The record may be produced using the Society's logbook, although a company scheme record or your own spreadsheet is acceptable provided it meets the above criteria. Note that all CPD must demonstrate learning. It is not intended to capture routine day-to-day professional practice activity. Minimum hours and more details about CPD can be found on the CPD webpage.

Remember, all Geological Society Training Courses can be logged as formal learning towards Chartership. Members can access preferential rates of up to 50% off Training Courses.

Please read the guidance notes and regulations before commencing your online application.

Further guidance about Supporting Documents, with suggestions from our experienced Chartership Assessors, is available by following the link below to the Chartership resources page.

For 20+ candidates please see the relevant guidance notes for details about Supporting Documents.

Supporter Statement

Please provide your Supporter details in the application form (including their Chartership designation). Once you have completed your application online you will receive a copy of your application along with instructions for your Supporter to complete the online Supporter's statement form. Please send this to your Supporter so that they can submit their statement directly to the Society.

You are able to include details for more than one Supporter if needed.

Please make sure that the Supporter has read your completed application. They should support you throughout the application process and review each part of your application before it is submitted.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the Supporter statement is sent to the Society as close to the submission date as possible.

The deadline for the supporter statement submission is 14 days after the application submission deadline.

These sessions are ideal for those with any final questions prior to submitting an application.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, including generative AI (such as large language models and other content-generation or assistive technologies), are increasingly used in professional and academic contexts. Applicants may use AI tools responsibly and transparently when preparing their Chartership application, provided that:

• the application remains the applicant’s own work,
• the content accurately reflects the applicant’s competence, experience, and professional judgement, and
• if invited to interview, you agree to close all AI tools prior to the session and declare that no AI tools will be used during the interview itself.
• any use of AI is clearly declared.

The purpose of the Chartership application is to assess an applicant’s personal professional practice, decision-making, and reflection. AI tools must not be used in a way that undermines the integrity of this assessment.

Applicants should be aware that:

• assessors may ask questions about the content of the application, including how it was prepared,
• applicants are expected to demonstrate ownership and understanding of all submitted material, regardless of whether AI was used,
• declared use of AI will not disadvantage applicants, but non-disclosure or misuse may.

Failure to declare AI use, or misuse of AI, may be treated as a breach of professional conduct and could affect the outcome of the application.

IMPORTANT UPDATE - New AI Declaration - What You Need to Know

All applicants planning to apply from 1 June 2026 onwards are required to declare any use of AI tools as part of their application. This is mandatory.  A new page has been added to the beginning of the application form. Before proceeding, you will be asked to download, complete, and upload a declaration form. Applications submitted without a completed declaration form will not be processed. 

Interview dates

Online validation interviews take place four times a year:

• March
• May/June
• September
• November

Interview dates are confirmed once the Assessors have reviewed your application.

Available slots

Remaining available slots are indicated at the top of the online application form and are updated as the deadline approaches.

Submissions are processed on a first-come-first-served basis so please submit as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Application Requirements

Your completed application form and all supporting documentation must be submitted in full via the online Chartership Application Form on or before the relevant deadline.

If your documents do not meet all the requirements set out in your declarations, we reserve the right to postpone your application to a later date.

The deadline for the supporter statement is 14 days after the application submission deadline.

Interview outcome

After your interview, you will be notified of the outcome by email the day immediately after the Council meeting (the Election date).

Assessment

Assessment Chartership Assessors will determine whether you have the necessary geoscience/science knowledge and competencies for your area of expertise. They will look for evidence that you have demonstrated these competencies in the design and execution of projects, including data collection and its use in predictive modelling and problem solving.

Feedback and progression

Feedback and progression Once your Assessors have reviewed your application, we will let you know if it is ready to progress to interview. Assessors often provide constructive feedback and may request additional information to strengthen your application. Any such requests are sent by the Chartership Officer on behalf of the Assessors — a prompt response will help avoid delays.

Arranging your interview

Arranging your interview We will contact you to arrange the time and date of your interview, which is usually conducted online, and introduce you to your Assessors.

• Please do not book time off until your interview has been confirmed
•  If you think there may be a conflict of interest, contact the Chartership Officer promptly — this will be resolved either by changing the interviewer(s) or through discussion

Postponed applications

If the Assessors determine that your documentation lacks sufficient evidence of the Chartership competencies, they may formally postpone your interview and provide detailed feedback on what is needed to strengthen a future application. This may be because:

• The documents do not sufficiently demonstrate the competency criteria
• Further professional experience is needed before all competencies can be met

Assessors may request additional information before reaching this decision or may conclude it from the original submission alone.

If you are postponed, you will be asked to include the  'Assessor Feedback Response Summary Sheet' in a future reapplication which you would complete together with your Supporter.

Please note that delays in progressing to interview are likely to affect your assessment and Chartership election date, which are aligned with Council meetings. However, this process is designed to ensure your best case for Chartership is made - all feedback aims to be helpful and constructive.

You will be informed of the outcome the day after the Council meeting by email letter attachment from the Society's President. This will include feedback from the Chartership Officer that contains the comments and advice from the Assessors.

If the recommendation is to defer your application you will be informed of this no later than the Council meeting.

This review will be completed as soon as possible but may take some time to be completed thoroughly and following due process, by no later than the following Council meeting.