The RPS has released the next layer of information about the new and revised Distinctions, due to be rolled out in 2027. What are the key facts you need to know?
The RPS website gives the latest updates - the following pages are well worth a read:
- Introductory page for all three Distinctions
- The Licentiate (LRPS)
- The Associate (ARPS)
- The Fellowship (FRPS)
The Swavesey Cheat Sheet!
If you don't have time right now to read through the RPS pages, we've pulled out the key points you need to know.
The first thing to note is that this is the first in a series of updates about Distinctions in 2027. Further information will be published over the coming months, including assessment dates, fees and application arrangements.
One of the biggest changes from the applicant's point of view is that your application pathway will now include structured tutorial support before the assessment, and feedback after it. And there are three possible outcomes of your assessment: Award, Resubmission or Not Awarded.
Booklets giving guidelines on the expectations for each of the three levels, and the Areas of Practice for the Associate - Licentiate, Associate and Fellowship - are being finalised now (October 2026), but general information at this stage has been released, and we've pulled out some of the main points below for you.
LICENTIATE
- Still submitted digitally, still 10 photographs
- As before, you do not need a particular genre or style
- No written statement
- Your final submission is assessed against the Licentiate standard and six photographic-practice assessment criteria:
- Light
- Exposure, tone and colour
- Focus, depth of field and movement
- Making, processing and finishing your photographs
- Composition and viewpoint
- Applying your skills in different situations
Find out more about the criteria at The Licentiate (LRPS)
ASSOCIATE
- Instead of genres, there will now be eight Areas of Practice:
- Documentary and photojournalism
- Landscape, place and environment
- Nature and wildlife
- Travel and culture
- Applied and professional photography
- Visual art and constructed photography
- Photobooks
- Moving image, multimedia and expanded photographic practice
- Your work may draw on more than one area - choose the area that best represents the submission overall.
- For image-based submissions, you submit 15-20 images, digital or print (mounted or unmounted, but not framed)
- Your submission may also be in the form of "Moving image, multimedia and expanded photographic practice" or as a photobook.
- A project statement of max. 300 words
- Your submission is assessed against the Associate standard and six criteria:
- Is your intention clear and realised through the work?
- Have you realised the work effectively?
- How effectively does the work communicate?
- Is the body of work coherent and developed?
- Have you selected, structured and presented the work effectively?
- Does the submission show your own photographic judgement and direction?
Find out more about the criteria at The Associate (ARPS)
FELLOWSHIP
- At Fellowship level, you do not need to select an Area of Practice.
- A project statement of max 500 words
- For image-based submissions, 20-25 images, digital or print (mounted or unmounted)
- Your submission may also be in the form of moving image, and submissions may take other forms, including photobooks, multimedia and expanded photographic practice.
- Your submission is assessed against the Fellowship standard and six criteria:
- Is your intention compelling and fully realised through the work?
- Is the work realised with assurance?
- How powerfully and effectively does the work communicate?
- Is the body of work coherent, developed and fully resolved?
- Have you edited, structured and presented the work with authority?
- Does the submission demonstrate authoritative judgement, critical understanding and a distinctive photographic voice?
Find out more about the criteria at The Fellowship (FRPS)