Reading RPLS is free for the whole profession. Members post, reply, and get the members-only rooms.
Student Membership
Full membership at $25 for the year, for the people coming up in the profession.
Not a student? Check out our regular membership plans →
Reading is free. Membership is taking part.
Reading RPLS.com is free for everyone — every discussion, current and past, no account needed. Membership is what lets you take part: ask your own questions, answer someone else’s, and get into the members-only rooms. If you’re in a surveying, geomatics, or related program, that membership is $25 a year instead of $100.
Why the rate is low
The people already in these forums have spent careers learning things that aren’t in any textbook — where the corner really is, why that plat won’t close, what the client actually wants when they say they want a survey. That’s worth more to someone starting out than to anyone else here.
We’d love to be a part of your educational journey.
Who qualifies?
- Students in a surveying, geomatics, civil engineering, or related program — certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or graduate
- Apprentices in a registered surveying apprenticeship, including union JAC programs
- Instructors and program faculty — free, see below
Full-time, part-time, night school, apprenticeship: they all count. You don’t need to be enrolled somewhere with a famous name, and you don’t need a license.
What you get
Full participation, the same as any other member:
- Start new topics and reply anywhere in the forums
- The members-only rooms + private messaging
- Post in Classifieds, Surveying Jobs, and Want to Buy
- A Student badge on your profile and your posts
That badge isn’t decoration. It tells the room where you’re coming from, which is usually the difference between a short answer and a useful one.
What we need from you
Something that shows you’re enrolled right now. Any one of these works:
- A current student ID with the term or an expiry date on it
- Your class schedule, or an enrollment verification for this term
- A National Student Clearinghouse enrollment verification
- A tuition receipt or registration confirmation for this term
- An email from your instructor or program coordinator
A school email address helps, but it isn’t enough on its own — plenty of programs don’t issue them, and graduates keep theirs for years. We need something with a date on it.
How it works
- Fill out the form below. It takes a couple of minutes.
- A person reads it, not a script. Usually within a day or two.
- If something isn’t clear, we’ll email and ask. That’s normal, and it isn’t a no.
- Approved students get a private link to join — $25 for 12 months.
- Approved instructors pay nothing. We’ll switch your account on and let you know.
We’ll email you a confirmation receipt, so you’re not left wondering whether it went through. A few days later (or less), you’ll hear back from us.
Teaching in a surveying program?
Your membership is on us.
Instructors, program coordinators, and faculty get full membership free. Use the same form and choose Instructor / faculty — there’s no payment step. All we’d ask in return is that you mention RPLS.com to your students, and tell us what we could be doing better for them.
Renewals and what happens when you finish
Student membership runs 12 months and renews at $25. We’ll check in before each renewal to make sure you’re still enrolled.
When you finish your program, we’ll move you onto a discounted first year of Standard membership rather than jumping you to full price. Graduating shouldn’t cost you your seat.
About the Find a Surveyor directory
The one thing a student membership doesn’t include is a Find a Surveyor listing. That directory is where property owners, attorneys, and firms go to hire someone, so it’s reserved for surveyors who are practicing and taking work. When you get there, so does your listing.
Apply now
The only thing to have handy is your proof of enrollment — a photo of your student ID or a screenshot of your class schedule is fine. Instructors: same form, just choose Instructor / faculty.