Your membership and your future: post-graduation

Supporting your professional development

Once you’ve completed your chemical sciences degree you should be entitled to upgrade your membership, free of charge, to Associate Member status. This provides you with the professional recognition you deserve as well as allowing you to put the designatory letters AMRSC after your name. Upgrading is easy, all you need to do is send us an up-to-date copy of your CV, proof of your qualification and nominate a referee, such as a tutor or lecturer. For more information go to the members’ area on our website or email us at membership@rsc.org.

Education and training in the chemical sciences provides you with many transferable skills, opening up many different career opportunities for you to consider. Our dedicated careers management team are there to help you work out what you want to do and how to go about it, whether it’s a one to one consultation or just a CV check that you’re after.

To find out about the services our careers team offer go to rsc.org/careers.

If you did a year in industry at some point in your degree did you know you could be eligible for the Registered Scientist (RSci) award? For more information on the various registered and accredited statuses we support and offer go to rsc.li/practising-scientists

Helping you financially

We’re aware that funding and financial support makes a huge difference to a person’s opportunities, which is why we want to help our members where we can.

We have funding available specifically for those in the early stages of their career which can help in attending conferences that can help further your career. For more information go to rsc.org/funding.

Within our Benevolent Fund we have what we call our ‘breathing space grant’, which is designed to support recent graduates when looking for their first job. If you’re struggling with student debts and living independently then you may be eligible for a one off payment of £300 to spend however you may need to.

If you’re uncertain if you’re eligible please do contact us to discuss your situation, by emailing us at benfund@rsc.org.

Your time for chemistry

Don’t forget that this year, for our 175th anniversary we’re recognising the heritage and community of which we’re all apart by featuring stories of our members and supporters. We’re asking you to give 175 minutes to chemistry in any way from watching a science video to volunteering in your local community or any of the membership benefits discussed in this article.

For more information on how you can get involved with our 175th anniversary activities go to rsc.li/175. We’d love to hear what you are doing and how you are taking part either by email or tweeting us @RoySocChem using #Time4Chem.