RCOphth Membership
Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the College.
Applications are available for the following categories:
Fellowship and Membership by Election applications must be approved by College Council, which meets at the beginning of the month in March, June, September and December. The decision of the Council of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists will be final.
Please look at the following documents, before completing your application, as you will be asked to confirm that you have understood and agree to the terms and conditions of membership.
Ordinances
Byelaws
Conduct regulations
Privacy Policy
If you already have a record with us, please log in to complete the application form. This will then be prepopulated with information that we already hold. You will still need to download the relevant documents to send with your application.
Subscription Fees - Please see this page for the current rates
Membership Benefits - Please see this page for the range of membership benefits
Affiliate Membership
Applications are welcomed from Consultants, SAS ophthalmologists, including Associate Specialists, Staff Grades, Specialty Doctors, Clinical Assistants and non-training Trust Grades. Overseas applications are also welcomed. Holders of CertRCOphth are also elgible to apply.
Applications are also welcomed from those who hold a higher qualification and are engaged in ophthalmic research but are not medically qualified.
Affiliate Membership Application
Download Affiliate Sponsors form
Download Direct Debit Form
Trainee Membership
Trainee membership is opened only to those who have been through a recruitment process and appointed to an Ophthalmic Specialist Training (OST) post within the UK – whether run-through or Locum Appointment for Training (LAT).
Membership will send an email when it is time to enrol. If you have not received an invite to enrol within one month of your start date please contact the Education and Training department.
Trainee Membership Application
Download Direct Debit Form
Membership by Election
When awarding Membership by Election, we feel it is important to recognise the service and importance of ophthalmologists who have not passed the RCOphth exams whilst preserving respect for the examination system. So from 2023 the post nominals for Membership by Election will be MRCOphth (by election). This will not be applied retrospectively so anyone using MRCOphth may continue to do so.
Membership by Election is open to:
UK NHS Applicants
Must be a newly appointed Substantive NHS consultant in ophthalmology or a SAS doctor in ophthalmology in a Substantive NHS post for 5 years
UK Non-NHS Applicants
Must be a substantive Consultant in a Non-NHS UK Healthcare provider for 3 years
Overseas Applicants
Must be a substantive Consultant in ophthalmology in a Healthcare provider for 3 years or more
All doctors applying for MRCOphth should be practicing at a clinical standard which meets the College standards and Guidelines and is delivering a high quality and safe personal care to patients. The nature and quality of a candidate’s clinical responsibilities should be clear.
The job plan should provide evidence of having a good balance of clinics and theatres being run at a level of a SAS doctor or a consultant based on the criterion being applied for. In addition, evidence of clinical governance, regular audits, research, leadership, service improvement and teaching will need to be provided.
In addition, overseas applicants must provide evidence of one or more of the following activities
- Teaching, Training and Education
- Innovation and Creativity
- Academic and Research
- Leadership
Further details of what should be considered can be found here. Other activities not included in this list may also be considered.
Membership by Election Application
Download Direct Debit Form
Download Membership Supporting Document
Download Additional Evidence Document for Overseas Applicant
Download Membership reference form
Fellowship by Election
All doctors applying for FRCOphth should be practising at a clinical standard which meets the College’s standards and guidelines and deliver high quality, safe care to patients. The nature and quality of an applicant’s clinical responsibilities should be clear. When awarding Fellowship by Election, we feel it is important to recognise the service and importance of ophthalmologists who have not passed the RCOphth exams whilst preserving respect for the examination system. So, from 2023 the post nominals for Fellowship will be FRCOphth (by election). These will not be applied retrospectively, so anyone using FRCOphth may continue to do so.
Applicants applying for Fellowship by Election must meet the following requirements
UK NHS Applicants
Be in a substantive NHS Consultant post in ophthalmology for 5 years or more
Be a substantive NHS Associate Specialist post (on “old” associate specialist contract, with minimum 6 years in ophthalmology and minimum 10 years clinical practice since primary medical qualification
Be a Specialist Ophthalmologist on “new” Specialist Grade contract (which has entry criteria as minimum 6 years in ophthalmology, 12 years clinical practice since primary medical qualification)
Be a Specialty Grade (with > 10 years’ experience)
UK Non-NHS Applicants
Be in a substantive Consultant in ophthalmology in a Non-NHS UK Healthcare provider for 6 years or more
Overseas Applicants
Must be a substantive Consultant in ophthalmology in a Healthcare provider for 6 years or more
All doctors applying for FRCOphth should be practicing at a clinical standard which meets the College standards and Guidelines and delivering a high quality and safe personal care to patients. The nature and quality of a candidate's clinical responsibilities should be clear. The job plan should provide evidence of having a good balance of clinics and theatres being run at a level of a consultant. In addition, evidence of clinical governance, regular audits, research, leadership, service improvement and teaching will need to be provided.
In addition, overseas applicants must provide evidence of one or more of the following activities
- Teaching, Training and Education
- Innovation and Creativity
- Academic and Research
- Leadership
Further details of what should be considered can be found here. Other activities not included in this list may also be considered.
Fellowship by Election Application
Download Direct Debit Form
Download Fellowship Supporting Document
Download Additional Evidence Document for Overseas Applicant
Download Fellowship reference form
Associate Membership
The College is introducing a new category of membership - Associate Member.
Associate Member - Eye Care Professionals
For eye care professionals ,this is to recognise that multidisciplinary teams are delivering a wider scope of care, taking on areas that were traditionally delivered by doctors and optimizing the role of the whole clinical team. This is initially opened to nurses, orthoptists and optometrists and healthcare scientists.
Associate Membership Application Form - Eye Care Professionals
Associate Member - Medical Students and Foundation Doctors
For medical students and foundations doctors this is aimed at those with an interest in ophthalmology. This will help those who go on to be GPs or other specialty doctors to know more about ophthalmology for for junior doctors to become ophthalmologist.
Associate Membership Application form for medical students and foundation doctor
Re-joiners
Membership by Election re-joiners Application
Please use this application form if you were previously a Member (MRCOphth) of the College. You will need two current Fellows or Members to support your application. They will need to complete the members re-joiners reference form which should then be upload with the direct debit form. Overseas applicants without a UK based bank account do not need to complete the form.
Download Direct Debit Form
Download Membership re-joiners reference form
Fellowship by Election re-joiners Application
Please use this application form if you were previously a Fellow (FRCOphth) of the College. You will need two current Fellows or Members to support your application. They will need to complete the members re-joiners reference form which should then be upload with the direct debit form. Overseas applicants without a UK based bank account do not need to complete the form.
Download Direct Debit Form
Download Fellowship re-joiners reference form