OR Society Accreditation

The OR Society's accreditation enables you to gain letters after your name to certify your achievements in your job. This is not so much an academic qualification as an acknowledgement by the society of your ability to deliver results in the workplace. It is therefore highly valued by employers and a great addition to a degree.

What are the grades

There are four grades of accreditation:

CandORS

Candidate Associate of The OR Society (CandORS) - for those either completing a degree with a substantial OR content or starting their first employment in OR.

AORS

Associate of The OR Society (AORS) - for recent entrants to OR with two or more years’ experience, post first degree (including in employment or postgraduate study).

AFORS

Associate Fellow of The OR Society (AFORS) - for those with a successful track record in OR extending over at least five years.

FORS

Fellow of The OR Society (FORS) - for those with a significant record of achievement extending over ten years or more in OR.

What are the requirements

For CandORS you must be a member of The OR Society.

For grades above this you must have been a member of The OR Society continuously for the previous 24 months and also complete an application based on the guidance:

Application guidance

Apply CandORS

How to apply for the other grades

For all other grades of ORS accreditation, an online application detailing your achievements in OR and nominating at least two referees will be required. Your application will be peer reviewed by our Accreditation panel. This can be completed via the link below. Please note, this application process doesn’t save your progress, so we advise completing your application and then pasting it into the online application when ready. Alternatively, complete the application form available here and email to [email protected]. Please contact us via this email address with any other accreditation application queries.

Apply AORS / AFORS / FORS

What does it cost

Grade	Application fee	Annual fee
CandORS	£0.00	£0.00
AORS	£40.00*	£19.00
AFORS	£60.00*	£29.50
FORS	£80.00*	£36.50

*Application fees are only payable on first application and non-refundable.

Annual fees may be subject to change.

Useful Documents

Frequently Asked Questions AORS Example Application AFORS Example Application FORS Example Application Appeals Procedure

"As an accredited member, the OR Society accreditation has been invaluable in enhancing my professional credibility and recognition within the field of operational research. It has also motivated me to continually expand my knowledge and stay up to date with the latest developments in the industry. On the other hand, as an Accreditation Panel member, I deeply value the programme's commitment to upholding the highest standards in operational research and fostering excellence within our community." Professor Bo Chen FORS, Fellow of The OR Society, 2024

"I did an MSc in OR in the late 1980s and have been an active Society member ever since. As an early entrant to the accreditation scheme, I have seen two key benefits. First it added a useful marker of my OR credentials that potential clients and other professionals could recognise, particularly as similar professional bodies also offered accreditation schemes. Second, as an academic, the fellowship award has been key to gaining promotion as it provided evidence of external recognition in my field of expertise." Frances O'Brien FORS, Fellow of The OR Society, 2024

"Accreditation from the ORS has been an important milestone in my career. As the owner of a small consultancy company it differentiates me from many of the people who are bidding for projects. It also highlights the position that I have reached in my career and saves having to list projects and roles in order to establish the level that I work at. This is highlighted by what I choose to put on my email signature block – simply my title, role and fellowships." Martin Parr FORS, Fellow of The OR Society, 2024