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The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) is a UK-based professional body and charity for statisticians and other data professionals. It was founded in 1834 and, according to its own site, has more than 10,000 members in the UK and across the world. For researchers it matters in three ways: it publishes the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society series, it awards the Graduate Statistician (GradStat) and Chartered Statistician (CStat) credentials, and it co-publishes Significance magazine.
Within modern statistical practice, the RSS sits between methodological theory and applied work, which is why authors choosing a journal and analysts pursuing professional recognition both end up on its pages.
What It Is
The Society describes itself as one of the world’s leading organisations advocating for the importance of statistics and data, and as a professional body for statisticians and other data professionals wherever they live. As a charity, it works to ensure that policy and decision making are informed by evidence.
Researchers most often meet it through four resources:
- Journals: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Series B and Series C, with current and previous editions available on the Oxford Academic website.
- Professional awards: Graduate Statistician (GradStat) and Chartered Statistician (CStat), plus data-focused professional awards listed on its professional development page.
- Public-facing writing: Significance, an official magazine of the RSS, the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA).
- Membership: Fellowship and other membership routes, listed under “Join us” on the RSS site.
Who Runs It and What It Covers
The RSS is a membership organisation and registered charity; its governance pages cover its Charter and Bylaws and key committees, and CStat applications are assessed by members of the RSS Professional Affairs Committee. The Society’s history page records that it was founded in 1834 by Charles Babbage, Thomas Malthus and Richard Jones, with 411 fellows joining in its first year. Its headquarters has moved over the years, so check the RSS contact page for a current address.
Journals and publications
- Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A: Statistics in Society.
- Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B: Statistical Methodology.
- Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics.
- Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: listed alongside the three series on the RSS journals page.
- Significance: RSS members can access the latest content with unrestricted access on the OUP website.
Professional awards
- GradStat formally recognises a member’s statistical qualifications, for those who want to progress toward CStat.
- CStat is described by the RSS as its highest professional award. To qualify you must first be a Fellow of the RSS, and the page describes three routes to CStat from there.
How to Search or Use It
These steps follow the pages on the RSS site, and each one names the page to look for.
- Find the journals: Open the RSS journals page, which links to Series A, Series B, Series C and the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence journal. Current and previous editions are hosted on the Oxford Academic website.
- Choose a series: Match your manuscript to the series title: Statistics in Society (A), Statistical Methodology (B) or Applied Statistics (C). For study planning, you can also read data science vs. statistics or how to choose a statistical test.
- Submit a paper: Use the “Submit a paper” link in the journals section of the RSS site for submission details and guidance.
- Open access: Authors can choose to make an article open access through payment of an author fee; the journals page points to the OUP open access information.
- Join: Use “Join us” in the Membership menu for membership routes and fees.
- Apply for professional status: Under Professional Development, open the Graduate Statistician or Chartered Statistician page for the requirements and application guidance.
Strengths and Limits
Strengths
- Named journal series with distinct titles (Statistics in Society, Statistical Methodology, Applied Statistics), which makes venue choice straightforward.
- Reciprocity for CStat: the RSS recognises the ASA’s Professional Statistician (PStat) award, and the Statistical Society of Australia’s AEUStat award, as equivalent to Chartered Statistician.
- A published route from GradStat to CStat, with a Professional Register listing members who hold either status.
Limits
- CStat has prerequisites: Fellowship of the RSS and at least five years working in statistics are stated requirements.
- Ongoing obligations: CStat holders commit to continuing professional development (CPD), revalidation and the RSS Code of Conduct.
- Peer assessment: CStat is awarded through a peer-assessed application, so it is not an automatic credential.
Alternatives
Other statistical societies relevant to the same decisions (venue and professional recognition), limited here to what the RSS site itself states:
| Organisation | Based in | Relationship to RSS |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Statistical Society (RSS) | United Kingdom | Awards GradStat and CStat; publishes the JRSS series; co-publishes Significance |
| American Statistical Association (ASA) | United States | Co-publishes Significance; its PStat award is recognised by the RSS as equivalent to CStat |
| Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) | Australia | Co-publishes Significance; its AEUStat award is recognised by the RSS as equivalent to CStat |
When structuring hypothesis tests, see also the z-test vs. t-test comparison and the statistical test entry.
FAQ
What is the difference between GradStat and CStat?
GradStat formally recognises a member’s statistical qualifications for those working toward CStat. CStat is the RSS’s highest professional award for experienced statisticians; it requires Fellowship, at least five years working in statistics, a peer-assessed application, and a commitment to CPD and revalidation.
How are the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society series divided?
By title: Series A is Statistics in Society, Series B is Statistical Methodology, and Series C is Applied Statistics. The RSS journals page also lists a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence journal.
What is the relationship between the RSS and Significance magazine?
Significance is an official magazine of the Royal Statistical Society, the American Statistical Association and the Statistical Society of Australia. RSS members can access the latest content on the OUP website.
Does the RSS recognise American or Australian statistical credentials?
Yes, for CStat. The RSS recognises the ASA’s PStat and the SSA’s AEUStat award as equivalent to Chartered Statistician; holders who want CStat status are directed to contact the RSS professional affairs team.
Sources
All pages checked on 7 November 2026.
- Royal Statistical Society. “About the RSS.” https://rss.org.uk/about/
- Royal Statistical Society. “Our History.” https://rss.org.uk/about/history/
- Royal Statistical Society. “Professional Development.” https://rss.org.uk/membership/professional-development/
- Royal Statistical Society. “Chartered Statistician.” https://rss.org.uk/membership/professional-development/chartered-statistician/
- Royal Statistical Society. “Journals.” https://rss.org.uk/news-publication/publications/journals/
- Royal Statistical Society. “Significance.” https://rss.org.uk/news-publication/publications/significance/
