How to become an Architect? -Prepare for the admissions with us!

Architecture is a design field where you need both technical and artistic skills. The field offers many career opportunities from urban planning to retail architecture, from private houses to public architecture competitions.

Architecture is not only how the buildings look, but how they function in their use. Architects need to consider not only aesthetic values, but social, psychological, pedagogical, technical, material and structural values in their designs as well. 

What kind of skills do I need?

The entry requirements to Architecture programs are quite similar through different countries. The potential students need to have sufficient technical drawing skills, ability to comprehend three dimensional structures and to communicate those ideas in 2D-drawings. And as Architecture is a form of art, general creativity and ability to think about the space we live in in a contemporary and creative way interests schools. 

Where to study Architecture?

There are great national Architecture programs in every country. Most undergraduate programs are taught in the native languages, as the regulations and demands for the built environment are usually nationally controlled. There are some BA programs in Europe that are taught in English outside the native English speaking countries.

• In Sweden the University of Umeå offers the 5 year Architecture program (BA + MA) in English.
• In the Czech Republic ARCHIP program is taught in English
• Lithuanian KTU Architecture program in Kaunas is also taught in English
• In Poland many schools offer English BA programs.
• And of course, the programs in Ireland and the UK are naturally all taught in English.

For the MA programs there is a vast array of programs as almost all countries offer English masters degrees. So it is a great choice to study for your BA in your native language and travel abroad to do your MA.

The application periods vary between countries. Check your own country’s national deadlines early enough to have time to practice for the admissions. In Europe the application season for the English programs starts from UK and Czech Republic, where the deadlines are in December/ January. Next in line is the Swedish Umeå Architecture program, which publishes their preliminary assignments in February. Deadline for the assignments is in April. The Scandinavian native program deadlines are also in March-April. Polish, Lithuanian and German programs have later deadlines in May-July.

How to prepare for the admission?

There are two types of admission processes.

For example in the UK you usually have to send a portfolio and the selection is made based on that. In Scandinavia, it is typical that you have to take part in entrance exams, which usually are in two or three stages, and may include preliminary assignments. Sometimes these two are combined, you are asked to do a special assignment as part of your portfolio.

The good news is that you can prepare for both types of applications in our courses. We teach the basic and fundamental skills you need to understand how to approach different types of architectural assignments, whether they are prototypes or drawing tasks. We teach you how to ideat and come up with a great concept in your design, and how to focus the attention to the important parts in the task. We also teach you the basic perspective and drawing skills you can use to emphasize the depth and atmosphere of your designs.

Depending on how you like to study, we offer both teacher-led zoom courses with interactive conversation and peer support and independent online courses, where you can choose when and how long you study at the time, but you still have the teacher’s feedback and support to keep you on track.

Check your own application timetable and possible deadlines from your target universities and choose your best option from these Spring 2023 courses:

Architecture degree prep course 1 in ZOOM (Fridays 9:00-12:00 27.1.-24.2.2023)

This course is especially sceduled for students who are applying to Scandinavian Architecture BA programs. In this teacher -led course you will learn to understand the entrance exam assignments and work on them in the tight time frame the entrance exams demand of you.

Architecture degree prep course 2 in ZOOM (Mondays  18:00-21:00 3.4.-15.5.2023)

This course is especially scheduled for students who are applying to Eastern European Architecture programs or other programs with deadlines in the early summer. In this teacher -led course you will learn to understand the entrance exam assignments and work on them in the tight time frame the entrance exams demand of you.

Architecture Foundation course (study online whenever it suits you)

This course is an independent online course with three different skill levels. The course will teach you all the fundamental skills you need for the application process. You can study the whole three levels or choose one that fits your needs. It is also possible to tailor a course package that considers your existing skills and what you need in order to succeed in the admission process. Please contact us for more information or sign up to the Foundation course through our website.

Our Summer and Autumn course schedule will be published later in the Spring.