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Prescribed examination

ARB has prepared this suite of booklets to guide you through your application and examination.

Please take time to read them carefully so you understand the process before downloading any forms or submitting your application.

ARB would like to thank the Centre for Education in the Built Environment at Cardiff University for its assistance in developing these documents.

The booklets are in Adobe PDF format.

ARB does not directly recognise any qualifications from outside the United Kingdom (ARB prescribed qualifications) other than those listed under the Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC when held by nationals of EU Member States or those with other enforceable EC rights.

All other applicants will need to pass the Board’s own Prescribed Examination at the relevant level if they wish to progress towards registering as an architect in the UK. Please note those holding EU qualifications at degree level, that is equivalent to Part 1, will be required to sit the examination at Part 1 level as the Directive does not provide for qualifications at degree level only.

Applicants for the Part 1 Examination must have successfully completed a three year course of study; applicants for Part 2 must already hold Part 1 and have completed two further years of postgraduate study in architecture. You can find full details of eligibility requirements in the Board’s Prescribed Examination Procedures.

Applicants who successfully complete the UK Part 1 and Part 2 qualifications and/or gain equivalence through ARB’s Prescribed Examination, must then complete a Part 3 Examination in Professional Practice and Management at a UK school of architecture if they wish to register as an architect in the United Kingdom. The schools that run courses leading to prescribed qualifications can be found in the Qualifications Section of the website.

ARB has prepared this suite of booklets to guide you through your application and examination.

Please take time to read them carefully so you understand the process before downloading any forms or submitting your application.

The Examination process judges individual candidates against the Criteria, which are held in common with UK schools of architecture. You can read the criteria here.