Registering with Australian and New Zealand qualifications
ARB, the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) have signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) which became effective from 25 May 2023. The MRA states that the three parties will agree to recognise UK, Australian and New Zealand qualifications which are in scope of the MRA for the purposes of registration.
You will need to be eligible under the agreement to be able to use this application route.
Australia to UK applicants must:
- hold an AACA certificate confirming eligibility, including successful completion of an accredited qualification in architecture from a school of architecture in Australia or New Zealand);
- have completed the Australian Architectural Practice Exam or Experienced Practitioner Assessment
- hold current registration by one or more Australian State and Territory Registration Boards.
- be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia having applied for and been granted a permanent visa that allows them to remain in Australia indefinitely, or, a New Zealand Citizen or hold a permanent New Zealand Resident’s Visa, or a UK Citizen or permanently resident in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
- provide proof of current and valid registration in good standing from the AACA in Australia.
Start your application by contacting AACA. This will begin the process of certification and check that you’re eligible to use the route. You can contact AACA here: aaca.org.au/contact-us
AACA then will issue an AACA Certificate to qualifying applicants and this will also be transmitted to ARB.
ARB will then contact qualifying applicants and inform them of the additional requirements which must be satisfied. This will include the UK Adaptation Assessment to demonstrate that they are able to practise safely and effectively in the UK context. AUS to UK architects will need to pass this before being admitted to the UK Register.
At this point we will send you the following documents after we have received and checked your AACA Certificate:
- the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures and accompanying guidance on preparing for the assessment; and
- a UK Adaptation Assessment application form to complete
At this point, you will be required to pay the UK Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.
After your UK Adaptation Assessment fee has been received, we will then send you:
- a “Reflective Career Summary” template for you to complete; and
- a practice-based scenario and a set of scenario-based questions, which you will need to respond to in writing. These will form the basis of the UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview, which is designed to ensure that anyone who joins the UK Register of Architects meets the standard required to practise safely and effectively in the UK.
We will also liaise with you regarding dates for your UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview at this point, this will be online during UK office hours. You will be allocated an interview in either the morning or the afternoon, UK time. We cannot accommodate requests to change the time of day you are allocated.
Further details can be found in the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures. Having passed the UK Adaptation Assessment, you will then be eligible to make an application to join the UK Register of Architects. Successful applicants will be provided with information on how to proceed when notified of the outcome of their UK Adaptation Assessment.
FAQs and more information on the mutual recognition agreement are available here.
New Zealand to UK applicants must:
- hold an NZRAB certificate confirming eligibility, including successful completion of an accredited qualification in architecture from a school of architecture in Australia or New Zealand);
- hold current registration with NZRAB
- be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia having applied for and been granted a permanent visa that allows them to remain in Australia indefinitely, or, a New Zealand Citizen or hold a permanent New Zealand Resident’s Visa, or a UK Citizen or permanently resident in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
- provide proof of good standing from NZRAB in New Zealand.
Start your application by contacting NZRAB. This will begin the process of certification and check that you’re eligible to use the route. You can contact NZARB here: nzrab.nz/c/Contact
NZRAB then will issue an NZRAB Certificate to qualifying applicants and this will also be transmitted to ARB.
ARB will then contact qualifying applicants and inform them of the additional requirements which must be satisfied. This will include the UK Adaptation Assessment to demonstrate that they are able to practise safely and effectively in the UK context. NZ to UK architects will need to pass this before being admitted to the UK Register.
At this point we will send you the following documents after we have received and checked your NZRAB Certificate:
- the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures and accompanying guidance on preparing for the assessment; and
- a UK Adaptation Assessment application form to complete
At this point, you will be required to pay the UK Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.
After your UK Adaptation Assessment fee has been received, we will then send you:
- a “Reflective Career Summary” template for you to complete; and
- a practice-based scenario and a set of scenario-based questions, which you will need to respond to in writing. These will form the basis of the UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview, which is designed to ensure that anyone who joins the UK Register of Architects meets the standard required to practise safely and effectively in the UK.
We will also liaise with you regarding dates for your UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview at this point, this will be online during UK office hours. You will be allocated an interview in either the morning or the afternoon, UK time. We cannot accommodate requests to change the time of day you are allocated.
Further details can be found in the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures. Having passed the UK Adaptation Assessment, you will then be eligible to make an application to join the UK Register of Architects. Successful applicants will be provided with information on how to proceed when notified of the outcome of their UK Adaptation Assessment.
FAQs and more information on the mutual recognition agreement are available here.
Other arrangements for recognising UK, Australian and New Zealand Qualifications
An architect is also an Eligible Australian Architect (UK) if they:
- have secured ARB-prescribed qualifications issued by schools of architecture in the United Kingdom at Part 1 and Part 2 level, and
- have secured an Australian Architectural Practice Exam or Experienced Practitioner Assessment, and
- are currently registered by one or more Australian State and Registration Territory Boards
Australian Architects applying through this route must:
- hold an AACA certificate confirming eligibility, including successful completion of an accredited qualification in architecture from a school of architecture in the UK
- have completed the Australian Architectural Practice Exam or Experienced Practitioner Assessment
- hold current registration by one or more Australian State and Territory Registration Boards.
- be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia having applied for and been granted a permanent visa that allows them to remain in Australia indefinitely, or, a New Zealand Citizen or hold a permanent New Zealand Resident’s Visa, or a UK Citizen or permanently resident in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
- provide proof of current and valid registration in good standing from the AACA in Australia.
Start your application by contacting AACA. This will begin the process of certification and check that you’re eligible to use the route. You can contact AACA here: aaca.org.au/contact-us/
AACA then will issue an AACA Certificate to qualifying applicants and this will also be transmitted to ARB.
ARB will then contact qualifying applicants and inform them of the additional requirements which must be satisfied. This will include the UK Adaptation Assessment to demonstrate that they are able to practise safely and effectively in the UK context. AUS to UK architects will need to pass this before being admitted to the UK Register.
At this point we will send you the following documents after we have received and checked your AACA Certificate:
- the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures and accompanying guidance on preparing for the assessment; and
- a UK Adaptation Assessment application form to complete
At this point, you will be required to pay the UK Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.
After your UK Adaptation Assessment fee has been received, we will then send you:
- a “Reflective Career Summary” template for you to complete; and
- a practice-based scenario and a set of scenario-based questions, which you will need to respond to in writing. These will form the basis of the UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview, which is designed to ensure that anyone who joins the UK Register of Architects meets the standard required to practise safely and effectively in the UK.
We will also liaise with you regarding dates for your UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview at this point, this will be online during UK office hours. You will be allocated an interview in either the morning or the afternoon, UK time. We cannot accommodate requests to change the time of day you are allocated.
Further details can be found in the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures. Having passed the UK Adaptation Assessment, you will then be eligible to make an application to join the UK Register of Architects. Successful applicants will be provided with information on how to proceed when notified of the outcome of their UK Adaptation Assessment.
FAQs and more information on the mutual recognition agreement are available here.
An architect is also an Eligible New Zealand Architect (UK) if they:
- have secured ARB-prescribed qualifications issued by schools of architecture in the United Kingdom at Part 1 and Part 2 level, and
- are currently registered by the NZRAB
New Zealand Architects applying through this route must:
- hold an NZRAB certificate confirming eligibility, including successful completion of an accredited qualification in architecture from a school of architecture in the UK
- provide proof of current registration and good standing from NZRAB in New Zealand.
- be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia having applied for and been granted a permanent visa that allows them to remain in Australia indefinitely, or, a New Zealand Citizen or hold a permanent New Zealand Resident’s Visa, or a UK Citizen or permanently resident in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
Start your application by contacting NZRAB. This will begin the process of certification and check that you’re eligible to use the route. You can contact NZRAB here: nzrab.nz/c/Contact
NZRAB then will issue an NZRAB Certificate to qualifying applicants and this will also be transmitted to ARB.
ARB will then contact qualifying applicants and inform them of the additional requirements which must be satisfied. This will include the UK Adaptation Assessment to demonstrate that they are able to practise safely and effectively in the UK context. NZ to UK architects will need to pass this before being admitted to the UK Register.
At this point we will send you the following documents after we have received and checked your NZRAB Certificate:
- the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures and accompanying guidance on preparing for the assessment; and
- a UK Adaptation Assessment application form to complete
At this point, you will be required to pay the UK Adaptation Assessment fee of £2950.00.
After your UK Adaptation Assessment fee has been received, we will then send you:
- a “Reflective Career Summary” template for you to complete; and
- a practice-based scenario and a set of scenario-based questions, which you will need to respond to in writing. These will form the basis of the UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview, which is designed to ensure that anyone who joins the UK Register of Architects meets the standard required to practise safely and effectively in the UK.
We will also liaise with you regarding dates for your UK Adaptation Assessment professional interview at this point, this will be online during UK office hours. You will be allocated an interview in either the morning or the afternoon, UK time. We cannot accommodate requests to change the time of day you are allocated.
Further details can be found in the UK Adaptation Assessment Procedures. Having passed the UK Adaptation Assessment, you will then be eligible to make an application to join the UK Register of Architects. Successful applicants will be provided with information on how to proceed when notified of the outcome of their UK Adaptation Assessment.
FAQs and more information on the mutual recognition agreement are available here.
