How to Study Architecture in the UK (RIBA / ARB Part 1)

A regulated profession

In the UK, 'architect' is a legally protected title. To call yourself an architect and practise under that title, you must be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB), the statutory regulator set up under the Architects Act 1997. ARB sets the requirements for entry onto the UK Register of Architects.

Alongside ARB, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is the professional membership body. Many UK architecture qualifications are recognised by both — accredited by ARB and validated by RIBA — which is why courses are often described as 'ARB/RIBA recognised'. The two roles are different: ARB is the regulator you must register with; RIBA is the professional institute you can choose to join.

The three-part structure

The traditional route to registration is built around three stages, commonly called Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, together with a period of practical experience. In broad terms: Part 1 is the undergraduate degree in architecture; Part 2 is a further postgraduate-level qualification (such as a Master of Architecture); and Part 3 is the final professional examination taken after substantial practical experience.

Between and around these stages you complete a period of supervised practical training in architectural practice. The traditional route requires completing the prescribed qualifications and the required practical experience before you can apply to register with ARB. Because the requirements are being reformed (see the reform note below), confirm the current rules on ARB's official website before committing.

• Part 1 — undergraduate architecture degree (the focus of this guide).
• Part 2 — further qualification such as a Master of Architecture (MArch).
• Practical experience — supervised training in practice between/after stages.
• Part 3 — final professional exam, taken after the required practical experience.

What Part 1 involves

The Part 1 stage is typically a three-year undergraduate degree in architecture at an ARB-recognised and RIBA-validated school. It combines design studio (the core of the course), history and theory, technology and environmental design, and professional studies. The design studio, assessed largely through portfolios and project work, is where most of your time and assessment sit.

When choosing where to apply, confirm directly on the school's official page and on ARB's lists that the specific course is recognised at the stage you need — recognition is granted at the course level, not the institution level. Entry requirements, including grades and any portfolio or admissions test, vary by school and change each year, so verify them on the university's official course page.

Beyond Part 1: Part 2, Part 3 and registration

After Part 1, the usual path is a period of practical experience, then a Part 2 qualification (often a two-year MArch), more practical experience, and finally the Part 3 professional examination. A required period of practical experience runs across the route. Only after completing the prescribed qualifications and required experience can you apply to join the ARB Register and use the title 'architect'.

Important change to be aware of: ARB is reforming its route to registration and has stated it will stop prescribing undergraduate (Part 1) architecture qualifications from 31 December 2027, moving toward a model based on accredited Master's-level and practice qualifications — under which a specific accredited undergraduate architecture degree is no longer an essential requirement for registration. Universities are expected to continue offering undergraduate architecture degrees, but how they feed into registration is changing. Because these rules are in transition, do not rely on a fixed structure — check the current, official ARB and RIBA guidance before committing to a route.

How international students enter the pathway

International students can enter the UK route at the undergraduate stage by applying to an architecture degree, usually through UCAS, and studying on a Student visa where the university is a licensed sponsor. Entry then continues through the further qualifications, practical experience and the final professional exam like any other candidate.

If you already hold an architecture qualification from outside the UK, ARB assesses overseas qualifications for equivalence to the relevant UK stages; you would typically still need to complete the UK practice qualification to register. The exact process for overseas-qualified applicants is set by ARB and changes over time. This is general information, not immigration or professional-registration advice — verify current rules on the ARB website and, for visas, on gov.uk before acting.

• Apply to an architecture degree (usually via UCAS) at a recognised school.
• Study on a Student visa where the university is a licensed sponsor.
• Already qualified abroad? ARB assesses overseas qualifications for equivalence.
• Confirm course recognition on the school's page and ARB's official lists.