Thank you for your interest in Florida Atlantic University’s School of Architecture. Our graduates lead successful careers in private practice and at firms in Florida, across the US, and around the world. Each of these share in the experience you are interested in: learning to make the world a better place through creative engagement and developing the critical thinking skills necessary to establish a vision and lead in its realization. As an incoming student, you will be welcomed to our innovative and creative community of scholars where you can develop your own path, in an atmosphere that emphasizes learning by doing. Prospective students may apply to either of the following programs:
- Foundation Pre-Architecture Program (Year 1, Year 2)
- Professional Bachelor of Architecture program (Year 3, Year 4, Year 5)
Foundation Pre-Architecture Program
The Foundation Pre-Architecture program is located on Florida Atlantic University's main campus, in Boca Raton, Florida. This is a limited-access program, and students are typically accepted into the Freshman class only. To apply as a freshman for admission into the Foundation Pre-Architecture Program, please follow the steps below.
- Visit the FAU Office of Admissions website and follow the directions for applying to the University.
- Submit the FAU application to the Office of Admissions as early as possible, preferably in October or November. Applications submitted by February 15, 2026 shall be considered for the Fall 2026 semester. Applications submitted after February 15, 2026, shall be considered on a space-available basis. Notifications are typically sent out via email and US Mail between October 1 and March 30 from the Office of Admissions and the School of Architecture.
Click to Apply to FAU
Foundation Transfers and Change-of-Majors
Foundation students (typically Freshmen and Sophomores) who are interested in transferring from another institution should contact the Admissions office. Current FAU students interested in changing their major to Architecture need to meet with an Arts and Letters Academic Advisor for more information. Foundation Transfer and Change-of-Major Applications for the 2026-2027 may be submitted at the following link: CLICK TO APPLY AS A FOUNDATION LEVEL TRANSFER OR CHANGE-OF-MAJOR
Current FAU students please visit https://www.fau.edu/successnetwork/ to schedule an appointment with an advisor.
If you have additional questions, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page or contact admissions.
Professional Bachelor of Architecture Program
The Professional Bachelor of Architecture program is located in downtown Fort Lauderdale, which we consider an urban laboratory for exploration. Our student work is frequently exhibited at our MetroLAB gallery on Las Olas Boulevard. Our students participate in research activities that span an exciting range of interests, from explorations in artificial intelligence and augmented reality, to connections between architectural design and neuroscience, sensing and smart systems, human health, and environmental studies including adaptation to climate change and sea-level rise.
This is a limited-access program. Students may be accepted for placement into Design Studio Level 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, depending on qualifications. All admitted students must complete all pre-requisites prior to beginning their first design studio at FAU. Please reference the transition guide for a list of all required pre-requisites. All applicants to the upper-division program are required to submit:
- an application to the University
- an application to the School of Architecture
- a portfolio of original design work and other creative activity
- transcripts
You must apply to the university prior to submitting your application to the School of Architecture. When you receive your personal ID number from FAU Admissions you may proceed to the next step to complete your application to the School of Architecture and submit your portfolio and unofficial transcripts via the Acceptd portal. Please note that students who are already enrolled in a degree program at FAU do not have to re-apply to the university.
Please review the School of Architecture Application, Unofficial Transcripts, and Portfolio Guidelines before preparing your submission.
To begin the application process for admission into the Professional Bachelor Of Architecture Program, please follow the steps below:
- Visit the FAU Office of Admissions website and follow the directions for applying to the University.
- Submit the FAU application to the Office of Admissions.
Click to Apply to FAU
- To be considered for admission in Fall 2026, please return to this page after November 01, 2025. Submit your Application, Portfolio, and Unofficial Transcripts by 11:59pm EST on February 20, 2026.
- Applications submitted by 11:59pm EST on February 20, 2026, shall be considered for the Fall 2026 semester.
- Applications submitted after 11:59pm EST on February 20, 2025, shall be considered on a space-available basis. Notifications are typically sent by the middle of April, via email.
- All portfolios are reviewed by a minimum of three Architecture faculty members and scored on a scale of 1(low) to 5(high). The School of Architecture Admissions Committee reviews the scores and transcripts, and makes the final determination of admissibility to and placement in the program.
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Students applying for admission to the Bachelor of Architecture degree program from non-accredited programs must submit a portfolio of design studio work as well as official transcripts and course descriptions for which they expect to receive equivalent credit.
Course descriptions are evaluated by the Appeals and Petitions committee (consisting of the School’s director and Associate Director) to determine equivalencies. Course descriptions for specialized courses are reviewed and evaluated by full-time faculty who are responsible for teaching those specific courses. In cases where the course descriptions do not provide sufficient information, applicants may need to submit course syllabi to determine equivalencies.
Candidates interested in applying for the Fall of 2026 semester may submit their application to the following link after Novermber 1, 2025.
Click to Apply to the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program
Automatic Admission into the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program for Students from FAU Lower Division Foundations Pre-Architecture Program
Any student currently or formerly registered in the FAU Lower Division Foundations Pre-Architecture program will automatically be accepted into the FAU Bachelor of Architecture Program if they meet the following qualifications:
1) Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
2) Successful completion of all courses listed below with a grade of B or better:
o ARC 1301 Architectural Design 1
o ARC 1302 Architectural Design 2
o ARC 2303 Architectural Design 3
3) Successful completion of all courses listed below:
o ARC 1701 Architectural History 1 or ARC 2208 Culture and Architecture
o ARC 2201 Architectural Theory 1
o ARC 2461 Materials and Methods 1
o MAC 2233 Methods of Calculus (or higher)
o PHY 2053 College Physics (or higher)
In addition, the following courses must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in any Upper Division design studio:
o ARC 2304 Architectural Design 4
o ARC 2580 Architectural Structures 1
Successful Completion is defined as a minimum grade of C or better for all ARC courses, MAC 2233 and PHY 2053. Notifications of Automatic Admission will be sent in early February. Students who do not meet these qualifications must submit a standard application and portfolio for admission into the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program.
Priority Consideration for Admission into the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program For Applicants from the Florida State University System or Florida College System
Any applicant who has completed coursework at an institution in the Florida State University System or the Florida College System, and who meets the requirements listed below may apply for Priority Consideration for Admission into the Bachelor of Architecture Program at FAU.
1) Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher
2) Successful completion of the following courses with a grade of B or better:
o ARC 1301 Architectural Design 1
o ARC 1302 Architectural Design 2
o ARC 2303 Architectural Design 3
o ARC 1701 Architectural History 1 or ARC 2208 Culture and Architecture
o ARC 2201 Architectural Theory 1
o ARC 2461 Materials and Methods 1
3) Successful completion of all courses listed below:
o MAC 2233 Methods of Calculus (or higher)
o PHY 2053 College Physics (or higher)
(Successful Completion is defined as a minimum grade of C or better for MAC 2233 and PHY 2053.)
Students accepted under priority consideration must complete their AA degree prior to start of the Bachelor of Architecture program. In addition, the following courses must be successfully completed prior to enrollment in any Upper Division design studio:
o ARC 2304 Architectural Design 4
o ARC 2580 Architectural Structures 1
Priority Consideration is only available to students who are requesting placement in Design 5. Any student requesting advanced standing placement for design studio (Design 6 or higher) must submit a standard application and portfolio for admission into the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program.
Students who are offered Priority Consideration Admission will not be required to submit a portfolio. Students who do not meet these qualifications must submit a standard application and portfolio for admission into the Upper Division Bachelor of Architecture Program.
Students who believe they meet these qualifications for Priority Consideration Admissions may submit an application here:
Candidates interested in applying for Priority Consideration for the Fall of 2026 semester may submit their application to the following link after Novermber 1, 2025.
Deadlines for Priority Consideration Application
The following Priority Consideration Application deadlines occur in early spring.
Priority Consideration Application Submission: January 15, 2026
Decisions Letters Sent: February 1, 2026
Priority Deposit Submission to Reserve Position (non-refundable): March 1, 2026
Cost of Attendance
The Florida Atlantic University Financial Aid webpage provides general information regarding expected costs for attending the University, for both in-state and out-of-state students, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and for students with varied housing needs. The webpage addresses the following costs:
· Tuition
· Books, Material and Supplies
· Living Expenses (housing)
· Living Expenses (food)
· Transportation
· Miscellaneous
This information may be found by clicking on the link below:
The School of Architecture maintains open computers within the design studios that are accessible 24/7 and provides floating licenses for all required software (including Rhino, Adobe Suite, Autodesk) that all students can access on the School’s computers or on their personal computers. Fabrication equipment such as laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC router, and analog equipment are also available in the Fab Lab for qualified student use during scheduled hours of operation. While some students may choose to purchase their own computers, software licenses or fabrication equipment, these are not required by the program.
The School of Architecture endeavors to provide many of the physical materials required for approved Architecture course activities, including group site models, large scale installations, design build projects, bulk purchases for physical models (Bass wood, dowels, museum board, etc.), and 3d filament, however students should expect to spend approximately $300 per semester on additional materials and printing requirements.
If you have additional questions, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page. You may also contact the School at Architecture@fau.edu or contact admissions at (561) 297-3040