While prospective students are required to submit application materials through University of Arizona Undergraduate Admissions, our goal is to help you through the process.
Students applying for Fall admissions to the Bachelor of Architecture program who meet the general admissions requirements of the University of Arizona and have a core unweighted high school GPA of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) will be automatically admitted to the first year*.
Students who fall below a 3.5 core unweighted GPA and hold at least a 3.0 are still encouraged to apply. These students will be put through a holistic review process of their application including:
• Personal statement
• Activities resume
• Course rigor
• Types of classes taken
These should all speak to the student’s ability and interest in art, design and/or architecture.
CAPLA does not require portfolios for undergraduate admissions.
*Please note that admissions is into the first-year Foundation Phase of the program only. Students will go under review after the completion of the first year to advance into the Core Phase. Visit Curriculum and Courses for more information.
Application Process
The University of Arizona application process varies based on whether you are a first-year student, international student or transfer student. Learn more:
- How to Apply as a First-Year Student
- How to Apply as an International Student
- How to Apply as a Transfer Student
The B.Arch program has a record of admitting and supporting a diverse student body in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic demographics. The SoA values a range of diverse backgrounds and experiences of students and faculty as it enriches and strengthens the culture and learning in our programs. However, prospective students are evaluated during admissions based on the merits of their application materials as they indicate one’s capacity and promise to become a successful architect. Per the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling we do not ask nor consider personal diversity characteristics during the application and admissions review process.
All transfer students applying for admission to the B.Arch should have a college/university GPA of at least a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) to be admitted. Students who fall below this criterion and hold at least a 2.75 GPA are still encouraged to apply, as they may be admitted into the program through a comprehensive review process of their application materials.
Students interested in transferring into the B.Arch program from non-NAAB accredited programs, including community colleges without design or pre-architecture programs, must complete all five years of the B.Arch program. Prospective B.Arch students who are planning to begin their studies at a community college or other local universities without architecture or design courses are advised to focus on taking general education courses, including English 101, English 102 and Math 108 equivalents. The acceptance of transfer credit related to General Education courses is managed by the U of A central admissions office.
Students seeking to transfer from another NAAB-accredited B.Arch program or a community college with architecture or related design courses may apply for advanced standing, specifically placement in the second year of the B.Arch program. To be considered, applicants must have taken English 101, English 102 and Math 108 equivalents. The acceptance of transfer credit related to general education courses is managed by the U of A central admissions office.
Additionally, to be considered, applicants must submit the following for review by the School of Architecture:
- Unofficial transcripts
- A portfolio of work that demonstrates the potential to succeed in a B.Arch program (connects creative work in the portfolio to specific courses, notes individual versus collaborative work, and describes the media or software used to communicate the work)
- Syllabi for all architecture-related major courses, including studios.
These materials are to be submitted to Undergraduate Advisor Jacob Klemm at jacobklemm@arizona.edu by April 15 to be considered for a fall semester admissions start or September 15 to be considered for spring semester admissions start.
The applicant’s transcripts, portfolio and syllabi for all architecture-related courses are reviewed by Undergraduate Admissions Committee as constituted in the SoA bylaws (Section 3. Undergraduate Admissions Committees). The committee uses the first-year to second-year milestone rubric for weighted criteria as follows:
- Portfolio: 25%
- GPA: 15%
- Design Studio grades average: 45%
- History and Theory and Physical Principles Grades: 25%
Students are not granted advanced standing without the prior approval of the committee.
TOURS & INFORMATION SESSIONS
CAPLA’s facilities include dedicated studio space, world-class materials and model-building laboratories, unique spaces inside and outside for students to showcase their work or just hang out and much more. Join us in person or virtually.
SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID
After their first full year in the program, students are eligible for a number of CAPLA-specific scholarships and we’ll guide you through the application process. The university also offers other scholarship and financial aid opportunities.