Modes of Certification
There are three academic pathways to satisfy the Canadian Education Standard for Architects and obtain your academic certification, each designed to reflect different educational backgrounds and routes to qualification, as described below. Depending on the academic pathway you select, as well as the specific subcategory within that pathway, the application requirements will differ accordingly. This includes variations in the application fee, the supporting documents that must be submitted, and the expected processing timelines associated with your file.
Mode of Certification – Accredited Professional Degree
Apply under the following mode of certification if you have completed one of the following:
- A professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degree from one of the twelve accredited Canadian M.Arch programs; or
- A professional degree program in the United States accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
Mode of Certification – Professional Degree or Diploma Not Accredited by the CACB
Apply under the following mode of certification if you have completed one of the following:
- International Graduates in architecture holding a professional degree or diploma that is accepted as a requirement for registration or licensure in their country of origin;
- International graduates in architecture holding a professional degree or diploma obtained on or after January 1, 2010, accepted as a requirement for registration or licensure in their country of origin and accredited/ validated by the accreditation/validation body of that country, provided that the accreditation or validation body is a signatory to is a signatory to the Canberra Accord on Architectural Education, as listed: Mexico (ANPADEH); Hong Kong SAR (HKIA); Chinese Taipei (IEET-AAC); Japan (JABEE); Korea (KAAB); China (NBAA); or South Africa (SACAP); or
- Graduates from programs at Canadian schools of architecture whose degrees were granted before the implementation of the Accreditation System in 1991, which consisted of: University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Carleton University, Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS)-Currently, Dalhousie University, Université Laval, University of Manitoba, McGill University, Université de Montréal, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo.
Mode of Certification – Diploma from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Syllabus Program
Apply under the following mode of certification if you have completed the following:
- Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Syllabus Professional Diploma in Architecture.