We are responding to the COVID 19 situation in response to Government directions with the aim of keeping applicants, assessors and staff safe while providing minimal disruptions to our normal course of business. The AACA office is closed until the advice from Government regarding the COVID 10 situation is amended. All staff are working from home and will answer your emails as soon as possible.
Stage 1 Overseas Qualifications Assessment (OQA)
No change to assessment procedure or period of time for assessment of applications. Outcome letters for the purpose of applying for a skills assessment dated after 31 March 2020 will be issued as a secure on-line document.
Combined Stage 1 and 2 Overseas Qualifications Assessment (OQA)
No change to submission requirements. There have been some initial delays in finalising applications while we move towards the conduct of the required interviews in video format.
No change to submission requirements. There has been some in initial delay in finalising applications while we move towards the conduct of the assessment interviews in video format.
National Program of Assessment (NPrA)
No change to the components of the submission, however all candidates working towards completion of their final design will be advised of minor changes for submission of the on-line submission of the final response. AACA is also providing additional time for candidates to submit their final proposal.
Architectural Practice Examination (APE)
Session 1 of the National Examination was postponed due to the Government restrictions on the gathering of people. Currently, the timeframe for 2020 Session 2 of the APE stands. The AACA is working with the Architect Registration Boards to minimise the disruption to the 2020 APE and will provide updates when the situation changes.
Please contact us on [email protected] if you have any questions or require advice about our programs.
The AACA is continuing to monitor the Coronavirus COVID-19 situation. We are following the guidance of the Commonwealth and State Health Departments on appropriate steps. Given the evolving Coronavirus situation in Australia, the AACA has determined that the APE National Examination Paper currently scheduled for the 21 April will be postponed until 18 August.
The decision to postpone the NEP was made by the AACA after considering advice from AACA consultants, current Government advice on restrictions on gatherings of people – currently of 500 persons but likely to be tightened further – and projections of the spread of the virus over the next 6 weeks.
Candidates will be automatically enrolled in the National Examination Paper on 18 August. All Candidates will be advised of this postponement in the notice of outcome letter for APE Stage 1 issued by the Architect Registration Boards.
The AACA is continuing to monitor the Coronavirus COVID-19 situation. We are following the guidance of the Commonwealth and State Health Departments on appropriate steps.
Currently, it is business as usual across all our activities.
All assessment interviews and the APE examination continue to follow the published schedule
If there is a need for any changes to the scheduled assessments those affected will be advised directly via the email contact provided in the application by the applicant
Any changes will also be notified on the AACA and your local Architect Registration Board’s web page
AACA advises that as the situation is evolving it will continue to act on the advice of the Commonwealth and State Health Authorities and will update this news item when necessary.
The NPrA provides an alternative entry to the Architectural Practice Examination for experienced design practitioners who have not completed an architectural qualification.
The AACA’s National Program of Assessment is recognised by all Australian Architect Registration Boards as an alternate entry to the Architectural Practice Examination, successful completion of which is required prior to applying for registration as an architect.
The NPrA is a design exercise that tests candidates’ competency in architecture on the basis of their acquired knowledge and experience. The focus of the design exercise is to design a complex building in response to a hypothetical design brief. Applications for Stage 1 Eligibility close on 16 March 2020.
During 2020 the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) is coordinating a review of the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA). The NSCA is the assessment benchmark for all programs on the path to registration as an architect in Australia. The review will be guided by an Expert Reference Group comprising nominees from stakeholder bodies in the profession.
You can read more about the NSCA here. You can read more about the 2020 Review of the NSCA here.
The first stage of the review involves a survey to seek feedback on the extent to which the NSCA broadly reflects the role of an architect across the diversity of modes of practice. The results of this survey will inform the next steps of the review. All responses are anonymous. The survey should take between 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
The survey will remain open until the 27th February.
All further opportunities for input or comment will be advised via project updates, published to the News section of the AACA Home Page and noted on the Review webpage. If you wish to be informed when project updates are published, please send an email to [email protected].
During 2020 the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) is coordinating a review of the National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA). The NSCA is the assessment benchmark for all programs on the path to registration as an architect in Australia. The review will be guided by an Expert Reference Group comprising nominees from stakeholder bodies in the profession.
You can read more about the NSCA here. You can read more about the 2020 Review of the NSCA here.
The first stage of the review involves a survey to seek feedback on the extent to which the NSCA broadly reflects the role of an architect across the diversity of modes of practice. The results of this survey will inform the next steps of the review. All responses are anonymous. The survey should take between 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
The survey will remain open until the 27th February.
All further opportunities for input or comment will be advised via project updates, published to the News section of the AACA Home Page and noted on the Review webpage. If you wish to be informed when project updates are published, please send an email to [email protected].
The NPrA provides an alternative entry to the Architectural Practice Examination for experienced design practitioners who have not completed an architectural qualification.
The AACA’s National Program of Assessment is recognised by all Australian Architect Registration Boards as an alternate entry to the Architectural Practice Examination, successful completion of which is required prior to applying for registration as an architect.
The NPrA is a design exercise that tests candidates’ competency in architecture on the basis of their acquired knowledge and experience. The focus of the design exercise is to design a complex building in response to a hypothetical design brief. Applications for Stage 1 Eligibility close on 28 February 2020.
Following the last two years of implementation of the Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand, a variety of amendments have been incorporated and the updated Procedural documents published in December 2019.
The amendments include a small number of material changes and a larger number of procedural clarifications. There has been no material change to the underpinning focus of the Procedure, which is to assess that architecture programs are designed to enable a graduate to achieve the required 37 Performance Criteria of the National Standard of Competency for Architects.
The complete updated procedural document set can be downloaded from this link. This 58 page PDF contains the main procedural document and all supporting guidance documents in a single PDF.
Previously issued clarification documents are now withdrawn.