The Department annually receives more than 500 applications from prospective students who meet the minimum requirements for admission, while our resources only allow for 100 first year students to be accommodated. We are therefore compelled to select students for admission and applicants who meet the minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission. The Department employs a comprehensive, four-step selection process to identify the strongest prospective students for admission. Apart from academic merit, an applicant’s general knowledge and interests, motivation, independence, ingenuity and aptitude are also considered. Our successful selection process has contributed to the Department being one of the academic entities with the highest pass and graduation rates at the University of Pretoria.

ROUND 1 is based on academic merit. Applications are assessed to determine if they meet the minimum requirements for admission. Those who meet, or can meet, the requirements for admission are invited to participate in the next rounds.

ROUND 2 consists of home assignments, including a job-shadowing task that requires prospective students to explore the nature and daily operation of their chosen profession through observation and first-hand experience. The number of practices prospective students should visit is not prescribed, but they are strongly advised to, where possible, investigate a variety of practices as the scope of work that architecture practices undertake varies more than in other professions.

ROUND 3 consists of a comprehensive Departmental selection test. Applicants who cannot attend can, with certain preconditions, apply for postal selection as an alternative. If COVID-19 restrictions prevent attendance for an on-campus test, an alternative arrangement for a detailed portfolio will be made.

ROUND 4 of selection is based on an interview. The outcomes of the three previous rounds are considered and a final shortlist for Round 4 is compiled. Only shortlisted applicants are invited to attend a selection interview, either on campus or virtually.

NOTE: The requirements for the Round 2 home assignments and Round 3 are only communicated to applicants once applications have closed. Until then, all applicants are advised to undertake job-shadowing as mentioned in Round 2 above.