Architecture BA Honours

• International Baccalaureate – 120 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You can refer to the UCAS calculator to determine your point score
• We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications. Please see information on Country-specific entry requirements
• We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London who provide International Foundation Certificate courses for students who don’t meet our entry requirements. Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Westminster. Find out about a range of university preparation courses that are accepted for entry.

English language requirements

• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with a score of 5.5 in each component. Please note we accept a wide range of English language qualifications and assessments. Find out more at English language requirements.
• If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, then we offer online and on campus pre-sessional English programmes to help develop your English language skills to the required level before you start your course. Find out more about our pre-sessional English programmes.

More information

• How to apply
• Visas and advice

In addition to the above, you should have:

• Personal Statement – You should outline your interest in the subject, your reasons for wanting to pursue a career in architecture, and give an overview of your current creative studies, particularly if this is being done outside of your formal school curriculum. As well as commitment, we are looking for examples of practical activities you have done to support your application. These could include gallery, exhibition and building visits (these could be in your own neighbourhood, town or city) with your thoughts and reflections; contact with an architectural practice with your observations and insights; and your review of books on architecture.
• Portfolio of creative work – After considering your application we may ask you to share an online portfolio of creative work (we cannot accept portfolios as attachments or file sharing downloads). You will be given advice on how to do this. The portfolio should fully reflect your range of skills, talents and interests through a variety of media and forms. We are particularly interested in drawing, collage and other mixed media, painting and three-dimensional work. The selection should include both observational studies and creative work, and evidence developmental processes as well as final outcomes. Although there is no limit to the number you can include, we suggest around 15-20 pieces. We also encourage you to include work such as sketchbook studies done outside of your set school curriculum. Whilst you may want to include photography, CAD and photoshop work, the focus should be on hand-drawing and traditional media.

You may be invited for an interview to discuss your application further. At the interview we will be interested to hear about why you want to study architecture, what you have done to find out more about architecture as a career, and your understanding of what designing buildings might involve.

Applications for direct entry onto the second year of the course will be considered on the basis of portfolio, interview and previous academic achievement on an equivalent course. Applications for direct entry to the third year of the course will not be considered.

Applicants who have met the entry requirements above and are currently studying an Art and Design Foundation are also encouraged to apply; the entry requirement is Merit.

Portfolio guidance

Number of recommended portfolio pieces.

15-20 pieces.

What should I include in my portfolio submission?

We are looking for 15 to 20 images of Art and Design work to reflect your course of interest.

• The portfolio is an opportunity to show your range of creative skills and projects. This can be expressed through hand-drawing and traditional media, and include photography, CAD, and photoshop work. We are particularly interested in drawing, collage and other mixed media, painting, moving image and three-dimensional work.
• The selection should include both observational studies and creative work, and evidence developmental processes as well as final outcomes. We encourage you to include work such as sketchbook studies done outside of your set school curriculum. It is important you scan or photograph your original work at a high resolution, so the quality of the pieces remains as close to the original as possible.
• Please give a brief summary of the projects, a title and, an approximate date for each work displayed. Although there is no limit to the number you can include, we suggest around 15-20 pieces.
• We are experienced in looking at exploratory work and pieces in progress as well as final work from your earlier studies and are happy to receive work that has not fully been completed.

How should I structure my portfolio?

Please send Portfolios digitally, ideally in a single PDF format, maximum 10MB. Please avoid sending individual images.

If your portfolio or project is very large, please save the documents on a platform such as Behance, Flickr, Google Docs or Dropbox and send us a link to it.

How will my portfolio be evaluated?

Your portfolio will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Personal Ambition and Interest in Architecture, Art and Design
• Creativity and Originality
• Spatial Exploration
• Representation Skills

What happens next?

Selected applicants will be invited to interview or an applicant event that gives us the opportunity to learn more about you, your interest in the course and your creative process.

Top Tip from our course team

We are keen for you to show us work that reflects your interests, not just in architecture but also across the visual arts and design. Be yourself - we are looking for potential and a curiosity to take risks, learn and develop!

Please do not send in portfolios until requested to do so by the University's Admissions team. You will be notified by email about when to submit your portfolio.

Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.

Opportunities could include:

• Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
• Attending an international summer school or field trip
• Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad

International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.

Find out more about our international opportunities, including funding options and where you can go.