RIBA Studio

Do you want to complete your Part 1 or Part 2 at your own pace whilst investing your time in practice and earning a salary?

Does the idea of creating your own independent school of architecture appeal to you, appointing your own tutors to help you achieve your goals?

Are you currently based in practice anywhere in the UK, EU, EEA, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, and working under the supervision of a registered architect?

RIBA Studio offers students the ability to complete their Part 1 and Part 2 qualifications whilst remaining in practice.

The Part 1 Certificate in Architecture commonly attracts those qualified in architectural technology who wish to switch to studying architecture; as well as those who have gone straight into practice from school or college.

The Part 2 Diploma in Architecture is popular with students who have completed their Part 1 at university and who have remained in practice following their year out, often reaching a position of responsibility or with family commitments that make it impractical to return to full or part-time study.

The RIBA has a unique partnership with the School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes University who deliver the RIBA Studio qualifications on the Institute's behalf.

The next intake for RIBA Studio is March 2019 and applications are open now.

The annual course fee for the 2019/20 registration year will be £2592 - and you'll need to factor in hourly tutorial costs for your personal tutor; plus travel to Oxford from your location to attend workshops, exams and assessment days (a maximum of 5 days per year depending on the stage you are at). The Part 1 and Part 2 qualifications are prescribed by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and validated by the RIBA.

Independent studying on top of full-time work requires not only personal commitment but also the support of your employer. Find out more about qualifying while working in this article featuring the views of current students.

Feedback from students

Chris Rogers, RIBA Studio graduate: 'Completing the RIBA Studio qualifications had a considerable influence in my approach to the design of my practice projects' - Read more about Chris's RIBA Studio experience.

'Taking the course has vastly improved my skill base, knowledge, attitude and confidence, allowed me to grow as a person and given me a route to qualification not offered anywhere else'

'The course has broadened my perspective on architectural thinking and set about widening my understanding of architecture as a whole'

'I have found that engaging in practice work and academic studies simultaneously has allowed me to improve in both areas, with each informing the other'

Feedback from practices

'We have long been advocates of RIBA Studio (formerly known as the RIBA Office Based Examination) – beginning when our Founding-Partner undertook the process in the 1960s. Our practice has since encouraged and supported a further six members of staff in the completion of their architectural qualifications through RIBA Studio over the past two decades.

We have found that RIBA Studio enables those who may not have had the financial or geographical availability of educational support to undertake their full architectural studies in the first instance, a chance to fulfil their academic aspirations.

While the course is indeed challenging - particularly when undertaken in the context of full time employment - we feel the process leads to well-rounded architects, with an understanding of both the theory and practice of architecture.

The practice would have no hesitation in recommending the examination, or indeed encouraging further members of staff to undertake the same in the future.'

Juneanne Falconer RIBA ARB MRIAI, Partner at C.J. Falconer & Associates

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