Architecture Schools and Programs in Mexico

Architecture Studies in Mexico

Architecture in Mexico is a licenciatura, a first university degree that leads to the professional title of Arquitecto (architect). The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) describes the architect as the professional who designs and builds habitable spaces that meet human needs, from housing, schools and hospitals to offices, industry and transport buildings. Studio projects, drawing and construction run through the whole degree. Programmes are mainly taught in Spanish.

SpainExchange lists six schools in Mexico that teach architecture: two in Guadalajara and one each in Mexico City (Coyoacán and Tlalpan), Cuernavaca and Hermosillo. They include public universities such as the UNAM and the Universidad de Sonora, and private universities such as the Tecnológico de Monterrey and the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG).

How the degree is organised

An architecture degree takes between 9 and 10 semesters at the schools that publish their plans. At the UNAM it takes 10 semesters and has 392 credits; at the UAG, the Licenciatura en Arquitectura con Diseño Sustentable takes 9 semesters. Credits are each university's own, not ECTS.

Plans combine design studio work with construction, structures, installations and urban planning, and increasingly digital tools: the UAG teaches BIM modelling and specialised software and includes professional placements in architecture firms and building sites. At the UNAM, students do the servicio social, at least 480 hours of social service, once they have completed 255 of the 392 credits. The UNAM also warns that the degree is expensive because of study trips, instruments, materials and books.

Official validity and accreditation

At private universities, a degree has official validity only if the specific programme holds an RVOE (Reconocimiento de Validez Oficial de Estudios), which the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) grants per study plan. Without it, graduates cannot obtain a professional title or a cédula profesional, the licence registered with the SEP. Private institutions must state the RVOE agreement number, its date and the granting authority; the UAG, for example, shows the RVOE on its architecture programme page.

Quality accreditation of architecture programmes is the work of the Acreditadora Nacional de Programas de Arquitectura y Disciplinas del Espacio Habitable (ANPADEH), a formally recognised non-governmental accreditation body. Its website also refers to the Canberra Accord, an international agreement that recognises the substantial equivalence of accreditation systems in architectural education.

Admission and language

Each university runs its own admission process, and architecture is in high demand. At the UNAM, 10,663 people applied in the 2023-2024 cycle for 1,795 places. The UNAM recommends visual perception, drawing ability and knowledge of computing and English. At the Tecnológico de Monterrey, architecture is one of the programmes with a limited number of places and a separate admission calendar.

Applicants with school certificates from abroad should expect requirements like those of the Universidad de Guadalajara: certificates legalised by a Mexican consulate or with an apostille, revalidation of prior studies by the SEP, and a grade equivalence table (without it, the applicant competes with the minimum grade of 60).

Most programmes are in Spanish. The Tecnológico de Monterrey also offers an architecture degree taught in English, and at the UAG some subjects are taught in English.

A visa is needed. Foreign students who will study in Mexico for more than 180 days apply for a student visa at a Mexican consulate. Spain's foreign ministry states that Spanish citizens need a visa to study in Mexico whatever the length of the stay, and reports cases of Spanish students refused enrolment without one. The visa is then exchanged in Mexico for a migration document at the Instituto Nacional de Migración.

Where to study architecture in Mexico

• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM): 10-semester degree in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, with the title of Arquitecto
• Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City campus: private university in Mexico City since 1973; architecture is offered in Spanish and in English (programmes vary by campus)
• Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG): 9-semester degree focused on sustainable design
• Universidad de Guadalajara: architecture belongs to its Centro Universitario de Arte, Arquitectura y Diseño (CUAAD)
• Universidad de Sonora: public university founded in 1942, with architecture at its Hermosillo campus
• Universidad Internacional (UNINTER), Cuernavaca: private university

Careers

According to the UNAM, architects work in the public sector and in the private sector, with developers, small companies and private clients. Typical roles include designing buildings of all types, restoring historic sites and buildings, construction as contractor, site resident or works coordinator, valuation and consultancy, and teaching and research.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study architecture in Mexico?

Between 9 and 10 semesters at the schools listed here: 10 semesters at the UNAM and 9 at the UAG.

Can I study architecture in Mexico in English?

Most programmes are in Spanish. The Tecnológico de Monterrey offers an architecture degree taught in English.

Do I need a visa to study architecture in Mexico?

Yes, for a degree. Students staying more than 180 days apply for a student visa at a Mexican consulate, and Spanish citizens need a visa to study whatever the length of the stay.

How do I check that a private architecture degree is official?

The programme must have an RVOE, and the university must state its number, date and granting authority. ANPADEH accreditation is an additional quality label.