Architecture Schools and Programs in Philippines

Architecture Studies in Philippines

In the Philippines, architecture is a university degree, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture, and the first step towards a professional licence. Under the Architecture Act of 2004, only graduates of a BS Architecture programme recognised or accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) may sit the licensure examination for architects, after a period of supervised practice.

SpainExchange lists one school in the Philippines for architecture: the University of the Philippines Diliman, in Quezon City in Metro Manila. Its College of Architecture traces its programme to 1956, when the University of the Philippines first offered architecture through its College of Engineering, and has been a separate college since 1970.

How the degree is organised

The BS Architecture at UP Diliman is built around studio and laboratory courses in architectural design. According to the college, students must be conversant in three domains: arts and humanities, social sciences and philosophy, and mathematics and the sciences. Graduates are expected to design cost-effective, energy-efficient building systems that take climate into account, and to understand building laws and how architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning relate to national concerns.

When UP created its architecture curriculum in 1955, it chose a five-year course, longer than the four-year programmes of private schools at the time. The college also offers related degrees:

• Bachelor of Landscape Architecture: 149 academic units, usually completed in at least four years; UP introduced the programme in 1971
• Master of Architecture (MArch) and Master of Arts in Architecture Studies (MAAS)
• Master of Tropical Landscape Architecture (MTLA) and a Graduate Diploma in Landscape Studies
• PhD in the Designed and Built Environment, which the college describes as the first in the country

The graduate programmes form an Integrated Graduate Program organised around research themes such as building science, environmental architecture, history, theory and criticism, and urban design. Applications for the 2027-28 academic year run from 2 November 2026 to 19 February 2027.

Admission and language

International applicants who have finished secondary school abroad and have not yet enrolled in college can apply to UP Diliman by automatic admission with qualifying results in the SAT, GCE A levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Applicants whose native language or school language is not English need a TOEFL score of at least 500 (paper-based) or an IELTS score of at least 5.5. Applications should reach the university by 15 April for the first semester; there is no second-semester admission for these applicants. Those who do not meet the automatic admission requirements can take the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT), with a fee of US$50 for non-resident foreign applicants.

Visa and licensing

Foreign nationals aged 18 or over who enrol in a course above high-school level at a university or college apply to the Bureau of Immigration for a student visa (9F); the application fee alone is PHP 2,000, with further fees on top. Those who do not qualify for a student visa can apply for a special study permit (checked October 2026).

A degree is not yet a licence. Under the Architecture Act of 2004, candidates for the licensure examination need a BS Architecture from a CHED-recognised school and at least two years of diversified architectural experience certified by a licensed architect; a master's degree in architecture counts for one year of that experience. The examination covers subjects such as history and theory of architecture, structural design and building materials, urban design and architectural interiors, and architectural design and site planning, and is administered through the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Foreign citizens may only sit the examination if their own country admits Filipino architects on reciprocal terms. If you plan to practise in another country, ask its professional body how a Philippine degree is recognised.

Careers

Licensed architects design and supervise buildings for private clients, developers and public bodies. UP's graduates also move into landscape architecture, urban design, building science research and teaching; the college notes that its early graduate programmes trained many faculty members of other architecture schools in the country.

Frequently asked questions

Which degree do I need to become an architect in the Philippines?

A Bachelor of Science in Architecture from a school recognised or accredited by CHED, followed by at least two years of certified practical experience and the licensure examination for architects.

Can foreigners take the architecture licensure exam in the Philippines?

Only if they can prove that their own country admits Filipino citizens to the practice of architecture on reciprocal terms, as set out in the Architecture Act of 2004.

How do international students apply to UP Diliman?

Through automatic admission with SAT, GCE or IB results, or through the UPCAT. The deadline is 15 April for first-semester admission, and applicants without English as their school language need a TOEFL or IELTS score.

Does UP Diliman offer a master's in architecture?

Yes. Its Integrated Graduate Program includes the Master of Architecture, the Master of Arts in Architecture Studies, the Master of Tropical Landscape Architecture and a PhD in the Designed and Built Environment.