Architectural Practice Examination

About the Architectural Practice Examination

Most people seeking to register as an architect in Victoria complete the Architectural Practice Examination (APE). It is a national examination conducted twice a year in all states and territories.

The APE assesses your knowledge and understanding of the practice of architecture in Australia and your capacity to exercise the professional skills required to be an architect.

If you successfully complete the APE, you can register as an architect.

The ARBV administers the APE with the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and other state and territory architect registration boards.

The APE is open to overseas graduates of architectural courses, however, they must meet the requirements in the Overseas Qualification Assessment (OQA) conducted by the AACA. For more information visit Overseas Qualification Assessment (OQA).

Starting from January 2024, the Architectural Practice Examination will follow the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA).

Candidates who wish to apply for the APE are required to review the following resources, which are all available on the AACA website.

• Architectural Practice Examination Handbook
• APE Information Sheet for Candidates
• APE Support Material
• APE Checklist
• APE Performance Criteria Report
• 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA)
• 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA) Explanatory Notes
• 2021 NSCA Mapping to 2015 NSCA
• NEP Remote Proctoring FAQs

Candidates who have been previously unsuccessful in the APE and are intending to submit an application to resit any part of the APE from 2024 onwards will need to resubmit their part 1 documents in the 2024 format. These candidates should pay particular attention to the '2021 NSCA Mapping to 2015 NSCA' referred to in the list above.

All APE candidates are also expected to work their way through the suite of video resources (see list below) that have been developed by the AACA to assist candidates on their pathway to registration.

• 2021 NSCA explained – note that this video contains information about the Performance Criteria that relate to sustainability and Country
• APE Part 1, 2 & 3 explained
• AACA and Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) National Construction Code (NCC)
  • Understanding the National Construction Code (NCC)
  • Understanding and Using Energy Efficiency Provisions (NCC)
  • Understanding and Using Fire Safety Provisions (NCC)

Various coaching courses aim to help applicants complete the APE, but please note that such courses are not compulsory and are not accredited by the AACA or affiliated with the ARBV.

ARBV information session recordings

Parts of the APE

The APE comprises 3 parts:

• Part 1: Logbook and Statement of Practical Experience
• Part 2: National Examination Paper
• Part 3: Examination by interview

You must complete the 3 parts in order. You can complete parts 1 and 2 in any state, but you must complete both parts in the same state. Part 3 can be completed in a different state than parts 1 and 2.

Candidates can only apply within one jurisdiction per APE session. If a candidate is found to have applied in multiple jurisdictions, they will not be able to sit the APE in any jurisdiction for that APE session.

Candidates who apply for the APE cannot also apply to other pathways, such as the Experienced Practitioner Assessment (EPA) at the same time.

Part 1: Logbook and statement of practical experience

Part 1 of the APE requires you to provide documents demonstrating you meet the eligibility requirements of the examination process; you must submit a Logbook, a Statement of Practical Experience and other documentation outlining your experience.

Candidates must have completed at least 3,300 hours of practical architectural experience, which is equivalent to 2 years' full-time practical experience. Note, this is not 2 calendar years, but cumulative experience based on a 38 hour working week according to the Architects Award 2020. Experience cannot be accumulated as overtime within a shorter period of time.

At least 1,650 hours (equivalent to 1 year’s full-time practical experience) must be Australian-based, and can have been obtained in any Australian state or territory.

At least 1,650 hours must have been obtained post graduation.

Your experience must demonstrate the 35 performance criteria outlined in the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects.

Note: OQA and NPrA applicants do not need to consider the pre- and post- graduation requirements when logging their architectural experience hours.

Below are the documents you will need to submit.

Please note: the APE Handbook (p.13) refers to an application form; candidates seeking to apply to sit the APE in Victoria need to apply via the ARBV Portal (there is no separate application form).

Please review the checklist guide before submitting your application to ensure you have included all the required documents and have meet the criteria outlined in the APE Handbook.

Tips to submit a correct set of Part 1 documents

Logbook/SoPE

• Ensure that the supervising architect you note in your Logbook for a given project is the same person listed as the supervising architect for that project if you choose to include it in your SoPE, and that this person also signs off on that project; similarly, if two or more architects supervised you, they all need to be listed in both the Logbook and the SoPE.
• Ensure that all your supervising architects are registered in the Practising class in the jurisdiction of the location of the projects in your application (or were registered in the Practising class while they were supervising you). For example, an architect who is only registered in NSW cannot act as your supervisor for a project based in Victoria.
• Ensure you carefully follow the requirements set out in the AACA Handbook in relation to verification signatures (required for all projects included in the SoPE) and written references (if references are required).
• Ensure any included non-project hours ARE non-project hours (refer to the AACA Handbook) and be specific about dates, etc. Note: activities that are considered preparation for the APE cannot be included.
• The APE PC Report should only list the projects you include in your SoPE and not all the projects you have logged in your Logbook.
• Ensure that you have met PC45 with project(s) that are based in Australia.
• Do not include extraneous or irrelevant information in your CV (for example, your LinkedIn profile link; names of architects that are not noted as supervisors in your Logbook & SoPE and/or details of projects not logged in your Logbook; long executive summaries/narratives). Keep your CV succinct and relevant to your APE application, and ideally no more than 1 page.
• Ensure that each project's building particulars (eg. scope of work, cost, area, etc) for projects included in the Logbook and SoPE (the Project Details section) are complete and consistent throughout; also ensure you have included the Indigenous Country information; refer to the AACA Handbook for more details about this.
  

Statutory Declaration

• Please use the ARBV template where possible.
• Ensure that all of the fields are appropriately completed; note that "Declared At" refers to a location, not the time of the day.
  

Part 2: National Examination Paper

Part 2 of the APE is the National Examination Paper (NEP). It is an 80-question exam to be completed in 120-minutes, which assesses your professional knowledge against the performance criteria in the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects.

The NEP tests candidates using hypothetical scenarios and multiple-choice questions. It is delivered online by remote proctoring.

The scenarios are based on the realities of architectural practice across a range of contexts. They are framed in language and terminology that is commonly understood across practice around Australia.

You cannot take notes or summary sheets into the exam.

Reasonable Adjustment for the NEP

Candidates who have a disability or other health-related needs that might interfere with their ability to sit the National Examination Paper in the standard manner can apply for reasonable adjustments.

• AACA NEP Reasonable Adjustment Policy
• AACA Reasonable Adjustment Form for registered health practitioners

Candidates should note that reviewing applications for reasonable adjustments can take time. If you think you may require reasonable adjustments, you must lodge your APE Part 1 application along with supporting documentation by the Part 1 & Part 2 submission closure date (see APE dates listed below). Candidates are still required to submit their application for the APE directly to the ARBV.

Applications for reasonable adjustments must be submitted with supporting documentation to NEP@aaca.org.au on or before the relevant APE session closing date for submission of APE Part 1 & Part 2.

Results

You will receive results approximately 4 weeks after you take the exam.

If you do not pass the NEP, you can apply to sit it again within 2 years. If you wait longer than 2 years, you will need to complete part 1 again.

Candidates who have been previously unsuccessful in the APE and are intending to submit an application to resit any part of the APE from 2024 onwards will need to resubmit their part 1 documents in the 2024 format. These candidates should pay particular attention to the '2021 NSCA Mapping to 2015 NSCA' referred to in the list above.

Candidates resitting part 2 within 2 years of their first attempt are required to:

• Resubmit all part 1 documents with their application. You may update the documents with any recent experience.
• Submit a newly signed and witnessed statutory declaration.
• Resubmit during the part 1 submission period listed in our key dates below.

Candidates resitting part 2 more than 2 years from their first attempt are required to:

• Lodge their application during the part 1 submission period listed in our key dates below and apply for both part 1 and 2 (which includes paying the relevant part 1 and 2 fees).
• Submit all part 1 documents with their application. You should consider updating the documents with any recent experience.
• Submit a newly signed and witnessed statutory declaration.

Part 3: Examination by interview

The final part of the APE is an interview with two experienced examiners. In the interview, the examiners will ask you questions based on hypothetical situations, to assess your practical knowledge and experience.

Interviews typically take 45-60 minutes and will be conducted during the scheduled interview period (see key dates below). Once your interview has been scheduled, you cannot change the date or time. If you cannot attend the interview at the scheduled time, you will need to apply for the next interview session.

You cannot take notes or summary sheets into the interview.

Should you require reasonable adjustments for APE Part 3, please notify the ARBV directly at registrar@arbv.vic.gov.au when you submit your APE Part 1 application.

Results

You will receive results within approximately 2 weeks of sitting the interview.

Receiving a successful result in part 3 indicates successful completion of the APE. You are then eligible to apply for registration as an architect. Registration within 2 years of being notified of your successful completion of the APE is strongly encouraged; otherwise, you may be subject to further assessment prior to registration.

Visit Registering as an Architect for details on applying for registration.

If you do not pass the examination by interview, you can apply to sit it again within 2 years.

If you wait longer than 2 years, you will need to complete parts 1 and 2 before you can take the interview again.

Candidates who have been previously unsuccessful in the APE and are intending to submit an application to resit any part of the APE from 2024 onwards will need to resubmit their part 1 documents in the 2024 format. These candidates should pay particular attention to the “2021 NSCA Mapping to 2015 NSCA” referred to in the list above.

Candidates resitting part 3 within 2 years of their successful result in part 2 are required to:

• Resubmit all part 1 documents with their application. You may update the documents with any recent experience.
• Submit a newly signed and witnessed statutory declaration.
• Resubmit either during the part 1 submission period or the part 3 submission period listed in our key dates below.

Candidates resitting part 3 more than 2 years from their successful result in part 2 are required to:

• Lodge their application during the part 1 submission period listed in our key dates below and apply for both part 1 and 2 (which includes paying the relevant part 1 and 2 fees).
• Submit all part 1 documents with their application. You should consider updating the documents with any recent experience.
• Submit a newly signed and witnessed statutory declaration.

Key dates for APE 2025

The ARBV runs the APE in 2 sessions each year. For part 3, we will email you a date and time for your interview closer to the interview period. The dates below for the interview are indicative only and subject to change. Dates are finalised post part 2 results being released and we are unable to provide specific details in advance.

If you are applying for parts 1 and 2 of the APE, you do not need to submit a separate application for part 3. If you are applying for part 3 only, you will need to submit a separate application for this part.

All candidates resitting for part 3 can apply either when applications open for part 1 and 2, or when applications open for part 3.

All candidates resitting for part 2 must apply when applications open for parts 1 and 2.

Note: candidates must consider their availability prior to applying for Part 2 or Part 3. Individual circumstances cannot be accommodated.

APE fees

Apply for the APE

There are 4 documents that must be submitted for part 1:

1. AACA Logbook
2. Statement of Practical Experience
3. Statutory declaration
4. Architectural qualifications

These documents are uploaded electronically. Hard copy documents are not accepted.

The documents must be:

• no more than 5MB in size
• saved in the order outlined per the document combination information (see below)
• named according to the prescribed naming convention.

Document combination

1. One PDF Statement of Practical Experience; a) Curriculum Vitae (CV); b) Project detail pages c) APE Performance Criteria Report; and d) References (if required)

2. AACA Logbook (separate PDF)

3. Statutory declaration (separate PDF)

4. Architectural Qualifications eg. Academic Transcript (separate PDF)

Naming convention

1. Last name_first name - APE Part 1 eg. Smith_Jane - APE Part 1

2. Last name_first name - Logbook eg. Smith_Jane - Logbook

3. Last name_first name - Statutory Declaration eg. Smith_Jane - Statutory Declaration

4. Last name_first name - Qualification eg. Smith_Jane - Qualification

You can only submit part 1 documents during the submission dates. See the above key dates for the submission period.

When completing your APE application in the ARBV portal, you should disclose any previous APE attempts in the space provided.

Submit your application via the ARBV portal