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Take the ARE - Foreign Degree

Who should apply for an initial license?

  • An applicant who has never been licensed as an architect by another State Board or a foreign licensing jurisdiction, OR
  • An applicant who is licensed in a foreign licensing jurisdiction without passing the NCARB examination (ARE or its predecessors),
  • AND
  • An applicant who wants to take the ARE and who has completed the 3rd year of an NAAB-accredited Bachelor or Master of Architecture program if the only degree received, or the 1st year of an NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture or higher program following receipt of an undergraduate degree, OR
  • An applicant who wants to take the ARE and who has a graduated with a 4-year pre-professional degree in architecture Category C, OR
  • An applicant who wants to take the ARE and who has accumulated 7 units of combined education/experience credit

Applicants who previously selected an initial licensure jurisdiction other than New York State within their NCARB Record and who want to change their jurisdiction to New York are also considered to be initial licensure applicants. Such applicants may have passed all or part of the ARE or may have never attempted the ARE.

How do I apply for an initial license and to take the ARE® (Foreign Degree)?

  • Submit Form 1, New York’s Application for Licensure. Please indicate on your Form 1 that you are applying to take the ARE and for initial licensure in New York

  • Pay the licensure and first registration fee of $377.00

  • Send an email to archbd@nysed.gov stating that you wish to take the ARE as a New York foreign-degreed applicant. The State Board for Architecture will send you an email that you must send on to NCARB, so that NCARB will allow you to request to take the ARE as a New York applicant within your NCARB Record.

  • Request to take the ARE® as a New York applicant within your NCARB Record

  • Send Form 2 to your foreign university for them to complete and send back to the Department with all required documentation (New York does not accept an EESA evaluation). One of our Bureau of Comparative Education evaluators will assign a value for the education.

  • For those whose assigned education value is below 7 units, experience is required. The amount of experience is dependent upon the nature of the education. EITHER document experience within your NCARB Record OR send Form 4 to a supervisor(s) to verify your experience. Your supervisor MUST submit the Form 4 directly to the Department. The form WILL NOT be accepted if submitted by you.