Application Deadline

January 15

The priority deadline for funding consideration is January 15.

It is important to note that you will be notified about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.

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The School of Architecture offers a total of nearly $1,000,000 in assistance annually to students in the Masters of Architecture program. Thanks to the generosity and support from alumni, as well as the Twin Cities Architecture community, the school is able to award approximately $350,000 in scholarship funding. In addition, the school funds more than 60 graduate assistantship positions valued at approximately $600,000. 

Minimum Requirements

Strong undergraduate record
To pursue an M.Arch, a bachelor’s degree in arts, humanities, sciences, environmental studies, or engineering is required, and a GPA greater than 3.0 is preferred. International applicants must be proficient in English (see application materials).

Application Materials

All materials must be received by the program's deadline. The program’s review process takes between four and six weeks once the application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

Materials required for all applicants

  • Complete University of Minnesota Graduate School Application
  • Unofficial transcripts of all college or university coursework
  • ESSAYS: The Graduate School will require a personal statement and a diversity statement that are uploaded at the respective buttons on the "MATERIALS" section of the online application.  In addition, the School of Architecture requires the following two short essays that are uploaded at the button labeled "Graduate Program Additional Material".
  • Two brief essays, each no more than 500 words, written in response to two of the following three options:
    • Option 1: Write about a formative personal experience that helped to inspire your interest in pursuing the professional study of architecture and the built environment.
    • Option 2: Describe a place that is meaningful and state why you find it meaningful.
    • Option 3: Describe an object (at any scale) that you find sublime, grotesque, or culturally significant and state why.
  • Three letters of recommendation, preferably two written by faculty members who are familiar with your academic work
  • Portfolio (see portfolio requirements for more details)
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (school code is 6874)
    • NOTE: The GRE requirement is waived for the Master of Architecture program for Fall 2023.
  • Application fee of $75; International students pay $95

 

Portfolio Requirements

Your portfolio should be uploaded as a .pdf file electronically to the online application. There is a 5-GB limit for the file size. 

  • Three-year program: Submit a portfolio of 8–15 pages/sides that indicate design ability through drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic art, industrial design, or photography (two pages of photographs maximum).
  • Advanced standing program: Submit a portfolio of approximately 12–20 pages/sides that indicates an ability to produce drawings of architectural form and space, as well as a broader design sensitivity. Architectural drawings and design studio work should be included. Other work showing artistic or design ability or facility with digital technology may also be included. Please do not send a hard copy of the portfolio.

For applicants who are non-native English speakers

  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (PDF file format)
  • Send scores to the University of Minnesota (school code: 6874)
  • Minimum accepted scores are:
    • 600 (TOEFL paper test)
    • 90 (internet-based TOEFL test)
    • 7.0 (IELTS Test)
    • 80 (MELAB test)

NOTE: If you will earn or have earned an undergraduate degree in the United States you do not need to submit English language test scores.

NOTE:  In addition to these requirements, if you wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship, there will be an additional language assessment.

 

Funding

You will be notified about funding decisions on average four weeks after you have been accepted into the program.

The majority of our graduate students receive some form of financial support. Graduate assistantships in teaching and research are available based on your expertise and the needs of the department. Assistantship offers are made after you have been accepted into the program. A limited number of departmental and university-wide fellowships are available, and awards are made on a competitive basis. Grant-based funding is also available to support research and creative scholarship and to attend conferences to present scholarship.

Questions?

Learn more about the M.Arch by contacting Terrance Rafferty, the Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment for Architecture.