M.Arch Admissions

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).

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.

The deadline for applications to the M.Arch Program is January 15 of the year for a fall entry term. Applications are submitted entirely online through the Slate portal under contract with the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota.

From January 15 to February 1, the applications are sorted into 3-year and 2-year applicants based on their previous/undergraduate education. This is completed by the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Chair of the Admissions Committee. On February 1, the pool of applicants is forwarded to a five-member Admissions Committee for review. The committee consists of full-time faculty members who are appointed by the Department Head. The committee completes a thorough review of each applicant and makes recommendations about admission and funding support based on merit. From committee chair to general members, the makeup and charge of the committee also advances the following set of equity, diversity, and inclusion goals:

• We adopt a holistic approach to evaluation, considering multiple factors beyond just grades and test scores. We evaluate applicants based on their portfolios, their personal experiences, extracurricular activities, leadership potential, socioeconomic background, and experience overcoming challenges. This helps ensure that individuals from diverse backgrounds have an opportunity to showcase their unique qualities and experiences.
• We engage in recruitment and outreach efforts to attract students from diverse backgrounds by visiting schools, and attending college fairs such as the one at the annual NOMA conference.
• We provide scholarships and graduate assistantships to students based on merit and specific individual circumstances to help mitigate socio-economic barriers to higher education.  This encourages greater diversity by ensuring students from diverse economic backgrounds can afford to attend our program.

Our admissions process is coordinated with the University’s updated policies to address the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions around consideration of race in admissions.