Apply
Applying for a graduate program at TSOA is really easy! Here’s how you can do it in a few simple steps:
Visit the graduate application portal and create your account. You will receive email prompts with details about your next steps.
Your $50 application fee will be due at this time.
A checklist will be assigned to you on the application portal and you will receive an email from Admissions with details about your next steps.
Let your references know to expect your request. All you have to do is put their email address in the application and they will receive a prompt.
You can upload your unofficial transcripts, statement of purpose, and other supporting materials through the application portal. Once you have uploaded your documents and filled out the application, you are almost done! Official transcripts are only required upon admission.
Resume/CV
Personal Statement
Official Transcripts - From all entities where you have obtained course credit.
Portfolio
We do not have a minimum requirement for the portfolio (a frequently asked question!). We want you to organically express yourself through your portfolio, that's a large part of how we get to know you, your skillset and what you want to accomplish in your time at TSOA. To elaborate on some of the aspects we would be looking for:
Projects that show the breadth of your creative, technical, and design work
Projects that show the breadth of your Information for projects presented in the portfolio (project names, dates, descriptions, credits/sources, etc.)creative, technical, and design work
Works should come from/relate to relevant coursework presented in your transcript
Your portfolio should be condensed into PDF format, up to 30 PDF pages within a single PDF file (under 50MB)
3 Letters of Recommendation - We expect one of these recommenders to be a current/previous academic reference.
Congratulations, you are now officially a TSOA applicant!
All applicants that get selected to move onto the next phase of the admissions process will be invited to interview with the Admissions Committee.
Applications are reviewed as they arrive until spots fill up for the Fall and Spring semesters. Applying by the admission deadlines maximizes consideration for merit-based scholarships.
The school recognizes that students come from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds. Some students have prior academic coursework or work experience in architecture that may enable them to enter the school at a more advanced level than those students without such experience. The school provides students the opportunity to apply prior learning and work experience toward their degree requirements at the School, while placing importance on living and working within the community in the development of a community-trained architect. For that reason, the school does not consider prior learning and work experience as justification for reducing the minimum residency requirement of two years.
A masters student seeking to use coursework completed at another institution must provide the Director of Admissions with an official transcript, the official explanation of the institution’s course numbering system and grading system, and the course description from the catalog of the institution. Students may choose to submit evidence of prior learning and work experience to document their entering levels. Students who submit thorough documentation of prior learning and work experience upon enrollment at the school will receive a thorough review of their prior experiences preceding enrollment. That review, completed by faculty, will be used to establish a foundation for required course work and Architectural Practice requirements.
The school may waive certain coursework and/or Architectural Practice requirements for students based on official transcripts received from accredited post-secondary institutions or documented architectural practice experience certified by the student’s supervisor. However, the student is still required to demonstrate Proficiency in the related learning outcomes. Students who do not choose to submit evidence of prior learning and work experience at the time of enrollment may choose to do so as part of any subsequent Learning Portfolio submission. That work will be evaluated during the regular review.
Students may apply for Architectural Practice credit from previous work by thoroughly documenting activities completed and hours worked under the supervision of a registered architect and signed by that supervisor. A maximum of 300 hours of previous work experience will be accepted toward fulfilling the School’s Architectural Practice requirements and are subject to the approval of the Review Committee.A maximum of 42 transfer credits from other institutions may be approved for use on the program of work. This is roughly equivalent to the number of credits awarded during the school’s first, foundation course of study.The grade must be B-(80% or higher) or above. Courses must be equivalent in quality and content to a graduate level course.Courses may not have been used toward another degree.Coursework earned on the quarter system is normally calculated at two-thirds of the credit for courses offered on a semesterly basis. Thus, a three credit-hour course taken on the quarter system may be transferred as no more than two credit hours.Coursework taken abroad or on other credit-hour systems will be recalculated for semester hour credit and the amount of credit approved will be determined by an evaluation of the content of the course as compared to an equivalent TSOA course. If approved for use, the course must be used within a six-year time limit. Courses older than six years may not be transferred.
We require all applicants whose first language is not English to adequately demonstrate English competency as a part of the application process. Students may demonstrate competency by submitting scores from IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL. Our institution requires a minimum overall band score of 7.3 on IELTS academic test. Acceptable TOEFL scores are between 95 and 109. The School of Architecture only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. An institutional code is NOT required. Please contact the test center directly where you took the IELTS test and request that your official test scores be sent electronically using the IELTS system. All IELTS test centers worldwide are able to send scores electronically to our institution.
E-delivery Account Name: Director of Admissions
E-delivery Account Address: admissions@tsoa.edu
Visa and Immigration Information
All newly accepted international students are required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to submit proof of ability to fund their first year of attendance prior to issuance of I-20 forms. Immediate family members joining the community will also need to prove sufficient funds. Persons entering the program should plan on a minimum of three years of attendance
The School of Architecture offers financial aid in the form of scholarships, loans, and Veteran’s benefits to students who wish to apply for assistance for our degree-granting programs. The Immersion Experience and our summer programs are not eligible for financial aid. Scholarships are merit-based, based on curricular, co-curricular and professional achievement. Additional considerations include financial need, gender and race identities, and other affiliations that contribute to a diverse student body.The School of Architecture has several donor sponsored scholarship opportunities available for our students. Donor sponsored school scholarships are issued on a per-term basis as you progress within the program.
Eligibility for scholarships must be re-established in each renewal period and is subject to funding availability, as well as considerations of your financial need and academic progress. All admissions application materials must be on file with the Admissions Office to be considered for any award. Awards are considered in order of application received. For full consideration of the scholarship(s) listed, all applicants must be sure to reference how they meet the qualifications per the description in the Statement of Purpose of their application.
Reach out to our Admissions team anytime to schedule a phone or video call!
Sign up to our newsletter and stay informed!
