Careers › Built environment

How to become a Architect

Designs buildings and spaces - part art, part engineering.

This needs more than the degree

You can’t call yourself an architect on a bachelor’s degree alone. The usual route is a bachelor’s, then a professional Master’s, then several years of supervised practice before SACAP (the South African Council for the Architectural Profession) will register you.

Apply early

Selection programmes like this often close months before the standard application deadline, and marks alone don’t guarantee a place. See the Dates page for the exact closing dates.

What does a Architect actually do?

More about this career

Architecture is a long route – a bachelor’s degree, then usually a professional master’s, then years of supervised practice before you can register and call yourself an architect. The day-to-day mixes design and drawing with client meetings, budgets and building regulations, and most firms expect strong 3D software skills alongside the creative side.

Where this degree can take you

  • Architectural Technologist
  • Interior Architect
  • Urban Designer
  • Landscape Architect

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Mathematics
  • Visual Arts or Engineering Graphics & Design (helpful)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the programmes we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 13 of 14 programmes
  • Technical Mathematics – asked for by 5 of 14 programmes
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 4 of 14 programmes
  • Life Sciences – asked for by 2 of 14 programmes
  • Physical Sciences – asked for by 1 of 14 programmes

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each programme links to the page it came from.

Programmes that lead here

14 programmes at 10 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Diploma in Landscape Architecture

Applied Sciences (Horticultural Sciences), Bellville Campus · 3 years

CPUT APS 30 points (method varies by programme)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Life Sciences: level 4 (50% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against CPUT’s own prospectus course page. APS 30 on the Mathematics route, 31 with Technical Maths, 32 with Mathematical Literacy. CPUT calculates this programme’s APS using one of three methods, confirmed from page 3 of CPUT’s own 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus - see CPUT_APS for the arithmetic.

Source: View the official page (prospectus.cput.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Architectural Technology

Architecture, Planning and Design

CPUT APS 30 points (method varies by programme)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 6 (70% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against CPUT’s own prospectus course page. APS 30 with Mathematics, 32 with Mathematical Literacy. Technical Drawing and Design subjects are recommended; an Extended Curriculum Programme version needs APS 26 / 28. CPUT calculates this programme’s APS using one of three methods, confirmed from page 3 of CPUT’s own 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus - see CPUT_APS for the arithmetic.

Source: View the official page (prospectus.cput.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Architectural Technology (Extended Curriculum)

Architecture, Planning and Design · 4 years

CPUT APS 26 points (method varies by programme)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against CPUT’s own prospectus course page. Extended Curriculum Programme (4 years). APS 26 with Mathematics, 28 with Mathematical Literacy. CPUT calculates this programme’s APS using one of three methods, confirmed from page 3 of CPUT’s own 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus - see CPUT_APS for the arithmetic.

Source: View the official page (prospectus.cput.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Landscape Architecture (Extended Curriculum)

Applied Sciences (Horticultural Sciences), Bellville Campus · 4 years

CPUT APS 28 points (method varies by programme)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Life Sciences: level 3 (40% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against CPUT’s own prospectus course page. Extended Curriculum Programme (4 years). APS 28 with Mathematics, 29 with Technical Mathematics, 30 with Mathematical Literacy. CPUT calculates this programme’s APS using one of three methods, confirmed from page 3 of CPUT’s own 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus - see CPUT_APS for the arithmetic.

Source: View the official page (prospectus.cput.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Durban University of Technology

No cut-off published

Bachelor of the Built Environment in Architecture

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against the DUT 2027 Study Opportunities entry-requirements table (subject levels match; the prospectus also lists three further recognised subjects at level 4 and an aptitude test for the top 300 applicants). Read directly from DUT’s own career leaflet - no single APS number is stated, only these two subject minimums. Graduates register with SACAP as a Candidate Architectural Technologist, not as a full architect. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Nelson Mandela University

Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS)

Engineering, the Built Environment & Technology · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 370 out of 600

  • Mathematics: 55%
  • Portfolio and interview – A portfolio submission and interview are required; admission is only confirmed after these are held.

Followed by a further BAS Honours year and a professional Master of Architecture for full registration. RAW-CONFIRMED against the user-supplied NMU Z-Card admissions summary. From NMU’s own faculty "UG Guide" PDFs, most of which are dated/closing in 2024 - apparently covering the 2025 intake, not independently confirmed as current for 2027 (NMU appears to roll these forward with the same structure each year, but treat the figures as "last confirmed" rather than "2027-verified"). No 2027 closing date is stated.

Source: View the official page (eleceng.mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Tshwane University of Technology

Selection programme

BArch (Architecture)

Engineering & the Built Environment · 4 years

TUT APS 25 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Four subjects at level 4 – A bachelor’s-degree endorsement with four subjects at level 4 or better.
  • Mathematics (from 2027) – From 2027 TUT also requires Mathematics at level 4, Technical Mathematics at level 4 or Mathematical Literacy at level 5.

New row, read directly from TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus (tut-pass-3). Selection beyond the APS is described in the prospectus. Closing date not found in the documents read - check TUT’s website.

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Cape Town

Bachelor of Architectural Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

UCT Faculty Points Score 450 out of 600 (band a)

  • Mathematics: 50%
  • English: 50%
  • Portfolio – A portfolio score of 75% is needed for Band A, 68% for Band B and 50% for Band C.
  • Written motivation – A written motivation is required.

Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 450. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 408 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (348) applies to redress categories only.

Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Johannesburg

Bachelor of Architecture

Art, Design and Architecture · 3 years

UJ APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Portfolio & entrance assessment – An entrance assessment and a prescribed portfolio are required; Mathematical Literacy is not accepted.

CONFIRMED 2026-10-02 against the user-supplied 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus PDF (B ARCHITECTURE, B8BA3Q): APS 30, English 5 (60%+), Mathematics 5 (60%+) - Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics both explicitly not accepted. 3 years.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Architecture

Art, Design and Architecture · 3 years

UJ APS 25 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 34, programme code D8AT1Q. APS 25 with Mathematics, 26 with Technical Mathematics; Mathematical Literacy not accepted.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of KwaZulu-Natal

From an older document

Bachelor of Architectural Studies

Agriculture, Engineering & Science · 3 years

UKZN APS 30 points out of 48

  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Portfolio – Applicants who meet the minimum are asked to submit a portfolio of original creative work.

Read 2026-10-04 from the table in the Study@UKZN 2026 brochure (CAO code KN-H-BAR); published APS range 48-30. This comes from the Study@UKZN 2026 brochure, the most recent official source we could find. UKZN had not published a 2027 table when we checked, so treat these as 2026 figures pending a 2027 update. Applications go through the CAO.

Source: View the official page (studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za) (opens the official page)

University of Pretoria

Selection programme

BSc Architecture

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more)

BSc Architecture is a selection programme - meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place. Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of the Free State

Selection programme

Bachelor of Architecture (BArch)

Natural & Agricultural Sciences

UFS AP score 30 points out of 49

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

New row, from the user-supplied 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus. Closing date for application and selection form is 31 July.

Source: View the official page (ufs.ac.za) (opens the official page)

University of the Witwatersrand

Selection programme

Bachelor of Architectural Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

Wits APS 29 points

  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Application exercise – A written and graphic application exercise is required, and some applicants are invited to an interview; the exercise, interview and Wits APS score are weighted equally in the final decision. No NBT.

CORRECTED 2026-10-02 by a direct, verbatim-quoted fetch of the live course-finder page: the minimum is a Wits APS of 29 - there is no 34 "standard" threshold or 29-33 discretionary band. An earlier pass (via web search, not a raw read) had found a 34-vs-29 conflict and resolved it the wrong way round, showing 34 as the qualifying figure; this correction reverses that. Meeting 29 plus the subject minimums does not guarantee a place - admission is ranked against that year’s applicant pool, and places are limited.

Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Are your marks enough?

Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every programme above – scored each university’s own way.

What do I qualify for?