International Certification FAQs

A consultation with the Director of Global Programs is suggested prior to beginning the process of International Certification. If you are interested in scheduling a consultation, please send an email to international@naab.org.

It can take a program in candidacy between one to three years after the conclusion of Visit Two: Candidacy to be considered for the International Certification designation.  

A term of International Certification is effective the January of the year that the visit occurs. 

All student work must be uploaded to the program’s digital platform which the team will access 45 days prior to the visit.

A professional video is not required. Someone touring the building(s) and support spaces using a cell phone camera to show each type of space is acceptable if the audio and visuals are clear. Videos should be no longer than 15 minutes.

• All student studio work and course notebooks. (The program should adhere to the latest edition of the NAAB Digital Guidelines when preparing these materials.)

• SPC matrices.

• The virtual video tour of the facilities.

• The team chair and program director will identify the time in the agenda schedule for team review. These documents should not be transferred to the team in any way. The preferred mechanism for sharing these documents is via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection in view-only. Access to these documents should be provided in accordance with institutional protocols, to include non-disclosure agreements, if required.

• If the visiting team requests additional evidence during the visit, the program will securely grant access to such evidence by uploading it to a folder marked “Additional Evidence,” using the same file-sharing method as that of the original evidence.

All materials must be translated to English for the International Certification visit.

The 2019 editions of these two documents are currently in effect. Visit the NAAB website for current and historic editions of the Conditions and Procedures for International Certification.

A substantive change is a notable change in the professional degree program, the school of architecture, or the institution in which the architecture program resides that may affect the quality of the program or its ability to remain in compliance with the quality criteria of the Conditions for NAAB International Certification.

The dean or chief academic officer of the International Certification program that proposes to implement a substantive change must provide written notification of the proposed change to NAAB before the change is implemented. If a program is unclear about whether a change is substantive in nature, the dean should consult with NAAB staff.

Section 8 of the 2019 Procedures outlines substantive changes that require a notification and review by the NAAB International Committee Review Panel.

A list of programs holding the International Certification designation is available on the NAAB website.

As required by the NAAB Conditions for International Certification, each program must make its most recent VTR available on its website. In addition, past VTRs are available on the NAAB website. NAAB publishes all VTRs after International Certification decisions are made, for use by current or prospective students and faculty, as well as the public.

Graduates of architecture programs holding NAAB International Certification at the point of graduation must demonstrate that their education meets the NCARB Education Standard through the Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) program before seeking an architecture license in a United States jurisdiction. Graduates of architecture programs holding NAAB International Certification are eligible for an expedited review at a discounted fee. For more information the program, please the EESA webpage.