The AA is committed to ensuring that the most talented students from around the world are afforded the opportunity to study at the school. Approximately 20% of current AA students receive financial support in the form of scholarships, bursaries, travel grants, hardship funds and student assistantships in the Archive, Bookshop, Digital Prototyping Lab, Library, Material Arcade, Print Centre, Workshop and more. Opportunities for student assistantships are advertised here.
Application Rounds One and Two have now passed, but applications will remain open until programmes are full.
Apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Contact admissions@aaschool.ac.uk for further guidance on applying in Application Round Three.
Applicants who apply in Application Round One of their programme will usually have their interview take place from late January to end of February.
Applicants who apply in Application Round Two of their programme will usually have their interview take place in late April to early June.
The AA aims to inform each applicant about the outcome of their interview within two weeks, but this may take longer during the busiest periods of the admissions cycle.
The minimum entry requirement for the Diploma Programme MArch (ARB Master’s Level/RIBA Part 2) is a Bachelor’s degree (minimum lower second class honours/2.2) in architecture from a UK university or a degree of equivalent standard from a recognised university or higher education institution outside the UK.
English language exams vary in terms of how long they remain valid. If you passed one of these exams more than two years ago, please notify the Admissions Team so they can check whether it can be accepted. Candidates should provide the Admissions Team with a scanned copy of their official test certificate and/or the unique reference number for the test results (eg TRF for IELTS; URN for LanguageCert; PSI Skills for English and Pearson; and UER for Trinity College tests). The required scores must be achieved during a single sitting of the examination. Please do not post English results to the AA in hard copy.
You can make special requests for reasonable adjustments when you book your test if, for example, you have a disability and need extra equipment or help accessing the test location. Please ensure you do this prior to booking your test, as the AA cannot take mitigating circumstances into consideration after a test has been taken.
The English Language entry requirements for this programme can be met in one of the following ways:
New and continuing AA students from the UK and Ireland, and EU students who hold pre-settled or settled status are eligible for a tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company (SLC), equating to £6,000 per academic year. Dependent on financial circumstances, these students may also be eligible for a maintenance loan. To apply, applicants should directly contact the SLC. Please check the Student Finance website for eligibility and further information.
For students who are accepted for an SLC loan and have been awarded a two-term AA scholarship based on academic promise and financial need, which is the most common allocation for Intermediate and Diploma programme students, the total outlay can be less than £3,000 per year.
To apply for an AA Scholarship or Bursary, applicants must apply in Application Round One. The AA provides a large number of scholarships and bursaries to students who demonstrate exceptional promise and financial need.
Once a deposit has been received, the remainder of a given student’s tuition fees are payable in advance on either an annual or a termly basis.
The tuition fees for each programme are the same for all students, regardless of their nationality. Tuition fees are inclusive of AA Membership (£95 per year) and Student Forum Fees.
Applicants who have been offered a place before August 2026 will be given the opportunity to pay the full fees for the academic year to secure a discount for early payment of tuition fees. Full annual tuition fees should be paid by 31 August 2026 for a 3.5% discount. Fees and discounts are subject to annual review.
For applicants applying to join the Diploma Programme, the annual Tuition Fee is fixed for two consecutive years of study from 2026–28, subject to successful academic progression.
The following provides key information and guidance on the documents required for your application.
The AA is a higher education institution registered as a UKVI Student Sponsor with a track record of compliance.
Applicants who require a visa to study in the UK will be supported in their visa application by the AA. A unique Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number will be issued once an applicant has received an Unconditional Offer, formally accepted their place, paid their deposit and submitted the required documentation that confirms their eligibility for the Student Visa.
Details of the Student Visa and its eligibility criteria can be found on the gov.uk website, a more detailed guide will be sent out in June.
For questions relating to the admissions process, please contact admissions@aaschool.ac.uk.
For further information on bursaries, please contact bursaries@aaschool.ac.uk.
For further information on scholarships, please contact scholarships@aaschool.ac.uk.
Our FAQs list below has a wide variety of answers related to the admissions process. Please review this list before contacting the school directly.