Undergraduate Application and Portfolio Requirements

Application Information

The policies and procedures for application and admission are as follows:

Application and transcripts must be submitted online to the Office of Undergraduate Admission (Freshman, Transfer, International Student) ; portfolios and letters of recommendation are submitted to the School of Architecture’s Office of Academic Services & Placement (see below for more information). Enrollment in the School of Architecture is selective and limited by space and other resources; early application is encouraged.

Undergraduate Admission

Applications for incoming freshmen are processed and reviewed by the Office of Admissions.

The University of Miami uses a holistic admission process in which all parts of a student’s application are considered. Every application receives a full and comprehensive evaluation. We base our admission decision on the student’s academic strength and how competitive that student is in the applicant pool.

There is no minimum GPA or test score requirement for admission. The Admission Committee does not recalculate high school GPAs. We use the GPA (weighted and/or unweighted) provided by your high school. Although not a requirement, a competitive freshman student for admission has a strong A-/B+ average, around a 1320 SAT and/or around a 30 ACT test score, and ranks in the top 10% of their graduating class. All School of Architecture applicants are required to submit a portfolio.

Keep in mind that a student who meets all of these criteria is not guaranteed admission; however, the closer a student is to this profile, the more competitive that student is for admission.

Transfer Admission

Applications for transfer are processed by the University of Miami Office of Admissions and are reviewed by the Architecture Undergraduate Faculty Admissions Committee. Portfolios and letters of recommendation are to be submitted to the School of Architecture.

The minimum requirements for transfer admission are:

3.0 minimum Grade Point Average
Three letters of recommendation
Portfolio is required for advanced placement. Design studio work must be included.

Summer Studio: Students accepted for transfer into the third year design sequence are required to attend a design studio held the summer before their third year. Admission to the Bachelor of Architecture program is subject to satisfactory performance in this design class.

University of Miami Students: Students currently enrolled at the University of Miami in another major who are requesting transfer into the School of Architecture must fill out a “Change of Major” request form and send it to the School of Architecture. Admission is subject to review by the Architecture Faculty Undergraduate Admissions Committee. Students with less than 24 academic credits will be considered as entering freshmen, while those who have completed 24 or more credits will be asked to submit a portfolio. Please note that students enrolled in other majors are not permitted to take required architecture classes and will be advised by the School in which they are registered.

Students Holding a Previous Degree: Applications are not accepted from students who have an undergraduate degree. These students should apply to the Master of Architecture Professional Degree Program. For more information, contact the Office of Academic Services at 305-284-3731.

Portfolio Requirements for Undergraduate Programs

The portfolio requirement offers candidates an opportunity to share their visual interests. The work may include but is not limited to reproductions of: drawings, paintings, photographs, mixed-media, graphics, or photographs of ceramics, sculpture, wood-work, and models. Freehand drawings are strongly encouraged while CAD or drafting assignments are not required nor encouraged. Slides and electronic media will not be viewed and therefore should not be included in the portfolio.

Each student may determine the binder or folder that best contains the work. Simple, easy-to-turn pages that are well organized have a greater impact than expensive binders or complicated systems.

The portfolio format is as follows:

Preferred size is 8.5 X 11 inches (horizontal or vertical).
Cover page (inside the portfolio) with name, program you are applying for: (freshman or transfer), mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
Each project or image must be accompanied by a written description of when the piece was done, why (for class,individually, etc.) and, if the work is part of a group project, exactly which part of the project reflects the candidate’s work.

A self-addressed, postage pre-paid envelope must be included for portfolio return. Portfolios are not retained after the application process.

University of Miami
School of Architecture
Office of Academic Services
Re: Undergraduate Portfolio
1223 Dickinson Drive, Bldg 48E
Coral Gables, FL 33146-5010
Any questions, call 305-284-3731

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of academic recommendation are required of each transfer applicant. Applicants with an architectural background should request letters from their architecture professors. Professional recommendations may be submitted in addition to the three required academic letters. Letters are not to be included in the portfolio. Please mail your letters of recommendation to: