Since 1847 the Architectural Association has taught architecture from Georgian townhouses on Bedford Square in Bloomsbury. It is independent, with no parent university, and runs its own undergraduate school alongside graduate programmes in design research, emergent technologies and housing. Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas both studied here. There is also a woodland campus, Hooke Park, in Dorset.
London, United Kingdom
Official website: aaschool.ac.uk
1847
Independent school of architecture
Bedford Square, London, and Hooke Park, Dorset
Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Richard Rogers
£30,000 – £36,000
Approximate, undergraduate and graduate programmes
£16,000 – £22,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on aaschool.ac.uk before you apply.
AA Undergraduate School (ARB/RIBA Part 1)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
AA Diploma School (ARB/RIBA Part 2)
Postgraduate DiplomaDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
MArch Design Research Laboratory
Masters DegreeDuration
16 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
MSc Emergent Technologies and Design
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
MA Housing and Urbanism
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
The unit system, where students join small design studios led by practising architects.
Hooke Park, a Dorset woodland where students build full-scale timber structures.
Public lectures, exhibitions and publications at Bedford Square.
Graduates join architecture practices in London and abroad, or set up their own studios.
Part 1 and Part 2 courses lead toward registration as an architect in the UK.
Eligible graduates can apply for the UK Graduate visa to work after the course.
Undergrad
Direct, rolling
Postgrad
Direct, rolling
Bedford Square is a short walk from the British Museum, Tottenham Court Road and the Elizabeth line. Studios often run late, and students spill out to pubs and cafes around Goodge Street.
London is expensive, and most students rent shared flats further out and commute by Tube or bus. Trips to Hooke Park add time outside the city.
CAS from Architectural Association School of Architecture
Proof of funds for fees and living costs
English test at B2 level or above
TB test certificate, if required
Immigration Health Surcharge payment
Valid passport with blank pages
The AA does not use UCAS. Apply directly with a portfolio, and expect an interview. Applications are reviewed through the year, so apply early for September, especially if you need a CAS.
Programmes start once a year, at the beginning of the autumn term.
A UK Student visa, sponsored by Architectural Association School of Architecture. Once you hold a CAS, apply online, show funds held for 28 days, and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Most decisions come back within three weeks from outside the UK.
The undergraduate school and graduate programmes such as the Design Research Laboratory and Emergent Technologies are the main routes. Admission rests on your portfolio and interview; English at around IELTS 6.5 is expected.
The AA runs a scholarship and bursary fund, with awards given on financial need and merit. Places are limited, so apply early and check the fees and funding pages.
