1. Southern California Institute of Architecture, SCI-Arc (Los Angeles, California, USA) – A truly amazing architecture institute that provides a great opportunity to develope yourself as a well rounded architect. SCI-Arc is the leader in sustainable design and one of the best institutes for computational design. Additionally, and perhaps for many students most importantly, it is NAAB accredited which will be a requirement if you want to become a licensed architect in the United States (with some exceptions, California being one of them).
2. Columbia University-Columbia University is one of the consistently top-rated schools of architecture in the world. Their Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation began with Columbia College’s architecture program in 1881, making it one of the first in the United States. Today, architecture is still one of the school’s core programs, involving more than half of Columbia’s faculty and students. Focused on both research and professional training, the curriculum challenges the premises, history and direction of the profession. In addition to their Master of Science in Architectural Design and their Master of Science in Critical, Curatorial, and Conceptual Practices in Architecture, Columbia also offers opportunities in advanced architectural research.
3. Architectural Association, AA (London, England) – Remains one of our top favorite architecture school in the world as it demonstrates being a world leader in so many fields of architecture. Notably the best architecture firms around the world have a tendency to pick up these students as soon as they are finished. This is eventually one of the most important aspects of choosing a school, one with which will quickly set you up with a good job, therefore being a very good return on investment.
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT (Massachusetts, USA) – This institute has always been a leader in engineering and today is very involved with all facets of architectural teaching. What is remarkable about MIT is how involved they are with architecture, it is almost impossible to find an aspect of architecture that MIT is not involved with. This will spark your passion as an architect and keep you driven to succeed. Despite the relatively high cost (which unfortunately is very high throughout the United States), we believe it is a great investment.
5. Cooper Union -The Cooper Union is one of America’s oldest colleges dedicated to art and architecture education. Their Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture offers students a five-year undergraduate program in architecture. This was the first professional degree program to be accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The school combines research, theory, education, and other creative endeavors to explore architectural development. Cooper Union’s curriculum prepares students for the profession by giving them the technological skills they need, and an understanding of the needs of the humans that will be inhabiting the spaces they’ll help design to meet the increasingly complex societal needs. Students have use of an 8,000 square foot studio, with their own work area and drafting table. Their School of Architecture Computer Studio offers students their own workstations as well. In addition, with a faculty to student ratio of 1:5, students get personalized attention during their education.
6. Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, IaaC (Barcelona, Spain) – Another great architecture institute with a constantly increasing amount of programs including a recently added ‘Master in Advanced Interaction’ which will be available as of next term. Their Master in Advanced Architecture features, among others, a course in sustainability and self-sufficient design, which can be followed as a one or two year course. This incredible institute is found in one of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities in the world, the majestic city of Barcelona.
7. Technical University Delft (Delft, the Netherlands) – is among the very best in the world for both architecture and engineering. With World renowned faculty and several amazing programs to choose from. We have not featured Delft in the past few years after a disaster had struck when a faulty coffee machine caused the school to burn to the ground. The future of the school was uncertain and students were placed in large tents. The Dutch government made it its priority to rebuild as quick as possible, recently completing the new school which is better than ever.
8. Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts-The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture, located in Copenhagen, Denmark, is one of the oldest architectural schools in the world. The school–originally named The Royal Danish Painting, Sculpture and Building Academy of Copenhagen–was founded in 1754 as a 31st birthday gift to King Frederik V. The Academy educates students in three primary areas: building design, planning, and design. There are eleven departments in all–nine undergraduate and two graduate. Undergraduate departments include: town and landscape, process and methodology, space and habitation, space and form, building and realization, experiment and technology and conditions and vision. The master’s departments are town and building and design and industrial form.
9. University of Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan) – The Japanese are leaders in cultural design with a rich heritage in architecture. Not only are they among the world leaders in architectural design but in engineering as well. The University of Tokyo has proven to be among the elite universities in the world and a testimony to that is Tokyo itself, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, is not only a beautiful city but held strong during on of the largest earthquakes in history. University of Tokyo have an impressive list of alumni, including Toyo Ito and Arata Isozaki.

    10.  University of Texas at Austin– Founded in 1883, the University of Texas at Austin is a large, research-based      university that serves over 51,000 students. It placed 45th among national universities rankings in the 2011 edition of U.S. News and World Report.  The University of Texas at Austin has a strong program in architecture that offers several undergraduate degrees such as a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.), a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Architectural Studies (in which an Architecture History track is offered). Additional degree programs include a 6-year dual professional B.Arch./B.S. in Architectural Studies program and a 5-year B.Arch./Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Plan II dual degree program. Graduate degrees offered include two professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) degree programs. Several interdisciplinary graduate programs are offered through the school including sustainable design, urban design and historic preservation, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Architectural History and Preservation program.