Can I enrol in the BAS programme on a part-time basis or by distance learning?
This degree is not offered by distance-learning and we also do not have a part-time option, since the curriculum is highly integrated between courses, and thus is difficult to pursue course-by-course.  In special cases, with justification and approval from the degree convenor, students may be allowed to split the first year of study over two years, but one must still complete two years of study within three calendar years. 

Is the BAS degree internationally accredited?
Yes. The Wits BAS is accredited by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (nationally) and the Commonwealth Association of Architects (internationally). This means the Wits BAS degree is of an international standard and that Wits graduates will be allowed registration reciprocity in many countries.

How do Wits BAS graduates perform?
Wits is considered one of the continent’s top architecture schools. Wits architecture students have won various national and international design awards, and graduates are highly sought after by professional firms.

Do I need to write a National Benchmark Test to be accepted to the BAS?
No

What are the minimum academic requirements for admission?
Although your academic performance is scored based on the Wits APS system, there are 3 minimum criteria, measured by NSC (matric) results: an APS of 29 or above; a Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) mark of 50% or above; and an English mark of 50% or above. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee a place for any applicant. 

I will only complete my Grade 12 studies this year and do not have results yet. Can I apply now?
As long as your final results will become available by January of next year, yes, you can apply by uploading Grade 11 marks. These are treated as provisional, and no one is eliminated based on Grade 11 results.  When final Grade 12 results become available, they are used to make a final decision.

My grade 11 marks do not meet the requirements, but I’m hoping to boost them for matric. Can I still apply?
Yes, the final decision will be based on Grade 12 results. 

Am I eligible if I had less than 50% for Mathematics, or had a good mark in Mathematical Literacy but did not take Mathematics?
No. In both cases, you can seek out tutoring or a bridging course in order to write a matric Maths exam in next cycle in order to gain eligibility for the following academic year, or take an equivalent-level course.

My academic marks don’t meet the criteria, but I have experience in architecture or architectural draughting. Can the academic requirements be waived based on experience?
No. No amount of architectural experience will override the entry requirements.

What are the steps to apply?
Applicants must first apply online to Wits by June 30, then submit an application exercise by the published due date. Applicants with high scores on the exercise will be invited for interviews, which are the final step requiring the applicant’s active participation. From there, we determine the strength of applications; each applicant will either be declined, put on a waiting list, or sent a provisional offer. Firm offers can only be made after receiving final Grade 12 results. For more details, download the BAS Application Process document from the 'DOWNLOAD' link at the top of this page.

How do I know the status of my application?
Always check the email you used to complete the online application to Wits; changes to your application status will be sent to you by email.  Additionally, applicants must always check their application status using the Wits application portal.  Check the status there before contacting the School to inquire. 

How many applicants will be accepted?
The BAS programme targets a new intake of approximately 65 students.

How are the application exercises evaluated?
Understand that there is no right or wrong answer!  Your response enables us to evaluate your suitability for architecture. We do not want to see technical drawings; an imaginatively drawn exercise which communicates as many layers of meaning as possible scores well. Clear, logical but evocative graphic communication is important.

How will I know how I’ve done in the exercise?
Applicants who score well on the exercise will be invited for an interview; those who do not will be declined.  Specific evaluations scores are not released to applicants. 

How are applicants ranked?
We use an internal scoring system which gives equal weight to the three criteria: the exercise score, the interview score, and a score based on your APS.

When are the interviews?
Not all applicants are invited to interviews.  If you are invited, you will be informed by the date listed in the BAS Application Process document.

What if I don’t hear anything by the date interview invitations are sent out? 
First, check your status using the Wits application portal; it will show your current status.  If it shows that your application has not been declined, then check both the email you used for the online application, and the email you listed on the Exercise submission form, if different.  Check both your inbox and your spam/junk mail folders for any communication from a Wits email address (ending in @wits.ac.za).  After checking your status on the application portal and looking through both your inbox and spam/junk mail on any email address you may have used to communicate with Wits, if you still do not see any communication, you may email us at applications.bas@wits.ac.za.  

Can I apply for admission into the second or third year of the BAS based on my previous work or academic experience?  
Not directly.  All new applicants are treated as incoming first years, but once accepted one can pursue applying for recognition of prior learning (see the next question below).  Because a Wits requires that at least 50% of the credits must be completed at Wits in order to obtain a Wits degree, there are no circumstances in which a new student can gain credits which would place them beyond the second year of study.  

Can I get credits from Wits for architecture courses I have completed elsewhere, such as another university or technical college? 
It is technically possible to obtain credits through recognition of prior learning (RPL), but it is subject to a rigorous review, and is only undertaken after an applicant has applied, is accepted, and registers.  One must first apply as if an incoming first year applicant. 

Once a student is registered, one may apply for RPL and present evidence that substantially similar content for some courses has already been completed.  This is handled on a case-by-case basis. 

Generally, courses at other programmes validated by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP), or validated by professional bodies for which there is an international agreement will be more likely to have covered substantially similar content, but there is never a guarantee.  It is rare, but not impossible, for technical college courses to count towards RPL. 

Are there any other courses at Wits outside of architecture that will count for credits towards BAS?
Yes. The following courses would count towards our curriculum:

APPM1000A Applied Mathematics
CIVN2003A Civil Engineering Theory I
CIVN2018A Civil Engineering Theory I
CIVN 3005 Civil Engineering Theory II
CIVN3029A Civil Engineering Theory II
CIVN3030A Civil Engineering Theory III

What else can I do in the meantime to educate myself about architecture?
Architecture is a broad discipline requiring many types of knowledge, so there are many ways to prepare for it.

One may participate in our online course What do Architects & Urban Planners do? which can be done for free. 

Read books and serious international journals on architecture, such as Architect; Architectural Review; Architectural Record; or A+U. Please note that some popular magazines such as Visi and Dwell are not considered serious architectural journals. You can also look through architecture books in a local library or bookstore, or casually browse architecture websites; some of the most common ones are www.dezeen.com/architecture/, and archdaily.com, which features new projects every day.

Check our Events page to see if there are any upcoming public lectures, exhibits or other events that may interest you.  Other universities may have similar offerings.  Within Gauteng, these are often advertised through the Gauteng Institute for Architecture (GIfA), and elsewhere in South Africa there are equivalent associations (called voluntary associations) which may offer similar events.  

Start thinking critically about the world around you: look at buildings you like, or buildings by famous architects, and try to understand what you like about them. Carrying around a sketchbook in which you can draw what you see is a useful tool.

Where can I find more information about architecture degrees?
Check our website:  www.wits.ac.za/soap/architecture/