Registrant Resources

Employment in an architectural firm is not mandatory at the time of application to the IAP. However, you will need employment to progress through the work experience requirements of the IAP. More information about suitable work experience scenarios can be found in the Internship in Architecture Program Manual (PDF) and Appendix B: Specific Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) Requirements (PDF).

Prior to accepting employment, it is your responsibility to ensure that the position offered will provide the required scope of experience, and that the experience situation will meet the approval of the AIBC. Intern architects seeking employment are encouraged to monitor the Job Opportunities listing on the AIBC web site. You can also research architectural firms by viewing member firm profiles and web sites available through the AIBC’s searchable online directory.

If during the course of the IAP you change your employer, please notify the AIBC and submit a new letter of confirmation.

Prospective employers seeking additional information regarding their potential participation in the IAP can review the AIBC’s Supervising Architect and Mentor Guidelines (PDF).

A mentor must be selected and confirmed at the time of application to the IAP. Please see Find a Mentor.

Throughout your internship, you should be meeting with your mentor for regular reviews of experience progress, discussion of career objectives and broader issues related to the profession.

If during the course of the IAP you change your mentor, please notify the AIBC and submit a new letter of confirmation.

The AIBC requires a minimum 3720 hours of recorded architectural experience, which must be gained in specified areas of architectural practice while under the personal supervision and direction of an architect registered in B.C. or a reciprocal jurisdiction. You must gain at least 940 hours (six months) of the work experience hours during your time as an intern in British Columbia, working on British Columbia projects.

You must submit all your experience on the Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) (PDF). Please read the CERB instructions carefully prior to completion and submission.

Also, please ensure you have signed the intern declaration and that your employer and mentor have both completed and signed their comment and declaration forms. Your employer must also initial each page of the submission.

All CERB forms are accepted in hard copy or email. CERB submissions take between two and four months to process. Upon approval of the submitted CERB, a Periodic Assessment form showing the logged hours and any completed courses and/or exams will be returned to you via email. If there are any applicablepenalty fees an email explaining the fees will be included along with the Periodic Assessment form.

You should submit your work experience regularly. As of January 1, 2013, all the experience you submit must be gained while you are a registered intern architect. If you are working full time, you must report work experience no later than eight months from the date of the first (i.e., oldest) hours being claimed (see graph).

If you are working part-time, the deadline is extended such that work experience must be reported no later than 12 months from the date of the first (i.e., oldest) hours being claimed.

If you fail to report your work experience within the deadline, a late fee will be applied and you will be required to supply additional evidence to support your claim. You may still report, with restrictions, until:

• 12 months from the date of the first (i.e., oldest) full-time hours; or
• 18 months from the date of the first (i.e., oldest) part-time

For more information on experience requirements and submission guidelines, please refer to the IAP Manual (PDF) and Appendix B: Specific Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) Requirements (PDF), or contact the AIBC.

Note: The Architects Act requires an intern architect to obtain three years of work experience before they are eligible for registration as an architect. The three years may be reduced to two years on a case-by-case basis if the intern architect has approved work experience prior to enrolment within the IAP. This will be subject to review and approval by AIBC Council. Typically, it takes at least three years to gain and log the work experience necessary in each of the required Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) categories.

• Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) (PDF)

Before they can apply for registration as an Architect AIBC, Intern Architects AIBC and Broadly Experienced Applicant (BEA) candidates are required to attend, in full, a minimum number of professional development courses to ensure competency.

New professional development requirements were recently introduced and will be fully implemented by 2020. To review the requirements that apply to Intern Architects AIBC and BEA candidates, see Ongoing Courses.

• View or print the current AIBC Course Schedule (PDF).
• Register for courses online.

To fulfill the examination requirements of the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP), the AIBC requires you to complete either the Examination for Architects in Canada (ExAC) or the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s Architect Registration Examinations (NCARB ARE).

The two exams differ in a number of important ways, including eligibility, exam dates, fees and benefits. You have a choice of which exam you write. See the Internship in Architecture Exam Comparison: NCARB ARE vs ExAC (PDF) for a side-by-side comparison of both exams. Visit the official websites below for more information and study resources for each exam:

• ExAC website
• NCARB ARE website – Find a complete overview of this exam, along with practice graphic vignettes and other study resources, including a Preparing for the ARE section.

Before you can apply for registration as an architect, you must successfully complete an oral review. Intern architects who have completed and submitted at least 2800 hours of the work experience requirements, along with all the required professional development courses, are eligible for the oral review.

The oral review is an exam that is structured as an interview with a panel of three registered architects who assess your overall understanding of the profession and your responsibilities and obligations as a professional. The interview panel will pose questions to determine the currency of your experience and knowledge, as well as your competence to practice in British Columbia.

Application Process

Oral review rounds are offered at least three times per year. The AIBC announces the opening of each application round through its email Notices. For detailed information and to apply for your oral review, see Oral Review: Information and Application Form (PDF).

While the AIBC strives to schedule all received applicants in each round, we may not be able to accommodate every applicant due to limited space. If applications exceed available oral review panels, candidates will be prioritized based on their level of program completion. Additional dates may also be added.

Oral Review Workshop

The AIBC hosts a free Oral Review Preparation Workshop before each round of Oral Reviews. Attendance is highly recommended for all Intern Architects AIBC and Broadly Experienced Applicant (BEA) candidates. Mentors of intern architects are also welcome.

Current Oral Review Schedule

• Winter
  Oral Review Dates: March 7; March 11; March 12
  Application Period: Monday, January 14 – Tuesday, February 5 (at 4 p.m.)
  Oral Review Workshop: Monday, February 11 at 6 p.m.
• Spring
  Oral Review Dates: June 19; June 25; June 26
  Application Period: Monday, April 8 – Tuesday, April 30 (at 4 p.m.)
  Oral Review Workshop: Monday, May 27 at 6 p.m.
• Fall
  Oral Review Dates: September 18; September 19; September 24
  Application Period: Monday, July 29 – Tuesday, August 20 (at 4 p.m.)
  Oral Review Workshop: Thursday, September 5 at 6 p.m

Download the 2019 Oral Review Schedule (PDF).

Reference Documents

• • Bulletin 15: The Oral Review (PDF)
  • Oral Review Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  • The Oral Review – Info for Candidates (PDF)
  • The Oral Review – Info for Panelists (PDF)
  • The Oral Review – Examples of Questions (PDF)

Registration with the AIBC as an intern architect requires you to be enrolled in the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP). See Apply to IAP for information and application instructions.

Upon successful completion of national and provincial requirements, intern architects are eligible to apply for registration as an architect. The application package must include:

• Completed Application for Registration Form – Following completion of the Internship in Architecture Program (PDF), including payment information for application and annual fees.
• Photo Identification Form (PDF) (if photo on file is more than five years old)

Fees Due upon Application by Way of IAP

When submitting an application you must pay an application fee plus the prorated annual fee, which is dependent on the date your application is submitted. Use the following table to determine your fees:

For more information about application and annual fees due upon application to the AIBC, please refer to:

• Bulletin 1: Fees, Fines and Charges
• Bulletin 1 Appendix A: Application and Prorated Annual Fees for Registration as an Architect or Associate

Intern architects in good standing may voluntarily resign from the AIBC in writing at any time. You must be up to date with your annual renewal fees to be able to resign in good standing. If you resign part way through the year after having paid your annual fee, you will be eligible for a partial refund.

If you would like to resign, please review your options in Bulletin 5: Resignation of Registration (PDF). To proceed with your resignation from the AIBC please send a notice in writing to the Registration and Licensing Department at registration@aibc.ca.

An intern architect may cease to be registered through voluntary resignation, non-payment of annual fees, or suspension and removal related to disciplinary action. Your eligibility, requirements and processes for reinstatement of registration vary in each circumstance.

In all cases, your reinstatement becomes official only after you have paid the current application and annual fee, and your application has been reviewed by the Registration and Licensing Board and approved by AIBC Council.

• Bulletin 2: Reinstatement of Registration (PDF)
• Photo Identification Form (PDF)

If you have any questions regarding the reinstatement process, please contact the Registration & Licensing department at registration@aibc.ca.

Intern architects registered with the AIBC are required to pay annual fees. Fees are determined annually by the AIBC Council and provided in Bulletin 1: Fees, Fines and Charges.

As set in the Architects Act, February 1 is the annual deadline for renewal of registration and payment of fees. Find detailed information, including payment instructions, on the AIBC’s Annual Renewal page.

In the event of financial hardship, family leave and/or medical disability, you can apply to the AIBC for a full waiver of your annual renewal fees. This may permit you to retain your registration and meet your professional responsibilities for a period of time without requiring you to resign due to personal circumstances and have to later seek reinstatement.

Further information, including the application form, is available in Bulletin 3: Waiver or Reduction of Annual Renewal Fee (PDF).

This bursary, which is a $1,000 credit at the AIBC, is awarded to an Intern Architect AIBC who is in good standing, and has demonstrated the financial need and intention to become a registered Architect AIBC. Application period starts in March and closes in April.

For more information, see Scholarship & Bursary Program

The Intern Architect Committee provides services and support to intern architects seeking registration. The committee provides input to the AIBC’s Registration Board, and is called upon by the board when it seeks feedback regarding the Internship in Architecture Program. Committee members organize intern architect-specific events, coordinate and maintain study materials, and help inform policy decisions by acting as a representative body for the intern architect community in British Columbia. To contact a committee member, please email registration@aibc.ca.

It is your professional responsibility to keep your records up to date with us. You can update your contact information by logging in to AIBC’s secure registrant site.