Applying to IAAC? Five doubts applicants share, and how to move past them

Architects are the largest group at IAAC, and they study alongside engineers, designers, urbanists and people who come from the sciences and the humanities. IAAC is a multidisciplinary institution, and the admissions process looks at what each applicant brings: academic background, professional experience, technical skills and motivation. Some programmes have specific technical requirements, listed on each programme page, so reading the page of the master you are interested in is the best first step.

If you have never used the software at the core of a programme, such as Rhino, Grasshopper or Python, the Academic Committee may assign you pre-courses. They take place in the three weeks before the academic year starts, in Barcelona for on-campus programmes and online for the Master in Advanced Computational Design for Architecture, and they help you start the master at the same pace as your classmates. Pre-courses have their own fees, listed on the Fees & Scholarships page. If you already know some of these tools, list them in your CV and show them in your portfolio, so the academic team can see your skills.

All IAAC programmes are taught in English, the shared language of a community with students from all over the world. IAAC requires no English certificate: the team assesses your level during the admissions process, mainly in the interview. If you have an IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge or similar certificate you can upload it, and it counts in your favour. If your test is still in progress, the team’s advice is to submit your application now and add the result later, if you wish. Spanish and Catalan are useful in daily life in Barcelona, and knowing them gives no advantage in the scholarship evaluation.

The portfolio is where you show what you have already done: your projects, your skills and your interests. The advice the team repeats most is that perfection is the enemy of progress. Every year some high-achieving applicants spend so long refining their portfolio that they never submit their application.

A strong IAAC portfolio is a curated selection. Many applicants choose between three and ten projects they are proud of, with the work they consider strongest at the beginning. A few guidelines from the session:

• Include projects you have actually worked on, with drawings, renders, sketches, models or photos.
• Work in progress is welcome when it is relevant, because the academic team is interested in your process as much as in the outcome.
• Group projects are welcome too, with a short note on your role.
• Personal experiments, for example with Blender, TouchDesigner or 3D printing, show curiosity and a maker attitude, a quality IAAC values. Place them after your main work.
• Ideas you would like to develop but have not started yet belong in your letter of motivation.

The portfolio is a single PDF in A4 format, up to 10 MB. For applicants without a design background it is optional, and you can share research papers, publications or writing samples that show what you are capable of.

Final-year students can apply. Upload a provisional transcript or a letter from your university confirming that you will graduate before the programme starts. The same applies if you have completed all your credits and are finishing your thesis. Your admission will be conditional on submitting your certified and legalised degree certificate before the start date. Starting early also gives you time to complete the legalisation of your degree, which can take several weeks.

You can apply to one IAAC programme per application cycle, so it is worth taking the time to compare them. Each programme has a booklet that you can download from its page, and you can book a 30-minute video call with the admissions team or write to applications@iaac.net to talk through your options. In the Application Portal you can also indicate a secondary choice, which is considered only if your first-choice application is rejected or closed.

IAAC reviews applications on a rolling basis, first come, first served, and places are limited. Applying early means an earlier decision, more time to organise your visa and your move to Barcelona, and earlier access to funding opportunities, which are finite. The current application rounds and their conditions are published every year on the Admissions page and on the Fees & Scholarships page.