How to Apply

Here, you’ll find everything you need to navigate your application to IAAC

From application periods and admission requirements to tuition details, life in Barcelona, and what to expect after admission, this page is your first step toward joining our student community!

IAAC Barcelona

IAAC’s online Application Portal streamlines the admissions process, allowing you to submit documents, track your application, and receive important updates from our admissions team in one place.

Once registered, you’ll access a personalized dashboard to monitor missing documents, key dates, and application progress. Before entering the portal via the link below, we recommend reviewing this page to ensure you have all necessary information.

Admission Events

Every year, IAAC hosts a series of events aimed at disseminating information about the institute to prospective students. Our Admissions events include virtual open days, which offer a general overview of the institute as well as an introduction to the IAAC academic portfolio.

Each Programme also hosts a series of webinars offering in-depth information about the programme structure and feature alumni stories, or project-based content. In addition to our virtual events, IAAC opens the doors of its Main Hall and Fabrication Lab for an in-person campus visit where prospective students can have a first hand look at the work spaces and digital fabrication technologies taught in our programmes.

IAAC Barcelona
Virtual Open Days
Next date: to be announced Register
IAAC Barcelona
Programme Webinars
Next date:
March 17th – 21st
Learn more
IAAC Barcelona
On-campus Visits
If you would like to visit us, please contact us and we will be happy to accommodate a date for you! Contact us at [email protected] Email us

Admissions Overview

Eligibility Criteria

IAAC welcomes applicants of all nationalities, ages, genders, and disciplines. Our programmes are multidisciplinary, enriched by students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, including architecture, urbanism, design, engineering, and related fields. Depending on the programme and the applicant’s technical skills, majors such as business, biology, environmental science, and social sciences may also be considered.

Some programmes have specific eligibility criteria and technical requirements—please check the webpage of your programme of interest for details.

Applicants must meet the following requirements before applying:

  • Academic Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree that qualifies the candidate to enroll in a master’s programme before the course’s start date.
  • English proficiency: All IAAC activities are conducted in English. While an English proficiency certificate is not required, language skills will be assessed during the interview. Applicants may submit a certificate as a supporting document (optional).
  • Availability: Applicants must be available from the official start date and for the full duration of the programme.
  • Financial Readiness: Applicants are responsible for funding their studies in full. IAAC cannot provide financial assistance to those who knowingly apply without sufficient funding.
Application Process
Steps for applicants
  1. Review Eligibility Requirements – Check general and programme-specific criteria.
  2. Collect all supporting documents – Provide all necessary supporting materials and document (see section below).
  3. Submit Online Application – Complete your application through IAAC’s application portal
  4. Application Fee – Pay the non-refundable application fee (50€).
Mandatory Supporting Documents
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume: – PDF format
  • Portfolio: – PDF, A4 format, max 10MB
    • Showcase academic or professional work.
    • Note: A portfolio is not required for applicants without a design background. However, we encourage these applicants to submit a sample of relevant work that demonstrates their skills and interests. Acceptable submissions may include project samples, research papers, publications, writing samples, or any other work that is directly related to the programme. These materials should highlight the applicant’s capabilities and align with the focus of the programme they are applying to.
  • Letter of Motivation: PDF format
    • Must be written in English.
    • Outline your motivation and suitability for your chosen programme. Include relevant skills, experience, and knowledge.
  • Two (2) Letters of Recommendation: PDF format
    • Letters can come from academic or professional sources.
    • The request for letters is managed through the applications portal.
    • Applicants can provide their recommenders’ email addresses, or upload recommendation files in the applications portal.
    • Tip: Contact your referees in advance to inform them of the request.
  • Copy of the applicant’s Bachelor’s degree: PDF format
    • Applicants in a joint Bachelor’s + Master’s programme may upload that diploma.
    • If you have not yet graduated but are expected to do so before the programme begins, please provide a provisional transcript or a certificate from your university confirming your expected graduation date prior to the start of your chosen programme.
  • Copy of the applicant’s passport information page: PDF or JPEG format

Optional Supporting Documents:

  • Certificate of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge, or similar)
    • Not mandatory; English skills will be assessed in the interview.
Application Periods

    IAAC accepts applications on a rolling basis, meaning that applications are reviewed and acceptance notifications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. As the number of available spaces in our programmes is limited, we highly encourage prospective students to submit their applications as early as possible to maximize their chances of securing a place in the programme.

    Important: We strongly advise non-EU applicants to apply during the early application periods, well in advance of their intended start date. The student visa application process, which is a separate procedure, may take several weeks or months, depending on the applicant’s country of origin. Therefore, it is crucial to allow sufficient time for visa processing to avoid any delays in enrollment.

    There are four application periods to apply throughout the applications cycle:

    • 1st Period: November 4th – January 18th
    • 2nd Period: January 20th – March 30th
    • 3rd Period: April 1st – May 31st
    • 4th Period: June 1st – August 9th (Online Programmes & Applicants from the EU Only)

    *Applications for on-campus programmes received after May 31st will be reviewed based on the availability of places in the master programme selected.

Selection and Evaluation Process
  1. Administrative Eligibility Check
    Applications will be screened by our admissions team to ensure all criteria are met and that all mandatory supporting documents are submitted. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  2. Interview Process
    Eligible applicants will be invited to a virtual interview with the programme’s academic coordinator or director. The interview will assess academic and technical qualifications as well as the applicant’s suitability for the programme.

    Tip: The interview is an interactive dialogue. Be prepared to discuss your background, motivations, and any questions you may have about the programme or IAAC.
  3. Academic Review
    The admissions committee will review the applicant’s personal statement, certificates, transcripts, digital portfolio, and references. Interview notes and scores will also be considered to provide a holistic assessment.

    Evaluation Criteria:
    The admissions committee evaluates applications based on the following factors:

    • Academic background
    • Professional experience
    • Portfolio quality
    • Technical skills
    • Motivation and research aptitude
  4. Application Results
    Results are communicated within two to three weeks after the interview via email. Accepted applicants must confirm enrolment and pay the required deposit within four weeks of the date of acceptance.

Conditional Acceptance Offer
Some applicants may receive a conditional offer if they have not yet met academic or English language requirements. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide proof of meeting these conditions as soon as possible. Please note that offers may be withdrawn earlier if the programme reaches full capacity.

Post-Application Information

Acepting your Offer

Accepted students must confirm enrolment by paying a non-refundable enrolment deposit within three (3) weeks after receiving the acceptance letter. The Enrolment deposit is deducted from the programmes´ tuition fees.

Visit our Fees and Scholarships page to review the current Enrolment deposit fees.

Pre Courses

Pre-courses are introductory intensive courses offered to accepted applicants who may need to refine their proficiency in the software and tools central to the IAAC curriculum. In addition, pre-courses provide students the opportunity to gain exposure to IAAC’s methodology, while also familiarising themselves with the campus and their classmates before the academic year begins.

Important: Attendance to the pre-courses can be mandatory, highly recommended or optional depending on the technical background of the applicant. This is determined during the admission process under the purview of the academic committee of each programme.

The Academic Committee of each programme has the right to assign 3 up to mandatory pre-courses to an applicant.

Pre-courses are offered for the following programmes :

  • Master in Advanced Architecture (MAA)
  • Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities (MAEBB)
  • Master in AI for Architecture and the Built Environment (MAAI)
  • Master in Advanced Urban Planning and Data Analytics (MUPD) (formerly Masters in City & Technology)
  • Master in Design for Emergent Futures (MDEF)
  • Master in Robotics & Advanced Construction (MRAC)
  • Postgraduate degree in 3D Printed Architecture (3DPA)
  • Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture and Design (MACAD).
Topics covered during the pre-courses

Pre-courses for MAA, MAEBB, MaAI, MUPD, MDEF and MRAC include the following topics:

  • Computational Design with Rhinoceros 3D
  • Critical & Creative Research
  • Coding with Python
  • Basics for Digital Fabrication
  • Parametric Design with Grasshopper
  • Mapping Data with QGIS
  • Inputs & Outputs Basics for Code and Electronics
  • Communication
  • Manual Fabrication & Experimentation

Pre-courses of the 3DPA programme include the following topics:

  • Computational Design – Rhinoceros 3D
  • Basics for Digital Fabrication
  • Parametric Design – Grasshopper

Pre-courses for the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture and Design (MACAD) include the following topics:

  • 3D Modelling with Rhinoceros
  • Grasshopper
  • Rendering
  • Programming
When and Where do pre-courses take place?

Pre-courses for the MAA, MAEBB, MUPD, MRAC and MDEF programmes take place 3 weeks before the start of the academic year, in early September.

Pre-courses for the 3DPA programme take place in August. These pre-courses take place in person at the IAAC Pujades campus in the Poblenou neighbourhood.

Pre-courses for Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture and Design (MACAD) are completed online during the month of September before the start of the academic year. Access to the recorded pre-courses for the programme will be given to students once the pre-course payment is received.

Note: Students participating in pre-courses for on-campus programmes are responsible for securing housing in the city for the duration of the courses. Additional expenses associated with the pre-courses, such as travel and accommodation, are not included in the fees.

Pre-course fees

Visit our Tuition Fees & Scholarships to review the pre-course fees*

Important: Pre-courses incur additional fees not included in the programme tuition. Applicants who are accepted to a programme under the condition of the mandatory completion of the pre-courses must pay the corresponding fees and make sure to arrive in Barcelona 3 weeks before official start of the programme.

Students participating in pre-courses for on-campus programmes are responsible for securing housing in the city for the duration of the courses. Additional expenses associated with the pre-courses, such as travel and accommodation, are not included in the fees.

Deferral Policies

In exceptional cases, students may request to defer their enrollment to the next academic year. This allows them to secure their place without reapplying.

Deferrals are only granted under the following conditions:

  • The student has been offered acceptance in a programme and has paid the enrollment deposit.
  • The student cannot obtain a visa in time for the program start date.
  • The student provides medical documentation justifying the deferral.

Important Notes:

  • Deferrals can be granted a maximum of two times (for consecutive years).
  • Scholarships are generally not deferrable. However, students may apply for available scholarships in the following year.

How to Request a Deferral:

  1. Contact the admissions team by email to request the Deferral Request Form.
  2. Complete the form, clearly stating the reason for the deferral and referring to one of the above conditions.
  3. Submit the completed form to [email protected] at least one month before the program starts. The email subject should be: Deferral Request – [Applicant’s Full Name]

Post-Acceptance Information

Visa Requirements (for non-EU students)

On-campus students:

Non-EU citizens planning to study in Spain for a period of more than three months must apply for an “open”, multiple-entry student visa (Visados Nacionales – Visado de Estudios).

Visa applications are processed by the Spanish embassy or consulate(s) in the country of residence of the applicant. We strongly encourage applicants from outside the EU to apply for a student visa well in advance to allow for sufficient time to process their Spanish student visa.

Once students confirm their enrolment at IAAC, they will receive an enrolment certificate and further instructions on how to apply for a visa. Required documents and processing times may vary from consulate to consulate. Applicants and enroled students are strongly advised to review the visa application requirements on the website of the consulate where they will be applying for their visa.

Note: To apply for your student visa, you will need to submit some apostilled or legalised documents. To avoid delays with your visa application, please start researching the required list of documents and making the necessary arrangements to secure them as soon as possible.

Online students:

Students participating in online programmes do not need to process a visa as they will be attending their studies virtually from their country of residence.

Legalisation and Translation of Documents

To receive a Master/Postgraduate Diploma from the University of Lleida (UdL), IAAC’s accrediting institution in Spain, students need to follow these steps:

Note: It is highly recommended that students residing in countries outside of Spain complete these steps before moving to Spain as some of these diligences might take several weeks to complete in their countries of residence.

First Step: Legalisation of your Bachelor’s Degree

Legalisation involves authenticating a document by the competent authorities in the country where the document was issued.

The legalisation process differs based on the issuing country:

Documents issued within the EU countries:

Certificates from European Union countries or signatories to the European Economic Area agreement do not require legalisation. Documents from Switzerland are also exempt due to a bilateral agreement with the EU.

Documents issued in Non-EU countries:

  • For Hague Convention signatory countries:
Certificates from countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 only require the Apostille from the competent authorities.
  • For Non-EU & Non-Hague Convention countries:
Documents must be legalised through diplomatic channels and require the following stamps:
    a. Ministry of Education of the country where the document was issued.
    b. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where the document was issued.
    c. Spanish diplomatic representation in the country where the document was issued.

Second Step: Translation of Legalised Bachelor’s Degree

If your bachelor’s degree is in a foreign language, it must be translated into Spanish.

After the successful legalisation of the certificate (bachelor’s degree), the official translation can be done through one of the following methods:

  • By a sworn translator, duly registered by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign affairs. Check the link for translator search (https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/Buscador-STIJ.aspx) or this PDF to find an approved translator.
  • By the Spanish diplomatic or consular representation in your country.
Health Insurance

Non-EU students:

International accepted students who are not from the European Union must secure private health insurance to apply for their student visa before coming to Spain. Ensure that your health insurance policy meets all the requirements set by the Spanish Embassy and is valid for the entire duration of your studies.

International accepted students can review insurance options via OnCampus (https://www.oncampus.es/en/seguros). If you decide to select an insurance plan with OnCampus, please ensure you select the “Healthcare” option, not the “Study” option. Accepted students will need to provide a copy of their passports and their letter of acceptance to IAAC, as well as select “Universitat de Lleida” as their host university in order to purchase an insurance plan.

Students should contact the Spanish Consulate or Embassy where they will request their student visa before taking out any insurance plan to check the specific requirements.

EU students:

Students from the European Union do not need additional insurance. However, they must request the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) (https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559) before leaving their home country.

Housing and Accommodation

IAAC does not offer accommodations for students pursuing a programme of study at our Pujades Campus in the Poblenou neighbourhood.

Students accepted into the Masters in Ecological Buildings and Biocities (MAEBB) will reside at the Valldaura Campus located in Collserola Natural Park. Accommodation at Valldaura campus is not included in the tuition fee of the programme.

Finding accommodation in Barcelona can be stressful since the number of students keeps increasing year after year. We encourage potential students to start researching options early on.

Resources:

  • Every academic year, a Facebook group is also created to help accepted students connect and make it easier to find flatmates.
  • BCU HOUSING is the accommodation service offered by the Barcelona university community to their students. This housing service offers complete accommodation services for international students and researchers. There are different options: apartments to share, rooms in shared apartments, and/or short stays.
    Contact BCU Housing
    +34 932 389 072
    Torrent de l’Olla 219, 08012 Barcelona
    www.bcuhousing.cat
  • You can review IAAC’s Student Guidebook (https://iaac.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IAAC-STUDENT-HANDBOOK.pdf) where we offer students some recommendations about how and where to find accommodation.

Important! If you are renting an apartment or room via the internet or an app, do not pay or transfer money prior to visiting the apartment or signing a legitimate contract.

Study in Barcelona

Barcelona is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city known for its rich history, architectural beauty, and Mediterranean lifestyle. With a blend of old-world charm and modern innovation, it’s the perfect backdrop for student life.

At IAAC, we align with this spirit of innovation. As a leading centre for research and education, we are focused on shaping the future habitat of society by providing hands-on learning and opportunities to engage with real-world challenges in a global context.

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IAAC Barcelona

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