Personal Tuition for ARB Part 1 & Part 2 Examinations Application

Here are some of the concerns previous potential applicants for the ARB Parts 1 & 2 have encountered before having personal tuition with Lawrence Johnston.

Is this you? Get answers to these and more, direct and personal to you, to help you prepare and succeed with your ‘expensive’ application to the (UK) Architects Registration Board. Get personal and dedicated support from Lawrence Johnston; an experienced academic and professional tutor.   
  • My first UK undergraduate degree award was not an approved/prescribed ARB course. I have now succeeded in gaining a Part 2 diploma in architecture which is acceptable by the ARB. I now need assistance to apply to the ARB for their Part 1 prescribed examination qualification. How do I develop my limited design work from the earlier course to the acceptable level for passing.
  • I moved from my home EU state to work in the UK several years ago, recently i contacted the ARB and they told me that I need to undertake a UK Part 1 degree programme, since i never fully completed the 5 year programme over there. I need guidance to prepare the “supplementary material” described in the ARB documents. I do not have the time or funds to take a university course.
  • I am very confused with the words/phrases contained in the ARB documents, I really need help to understand many of the general criteria, since these do not relate to my international architectural education. Can you explain what exactly they mean and how to fill in the comparative matrix form, which really concerns me?
  • When I spoke to the ARB staff they told me they do not provide ‘teaching’ services, but only process the examination. I attended one of the events held by an institution, but they did not offer ‘individual help’ can you please assist me with this?
  • What is the difference between the graduate attributes and the general criteria, and what has to be produced to succeed with each of them? These were never discussed during my earlier architectural education in my home country.
  • I am currently putting together my supplementary material for the Part 2 ARB application.  I want to include my design work produced with the practice I worked in. I am having difficulty filling in the ARB templates called “employer references”, it is hard to understand the various boxes. How do I demonstrate ‘sole authorship’ and what does ‘collaboration’ really imply?
  • I am a qualified architect in my own country and planning to move into the UK over the next few months, to join a friend’s office. She has told me to get the UK qualifications as soon as possible and I need some guidance on both Part 1 & Part 2 now.  Could you advise me about Part 3 when I get there please?
  • I arrived into the UK 11 years ago, and now have a decade of UK architectural practice experience. Obtaining the ARB Part 1 & Part 2 never really occurred to me until I recently started to renew my professional indemnity insurance. Apparently I need to get these formal qualifications under new UK building legislation as I want to formally register with the ARB now. Can I do the Part 3 at the same time?
  • A few years ago I started to complete the ARB Part 1 comparative matrix, but became disillusioned that I would ever understand the complicated and unusual language, and gave up. Now my employer wants me to get these UK  exams to enable me to be described as an architect in the practice brochure. If I pass, could you help with the others, please?

Concerns expressed before repeat attempts.
  • I put together all of my 6 years of architectural work from my original international school of architecture into the ARB Part 2 application and still failed. How do I prepare my supplementary material for a second attempt?  I need this qualification to gain promotion within the practice I am working with. The owner of my practice has agreed to help with paying the very expensive ARB repeat fees, which I cannot afford right now.
  • I put together all of the practice design work that I had produced in the office and was very disappointed to fail. The ARB examiners feedback just said they couldn’t find most of the GCs required. If I can find the funds for a 2nd attempt how can I do better?
  • I had a portfolio review with a professional institute. They assured me that I would be successful, and I made the expensive ARB application. I was very upset & disappointed to not even be granted the initial interview.  The ARB examiner said I did not pass their first stage. When I went back to that body, they could not help me because of ‘bureaucracy and contracts’.
  • An office colleague recently passed the ARB Part 2 with your help. I have just received a reply from the ARB stating my application for Part 1 was unsuccessful. They mention something about “not satisfying three of the graduate attributes”. My friend said you might help me.  What do they mean, and what do I have to produce to get these? My office is really supportive to encourage me to continue, as many of our staff are working from international locations and they wish to follow our example of getting UK qualifications over here.
  • I made an application prior to seeking your guidance and unfortunately wasted the expensive ARB fee. I need help before my next attempt!