Experienced Practitioners Assessment
NOTICE: EPA Program Revisions – July 2025
The eligibility and submission requirements for the EPA program have been revised and are now included in the EPA Applicants Guide – July 2025 as follows (Note: Applications that are in progress under the previous EPA Applicants Guide will be accepted by AACA until 30 August 2025):
- A minimum ten (10) years eligible architectural post-graduate practical experience (previously 7 years)
- Complex projects in the Project Portfolio must not be older than fifteen (15) years from date of EPA application (previously 10 years)
- Competency Assessment interview up to 90 minutes in length (previously up to 60 minutes)
- Required Principal Decision-Maker role (previous terminology: Executive level)
The Experienced Practitioner Assessment (EPA) program provides an alternate pathway to registration (by-passing the Architectural Practice Exam – APE) as an architect in Australia for graduates of Australian accredited architecture programs [or overseas experienced practitioners with a comparable Master of Architecture qualification, who are not eligible for registration in Australia under existing mutual recognition agreements], with eligible architectural post-graduate experience at Principle Decision-Making level on complex projects*.
Assessment of EPA applications is conducted via an administrative review for eligibility and content verification, followed by an Assessor panel-based Competency Assessment Interview (conducted on-line via the ZOOM application).
Successful Western Australia EPA candidates must first register in any other state or territory in Australia and then apply to the Western Australian ARB through the standard Australian mutual recognition acts.
Purpose
Architect Registration
Successful completion of the EPA program allows applicants to bypass the Architectural Practice Examination (APE) and apply directly for registration as an architect with their state or territory architects registration board.
Note: Applicants can apply for either the EPA or the APE, but not both concurrently.
On request, a Skilled Migration Assessment will also be issued to Successful applicants with Overseas qualification, for the purpose of a VISA application to Australia under the Australian Government Skilled Migration Program for the occupation ‘Architect’.
Timeframe
EPA applications are generally finalised within 15 weeks (inclusive of the Competency Assessment Interview). Timeframes are dependent upon the submission of all required documentation by the applicant (in accordance with the EPA Applicants Guide) and the availability of EPA Assessors for the Interview.
EPA Application Fees
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- Experienced Practitioner Assessment Local AUD $3,650
- Experienced Practitioner Assessment Overseas AUD $4,990
- Experienced Practitioner Assessment Overseas Modified* AUD $3,780
*Modified: Available to applicants who have previously had their overseas qualification/s assessed by AACA via the Overseas Qualifications Assessment (OQA) program.
A card transaction surcharge applies to all payments (1.49% for Australian cards and 2.9% for international cards).
