In 2015, NCARB launched the Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL), creating an additional pathway for motivated students seeking to become architects.

By enrolling in an IPAL option, students in the process of earning a degree from a NAAB-accredited program can complete the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP™) and the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE)® concurrently.

IPAL is incorporated as an optional path within an existing NAAB-accredited program, allowing architecture schools to integrate licensure requirements into their own curricula. See the full list of current IPAL programs. 

Since the program launched in 2015, NCARB has accepted 26 NAAB-accredited programs at 21 schools to participate in the IPAL initiative. As of the 2017-2018 school year, over 400 students have enrolled in IPAL options across the United States, and nearly 80 have begun taking the ARE. In 2018, several schools saw the graduation of their first IPAL students, including Boston Architectural College, North Carolina State University, and the University of Florida CityLab-Orlando.

Learn more about IPAL:

Please note: Not all jurisdictions accept ARE divisions taken through IPAL options. Learn more about your jurisdiction’s requirements.