Earning experience in all areas of the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) can be challenging—especially if your employer doesn’t take on work across all project areas. NCARB offers a variety of experience opportunities that qualify for AXP credit outside of typical architecture work, including through design competitions.
Under the AXP Guidelines, your work must fit into one of two experience settings to be eligible for AXP credit: setting A or setting O. These settings differ based on the type of organization you work for, the work you perform, and who verifies your experience. Earning experience by participating in a design competition falls under experience setting O.
Why Complete a Design Competition?
Design competitions give you an opportunity to think creatively about real-world challenges. As you’re progressing toward licensure, you may not be able to lead design
efforts for projects in your day-to-day work. In a design competition, you can take the lead, allowing you to use the competencies you’ve gained so far to propose a design solution. You don’t need a winning competition entry to qualify for AXP credit, but you will need to prepare a thoughtful and complete submission that you’ve reviewed with your mentor.
When Do Design Competitions Count for AXP Credit?
You can earn up to 320 hours of experience by completing and submitting design competition entries through this setting O opportunity. The competition must be completed outside of your employment and/or academic coursework. Individual or group submissions are acceptable for AXP credit. To report experience under this opportunity, the design competition must:
- Be completed under the supervision of an architect mentor
- Align with at least one of the competencies described in the AXP’s experience areas
- Be for a building or planning project
- Be a structured competition with specified submission requirements
- Be sponsored by a recognized business entity, government agency, or professional association
- Include appropriate credit on the competition entry for your work
When you report this experience in My NCARB, you must also complete a Design Competition Verification Form, which can be submitted through your NCARB Record.
Who Counts as a Mentor?
In order to qualify for the Design Competitions opportunity, your mentor must hold a current license to practice architecture in a U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction. Your mentor will review and approve your experience report for the design competition. Your mentor does not have to be licensed in the jurisdiction where they or you are located.
Other Ways to Report Design Competitions
If you participate in a design competition as part of paid work for your employer, your work should be reported under one of the following settings, depending on your employment details:
- Setting A
- Setting O: Other Work Under Licensed Professionals
- Setting O: Design or Construction Related Experience
NCARB-Sponsored Design Competition
Each year, NCARB sponsors the Interschool Student Design Competition—organized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Northern Virginia, Potomac Valley, and DC chapters—as part of our mission to support the next generation of architects. Architecture students from across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area gather at the National Building Museum to collaborate, innovate, and push the boundaries of design. Students who participate can earn AXP credit through the Design Competitions opportunity. Learn more about the Interschool Student Design Competition.
Interested in learning more about setting O? Follow along with our setting O series on the NCARB Blog.
