In a continued effort to help exam candidates prepare for the ARE, NCARB launched the Approved Test Prep Provider Program in 2018. Through this initiative, test prep companies were able to submit ARE 5.0 study materials to NCARB for review.

Sunset of Approved Test Prep Provider Program

NCARB continuously evaluates and updates our programs and initiatives to best meet the needs of our stakeholders. With the recent launch of our free ARE practice exams, we are refocusing our candidate support toward in-house development of resources and study materials. In order to provide proactive and effective guidance to test prep providers, the Approved Test Prep Provider Program was discontinued effective July 1, 2022.

All materials approved by NCARB while the Approved Test Prep Provider Program was in operation are listed below. The materials retain their approved status through December 31, 2022.

As always, we encourage candidates to take advantage of NCARB’s free study resources, including ARE 5.0 Guidelines and Test Prep Video Series. NCARB has also created free, full-length practice exams for each exam division, now available on the Practice Exam Dashboard of your NCARB Record. 

Please note: NCARB’s Approved Test Prep Provider Program was created to serve the exam candidate community. However, NCARB cannot guarantee that using one or more of the approved study materials listed below will ensure that a candidate will pass a division or divisions of the ARE. While the Approved Test Prep Provider study materials listed by NCARB may be of assistance as part of a candidate’s overall test preparation strategy, passing the ARE requires knowledge gained from education and experience. 

Approved Test Prep Providers

Submissions were reviewed by an NCARB committee of volunteer architects, who evaluated whether the materials adequately addressed the content areas and objectives outlined in the ARE 5.0 Guidelines.

Since the program launched in April 2018, NCARB has approved the following ARE 5.0 study materials:

Architect Exam Prep

Black Spectacles®

PPI, a Kaplan Company

Questions About the Program

Interested in applying to the Approved Test Prep Provider Program? Email TestPrepProvider@ncarb.org to request more information. Questions about test prep materials should be directed to the provider.