Architecture Schools and Programs in Colombia

Architecture Studies in Colombia

City of Popayán, Colombia

Architecture in Colombia is a regulated university profession, taught in Spanish as an undergraduate degree of nine or ten semesters that leads to the title of Arquitecto. Ley 435 de 1998 defines it as a university-level profession whose training consists of the art of designing and creating spaces and constructing works for human use and comfort; professional practice also covers urban planning and urban design. Our directory lists six institutions in Colombia with architecture studies, five in Bogotá and one in San Juan de Pasto.

How the degree is organised

The first qualification is a pregrado, an undergraduate professional degree. It is measured in Colombian academic credits, not ECTS, and the length depends on the university:

• Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá): 9 semesters, 153 credits, daytime, title Arquitecto
• Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá): ten semesters
• Universidad de La Salle (Bogotá): 10 semesters, daytime, at the Candelaria campus
• Universidad de América (Bogotá): 10 semesters, day or evening timetable
• Institución Universitaria CESMAG (San Juan de Pasto): 9 semesters, daytime, title Arquitecto
• Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Arquitectura at the Bogotá, Manizales and Medellín campuses

The design studio (proyecto) runs through the whole degree, together with urbanism, construction technology, representation, history and heritage. The Javeriana describes its programme in these terms, and the Universidad de América groups its later semesters around sustainable urbanism, urban management and urban design.

After the pregrado, Colombian law (Ley 30 de 1992) provides for specialisations (especializaciones), master's degrees (maestrías) and doctorates. Examples in the directory are the Maestría en Planeación Territorial at the Universidad de América and the specialisation in bioclimatic architecture and urbanism at CESMAG. At the Universidad de los Andes, undergraduates can combine architecture with a second programme or start a master's during the degree.

Quality and international recognition

Every programme needs a registro calificado from the Ministerio de Educación Nacional and has a code in the national register SNIES. Several programmes in Bogotá also hold the voluntary high-quality accreditation (Acreditación de Alta Calidad): the Universidad de los Andes cites a resolution of 31 July 2023 valid for 9 years, and the Universidad de La Salle and the Universidad de América cite resolutions of 9 June 2026 valid for 6 years. The Javeriana and La Salle programmes state that they are also recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the Javeriana offers the possibility of a double degree with the Politecnico di Torino in Italy.

Admission and language

Ley 30 de 1992 requires every undergraduate applicant to hold a secondary school leaving qualification (título de bachiller) or its foreign equivalent and to have sat the state exam for entry to higher education (Saber 11). Each university adds its own process. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia selects through an entrance exam; foreign applicants follow the regular process and can sit the test online at a Colombian consulate, and the application fee paid from abroad was US$87.5 for the 2026-02 intake. The Universidad de los Andes admits in several rounds: for the semester starting in January 2027, applications opened on 21 July 2026 and close finally on 7 December 2026. Classes are in Spanish.

Students who need a visa apply for the visitor visa (type V) for students. According to the Colombian foreign ministry (checked in October 2026), holders of visa-exempt passports do not need it for stays of up to 180 calendar days. The application requires a certificate of admission or enrolment and health insurance for the whole stay; the visa is valid for up to two years.

Costs

Private universities publish tuition per semester. The Universidad de América lists a full price of COP 7,347,542 per semester in 2026, with a discounted price of COP 5,657,600 for new students. CESMAG lists COP 4,425,000 for the first semester in 2026. In October 2026 the Universidad de La Salle showed a cost of COP 8,695,000 on its architecture page.

Professional practice

To practise as an architect in Colombia, Ley 435 de 1998 requires the degree and a professional licence, the Tarjeta de Matrícula Profesional, issued by the Consejo Profesional Nacional de Arquitectura y sus Profesiones Auxiliares (CPNAA). Architects who live abroad and take up work in Colombia need a special temporary licence from the same council, valid for one year and renewable at the council's discretion.

The law lists the work of an architect as the design, construction, extension, conservation, alteration or restoration of buildings, together with land-use planning, urbanism and urban design, and the coordination and supervision of projects and construction.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an architecture degree take in Colombia?

Nine or ten semesters, depending on the university: 9 at the Universidad de los Andes and CESMAG, 10 at the Javeriana, La Salle and the Universidad de América.

Do I need a licence to work as an architect in Colombia?

Yes. Besides the degree, the law requires the Tarjeta de Matrícula Profesional issued by the CPNAA.

Are Colombian architecture degrees recognised internationally?

Recognition abroad depends on the rules of each country. The Javeriana and La Salle state that their programmes are recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Can I study architecture in Colombia in English?

The undergraduate programmes listed here are taught in Spanish.