Dear foreign architect:

Transcription

1 Dear foreign architect: The Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) Program allows foreign architects who meet all eligibility requirements to apply for NCARB certification. To be eligible for the BEFA Program, you must: Hold a professional degree in architecture from an accredited/validated/officially-recognized architecture program, Hold current credential as an architect in a country (other than the United States or Canada) that has a formal recordkeeping method for disciplinary actions for architects, and Have completed a minimum of seven (7) years of comprehensive, unlimited practice as a credentialed architect over which you exercised responsible control in the country in which you are credentialed. Please refer to the Certification Guidelines, available on the NCARB website, for the BEFA Program requirements and detailed program information, and for definitions of responsible control and comprehensive practice. Submission of specific documents and supplementary information is required for determining eligibility for the BEFA Program. It is your responsibility to formally request that the appropriate issuing authorities send the required documents directly to NCARB, as explained in Part 1 (attached). You are also responsible for providing to NCARB the additional information requested in Part 2 (attached) and for paying the BEFA Eligibility Verification fee. Please note: You may not personally submit the required documents directly to NCARB; they must come from the issuing authority and must be in paper form, not digital form. You are not required to establish an NCARB Record before submitting the. If you have already established an NCARB Record, please indicate your Record number on all forms. You must submit official translations for all documents that are not in English. NCARB will review eligibility only after all required forms and documents have been received. Incomplete forms will not be reviewed. NCARB will not review or pre-approve drafts or copies of documents. All submitted information and documents become part of your official NCARB Record and will not be returned. You are encouraged to retain a copy of all documents. You must meet all requirements and fees in effect at the time of application. Program requirements and fees are subject to change. Once all required documents and information have been received, NCARB will inform you of your eligibility status. Once eligibility is confirmed, you will receive an eligibility confirmation letter with dossier preparation instructions and forms and will be required to establish an NCARB Record before you begin the BEFA process. Please note that upon completion of the BEFA Program, you will be required to request an update from your country s credentialing authority on your credential information prior to issuance of an NCARB Certificate. Effective 1 July 2011, you will have a window of 18 months from the date of your eligibility confirmation letter to prepare and submit your dossiers. If you do not submit your dossiers within the eligibility window, you will be required to complete and submit a current (Form 262), required documents, and pay the BEFA Eligibility Verification Fee. You will also be required to request an update from your country s credentialing authority on credential information (Form 263: BEFA Credential Verification Form). Please contact the NCARB Internship + Education Directorate at 202/ or befa@ncarb.org if you have any specific questions regarding the BEFA Program. Sincerely, Michelle Kinasiewicz, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C Assistant Director, Education

2 PART 1 Documents to be sent from the issuing authorities (credentialing authority, educational institute, or official translator as appropriate) Send directly to NCARB at the following address: Internship + Education Directorate/BEFA Program NCARB 1801 K Street, NW Suite 700K Washington, DC USA You must arrange to have official translations submitted for all documents that are not in English. Official English translation must be obtained from the issuing authority or a lawyer, translation service, notary, or embassy and must be on official letterhead; translations by applicants will not be accepted. Because you are required to have the information and documents sent directly to NCARB from the issuing authority, please obtain copies of any documents that are not in English so that you can arrange for translations to be completed and submitted directly to NCARB. A. Documentation of your credential as an architect (Form 263), to be submitted by your country s credentialing authority, must include all of the following: 1. Name and description of the profession in which you are credentialed 2. Scope of services that your credential legally allows you to provide, including any restrictions to services for specific building types, construction systems, etc. 3. Classification and/or rank of your credential, or if none, confirmation that no classifications and/or ranks exist 4. Date of your initial credential (month, day, year) 5. Date of your credential s expiration (month, day, year) 6. Current status of your credential (active and in good standing, inactive, lapsed, revoked, etc.) 7. Record of disciplinary action against your credential and the current status, or if none, confirmation that no record exists 8. Geographic area in which your credential is valid 9. Name and contact information for the person responsible for the credentialing authority B. Official transcript of your professional degree in architecture from the educational institution where it was obtained must include all of the following: 1. Your name 2. Institution 3. Dates attended 4. All courses taken and grades received 5. Degree awarded and date awarded You may not personally submit the required documents directly to NCARB; they must come from the issuing authority and must be in paper form, not digital form.

3 PART 2 Send to the following address: Internship + Education Directorate/BEFA Program NCARB 1801 K Street, NW Suite 700K Washington, DC USA All information provided must be in English. A. Applicant information Last name: First name: Middle name: Street address 1: Street address 2: address: Telephone number: Facsimile number: NCARB Record No*, if already established: * Please note, applicants for the BEFA Program are not required to establish an NCARB Record before submitting a BEFA Eligibility Verification Form. An applicant who has already completed an NCARB Record application should include his or her NCARB Record number here. B. Professional degree(s) in architecture Please list only the degrees awarded that are required for obtaining a credential as an architect. Name of first degree: Type of degree: (foundation/associate s/bachelor s/master s/doctorate/honorary): Date awarded: Month: Day: Year: Name of institution: Street address 1: Street address 2: Registrar s address: Website address: Telephone number: Facsimile number:

4 Name of second degree (if applicable): Type of degree: (foundation/associate s/bachelor s/master s/doctorate/honorary): Date awarded: Month: Day: Year: Name of institution: Street address 1: Street address 2: Registrar s address: Website address: Telephone number: Facsimile number: C. Credential as an architect in a foreign country 1. Name and contact information of the credentialing authority in the country in which you are credentialed Credentialing authority: Website address: Credential number or individual credential designation: Country of credential: Date of initial credential: Expiration date of current credential: Month: Day: Year: Month: Day: Year:

5 2. Describe the following aspects of the architecture profession in the country in which you are credentialed: a) The education level and degree required for credentialing, as well as information about the education program (accepted in writing below or by submission of information from the accreditation/validation/recognition authority or both) b) The process by which you were credentialed (accepted in writing below or by submission of material from the credentialing authority or both) c) The process by which and the reasons for which disciplinary actions may be taken against architects and the system in which these actions are recorded (accepted in writing below or by submission of information from the disciplinary authority or both) d) Classification and/or rank of your credential, if applicable

6 D. BEFA Dossier Projects Upon determination of eligibility for the BEFA Program and establishment of your NCARB Record, you will be required to prepare and submit a BEFA dossier to demonstrate competence to independently practice architecture in the United States. The dossier includes drawings, photographs, and descriptions of a minimum of three (3) completed projects (other than oneand two-family dwellings, farm buildings, and structures or additions not requiring governmental building permits) in the country in which you are credentialed as an architect and over which you exercised comprehensive practice and responsible control. Please list the three completed projects that you will document and describe in your dossier: 1. Project I Project name: Building type/function: Gross floor area (SF): Year completed: Project address: Title/responsibility: Name of client: Client address: 2. Project II Project name: Building type/function: Gross floor area (SF): Year completed: Project address: Title/responsibility: Name of client: Client address: 3. Project III Project name: Building type/function: Gross floor area (SF): Year completed: Project address: Title/responsibility: Name of client: Client address:

7 I hereby certify that I understand all BEFA Program requirements and definitions, including responsible control and comprehensive practice as defined in the Certification Guidelines; that I have requested the required documents from the credentialing authority/educational institution to be sent directly to NCARB; and that I verify that all information provided herein and attached hereto is correct to the best of my knowledge: Name: Title: Signature: (I affirm that the name typed above represents my official signature) Date: Payment of the nonrefundable BEFA Eligibility Verification fee must be included with this form. See the NCARB website for current fees. Checks, made payable to NCARB noting BEFA Program, may be sent to: Internship + Education Directorate/BEFA Program NCARB, 1801 K Street NW, Suite 700K, Washington, DC Credit Card, please fill out below: Personal Information NCARB# Full Name: Address City State Zip Day Time Phone ( ) Billing Information (if different than name above) Company Name (if company credit card) Name on Card Address City State Zip Contact Number ( ) Credit Card Information Type of Credit Card Visa Mastercard American Express Card Number Expiration Date (month/year) / Amount $ Date of Authorization / / Check box if customer is requesting receipt by o address For Accounting use only Initials Date transaction processed / / Approval #