The Architect Licensure Examination
Format, subjects, requirements and schedule of the Philippine ALE, in one place.
Exam overview
The Architect Licensure Examination (ALE) is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture (PRBOA). It is a requirement for all architecture graduates who wish to practice as licensed architects in the Philippines. For the next sitting and recent exam dates, see the ALE schedule.
- Schedule
- Twice annually (June & January)
- Duration
- 2 examination days (pass mark: 70% GWA)
- Format
- Day 1: two 5-hour papers. Day 2: one 10-hour paper.
Exam subjects
The ALE is divided into three official subjects. The number beside each is its weight in your final rating, and no subject may fall below 50%.
History, Theory, Planning & Practice
30%History of Architecture • Theory of Architecture • Architectural Practice • Theory and Principles of Planning
Day 1 · Morning (8:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
Structural Conceptualization, Materials & Utilities
30%Structural Conceptualization • Building Materials and Technology • Utilities
Day 1 · Afternoon (2:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
Architectural Design & Site Planning
40%Residential • Commercial & Business • Industrial & Agricultural • Public & Government • Facilities • Complex Projects
Day 2 · Full Day (8:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Architecture from a CHED-recognized school
- Diversified Architectural Experience (DAE): at least 2 years, or 3,840 hours, certified by a registered and licensed architect
- Transcript of Records with Special Order number, and your diploma
- PSA birth certificate, matching your LERIS profile exactly
- NBI clearance
- Completed DAE logbook (DT Forms 001 and 002) and a notarized Architect-Mentor Affidavit
- Compliant 2x2 photo and the applicable exam fee
Further reading
How to become a licensed architect in the Philippines: The complete roadmap
Every step from BS Architecture to signing your first project: degree, diversified experience, the ALE, oath-taking, and registration, in the order the law actually requires.
How to apply for the ALE: Requirements, process, and exam schedule
A walkthrough of PRC's LERIS application system, the documents you need, when applications typically open and close, and the mistakes that get first-timers rejected.
Diversified Architectural Experience (DAE) logbook: Complete guide
How to actually fill out DT Forms 001 and 002, choose a mentor, and avoid the mistakes that get logbooks rejected, covering the 3,840-hour requirement in detail.
Understanding the PRBOA syllabus: A complete breakdown
A detailed look at what topics to expect in each subject area of the Architect Licensure Examination.
How to create an effective ALE study schedule
Learn how to plan your review time effectively across all exam subjects. A structured approach can make all the difference.
Study tips
Split your hours by weight
Architectural Design and Site Planning is 40% of your rating and takes the whole second day, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The other two subjects are 30% each, in five-hour sessions on Day 1. Plan your review hours in roughly the same proportion.
Don't write off a subject
You need a 70% weighted average with no subject below 50%. A 60% in one of the 30% subjects means you'd need about 74.3% in each of the other two to reach 70%, so lift your weakest subject before polishing your best one.
Practise with the code copy you'll bring
For Day 2, the January 2026 program let examinees bring a printed copy of Rules VII and VIII of the 2004 Revised IRR of PD 1096. Practise site planning problems with that same clean copy so you can find provisions fast. It is inspected, and a copy with any markings is confiscated.
Sit full-length timed sessions
Day 1 is two five-hour papers and Day 2 is one ten-hour sitting. Before the exam, sit at least one timed session at each length so pacing and stamina aren't new on exam day.
Work out why you missed it
For every wrong answer, read the explanation and note the rule or principle behind it. Bring those questions back after a day, then after about a week, until you get them right without hesitating.
Prepare your exam kit early
The January 2026 program allowed one non-programmable calculator from PRC's approved list, reset before the exam, so practise on that exact model. Day 2 also needs architect scales (English and metric), 30x60 and 45 degree triangles, a protractor, drawing tools, and graphing or bond paper. Check the program for your own exam, since PRC issues a new one each time.
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