Professional Qualification

The occupational qualification system is a part of the Estonian qualifications system linking the educational system with the labour market and contributing to lifelong learning and the development, assessment, recognition and comparison of professional competences.

In Estonia, the qualification of an architect is awarded by the Union of Estonian Architects with its respective qualification committee. There are four levels awarded in Estonia. The graduates of the specialty of Architecture and Urban Design of EAA will be awarded the qualification of Qualified architect, Level 7. They can apply for the next level (Chartered Architect, Level 7) after acquiring three-year professional experience within six years and a respective portfolio.

The professional qualification levels for architects in Estonia are as follows:

Applied architect, Level 6

An applied architect is a graduate of the curriculum of an applied architect at a professional higher education institution or an equivalent educational institution. An applied architect, Level 6 is a specialist capable of participating in the design of urban spatial plans and construction projects under the supervision of a chartered architect.

Diploma architect, Level 7

An architect is a graduate of the curriculum of Architecture at a university or equivalent higher education institution. Diploma architect, Level 7 is a specialist designing the architectural part of various planning and building construction projects and architectural solutions under the supervision of a chartered architect.

Chartered/principal architect, Level 7

A chartered/principal architect, Level 7 is a specialist who is capable of developing, assessing and managing independently and one one’s own responsibility solutions of spatial planning and construction of land, cities and settlements and evaluate the built environment. A chartered architect is capable of providing traditional expert assessments in his field and participate in juries of local architecture competitions.

A chartered architect is capable of working as leading architect in state and local government authorities.

Chartered architect/expert, Level 8

A chartered/principal architect – expert, Level 8 is top professional who has a doctoral degree or an equivalent academic degree or is internationally recognized as a creative person who is able to independently and on their own responsibility develop, assess and manage architectural complete solutions of spatial planning and construction of land, cities and towns and evaluate the built environment. The Chartered/principal architect – expert, Level 8 is able to provide more complex expert evaluations in their respective fields and participates in the juries of international architectural competitions. He or she is able to work in state and local government agencies as a top expert in the relevant area.

For further information on the professional qualification system and the procedures for awarding the qualifications, please visit the websites of the Union of Estonian Architects and the Estonian Qualifications Authority (SA Kutsekoda).