Architecture and building design courses
You can train as a building designer with a diploma, or start the longer path towards architecture with a degree. Here's what each course leads to, how long it takes and what it costs.
- Quickest way to start
- 6 months
- Diploma, full time at TAFE NSW
- TAFE cost from
- $1,980
- subsidised Certificate IV, TAFE NSW
- What the jobs pay
- $80,600 to $120,000
- median pay across 3 jobs, some estimated
Which course do you need?
It depends on the job you want.
Diploma of Building Design
Work as a building designer
Draw up houses, renovations and commercial buildings, and prepare the plans that councils and certifiers check.
Median pay$85,800 (estimate)
- How long it takes
- 6 to 12 months full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- $14,870 at TAFE Queensland if you're eligible for a subsidised place, or $19,995 full fee
- How you'll study
- Online, on campus or a mix
A bachelor degree in architecture
Start training as an architect
Work in a design studio on buildings and the spaces around them, from first sketches through to detailed drawings.
JobArchitect
Median pay$120,000
A step towards this job, not the whole route. What else you need
- How long it takes
- 3 years full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
You don't have to do it all at once
Some people start with the diploma, work in a design office, then take on a degree later. Here's how that path can look.
- Start with the diplomaLearn to take a brief and turn it into drawings, specifications and documentation for a project.
- Get experience in a design officeWork on residential and commercial jobs and see how approvals and building rules work in practice.
- Study a degree in architectureA bachelor degree is the first stage of training as an architect, taught mainly through design studios.
- Go on to further study and registrationWorking as an architect takes more study after the degree, plus workplace experience and registration where you live.
How much it costs at TAFE
If you're eligible for a government-subsidised place, you pay much less than the full fee, and in some states these courses can be free. Here's what each TAFE lists.
| TAFE | State | Certificate IV | Diploma | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidised | Full fee | Subsidised | Full fee | ||
| TAFE NSW | NSW | $1,980 | $12,380 | Not listed | Not listed |
| TAFE Queensland | QLD | $3,550 | $6,350 | $14,870 | $19,995 |
TAFE NSWNSW
- Certificate IV
- $1,980 subsidised
- $12,380 full fee
- Diploma
- Not listed
TAFE QueenslandQLD
- Certificate IV
- $3,550 subsidised
- $6,350 full fee
- Diploma
- $14,870 subsidised
- $19,995 full fee
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, checked 20 September 2026. “Not listed” means the TAFE doesn't show that fee online. Private colleges set their own fees.
The architecture degrees compared
All of these degrees are the first stage of training as an architect, taught mainly through design studio work. They differ in what they emphasise and where they can take you. Some can be studied online at one or more universities.
- Bachelor of Architectural DesignStudio projects grow more complex each year, alongside how buildings stand up and are put together, computer drawing and modelling, and how history and culture shape places.How long3 years
- Bachelor of ArchitectureDesign projects sit at the centre, alongside technical and construction skills. You also practise answering a client brief and drawing on computers.How long3 years
- Bachelor of Design (Architecture)Most of the learning happens in design studios, looking at how buildings serve people and communities. Projects combine creative ideas with technical detail, drawing and digital making.How long3 years
- Bachelor of the Built Environment (Architecture)An introduction to architecture taught mainly in design studios, with history, theory, building technology and sustainability. You also learn to read buildings in the context of a city.How long3 years
Other university courses
- Bachelor of Design in Architecture2 to 3 years. A broad design education in the architecture studio, covering making, digital tools, history and theory, for people heading into architecture and related design fields.
- Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Hons)4 years. For people drawn to outdoor and public spaces, covering ecology, urban issues and design technology, with an honours year of more advanced research.
- Bachelor of Architectural Studies3 years. An introduction to architecture as a craft and a body of ideas, with design studios at the centre and one provider using it as a first step into its own master program.
- Bachelor of Building Design3 years. Teaches how homes and commercial buildings are planned and drawn up, with studio projects on design, structures, materials and building services.
Other certificates and diplomas
- Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural)A building design course at advanced diploma level, for people who want to extend the design and documentation skills they already have.
- Certificate IV in Residential Drafting6 to 18 months. For people starting out in a design office, drawing houses and small structures under the supervision of a designer or architect.
Jobs you can do with this study
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, not a starting salary.
- ArchitectWhat you needAn architecture degree, then further trainingMedian pay$120,000
Architectural DrafterWhat you needDiplomaMedian pay$80,600 (estimate)- Building DesignerWhat you needDiplomaMedian pay$85,800 (estimate)
“In demand” means the job is on the national skills shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure. Check the course and provider are approved for the work you want, as rules differ by state.
Still not sure which one fits you?
Answer a few quick questions about your time, state and budget, and we'll show the courses that suit you.