The Graduate Admissions Intensive course at Aedes – Architecture and Space prepares students for graduate school applications in the field of architecture, supporting portfolio development through specialised facilities and teaching.

The Aedes Graduate Admissions Intensive is a rigorous four-week summer program in Berlin for ambitious students of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban studies preparing applications to leading graduate schools worldwide.

Combining portfolio development, writing, presentation training, and graduate school strategy, the program helps participants build a compelling and competitive application profile for institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, and ETH Zurich.

Through intensive studio critique, participants refine portfolios, strengthen project narratives and visual communication, and develop persuasive written materials including statements of intent, manifestos, and application essays.

Applying to graduate school is not an administrative exercise, but the first articulation of a professional and intellectual position. The most competitive programs seek applicants who can communicate a clear design agenda through both representation and language.

The Intensive provides the structure, critical rigor, and dedicated time to develop this position and produce materials that meet the highest standards.

Developed by Aedes in collaboration with Professor Dagmar Richter (Pratt Institute), the program combines expert mentorship, guest critiques, workshops, travel, and direct access to Aedes' unique international network within Berlin's exceptional architectural context.

School: Aedes – Architecture and Space
Course: Graduate Admissions Intensive
Type: Summer school
Location: Berlin, Germany
Course dates: 26 July to 23 August 2026
Application deadline: 31 May 2026

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Create competitive graduate school applications and position themselves within the international design field
– Portfolio development, visual storytelling, project editing, graphic presentation and clear writing for statements of intent, project descriptions and application essays
– Participants also strengthen verbal communication for interviews, presentations, networking and reviews
– Strategic insight into the global graduate school landscape to identify suitable programmes and build application strategies aligned with long-term goals
– Develop critical thinking, professional self-presentation and confidence working in English in an international context

What are the requirements?

– Portfolio
– Short statement of intent
– Academic transcript
– Professional references
– Application fee of €40

Further details can be found on the course website.

What facilities and resources are available?

– Aedes Campus in the heart of Berlin, a dynamic learning environment designed for collaborative and independent work
– Fully equipped studio spaces
– Printing and plotting
– Projectors
– A kitchen and adjacent garden for informal exchange and breaks
– International workshops, studios and academic programmes

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Graduates of the Aedes Graduate Admissions Intensive leave with strong applications for leading graduate programs in architecture, landscape architecture and urban studies worldwide.

Participants develop a clear design position, stronger conceptual and communication skills and a professional portfolio aligned with the highest standards.

The course also provides valuable professional connections and insight into global practice, supporting access to competitive schools, internships, collaborations and early career opportunities in the international design field.

Who teaches this course?

– Dagmar Richter, professor at Pratt Institute
– Florian Lamm, Lamm and Kirch Design
– David Basulto, founder, Arch Daily
– Sarah M Whiting, dean and Josep Lluís Sert professor of architecture, Harvard GSD
– Yung Ho Chang, dean, chair professor of faculty of architecture at the University of Hong Kong and founding partner and principal architect of Atelier Feichang Jianzhu
– Tom Avermaete, chair, history and theory of Urban Planning at ETH Zurich
– Winka Dubbeldam, director, SCI-Arc
– Lukas Feireiss, curator/coach, Berlin
– Jürgen Mayer H, architect and founder, J Mayer H und Partner
– Alex Schweder, artist/professor, Pratt Institute

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