No one had done it before — so Emily Perna decided to figure it out herself. When her architecture school didn’t have an existing exchange program in Australia, Emily built her own path, structured her own curriculum, and spent five months studying architecture at the University of Sydney.

This is where everyone meets on the same starting line.

In this episode of Your Design Passport, we’re diving deep into the Architectural Practice Examination (APE) — the final hurdle before you can officially call yourself an architect in Australia.

Whether you trained locally or internationally, the APE is the great equaliser. It’s challenging, humbling, and absolutely achievable — especially when you understand what’s actually being assessed.

Download APE Registration Checklist

This whole thing teaches you patience before you even board the plane.

In this episode of Your Design Passport, I’m walking you through exactly how I transferred my architectural qualifications from South Africa to Australia — through the Overseas Qualification Assessment (OQA).

If you’ve been staring at AACA documents, NSCA templates, and checklists wondering where to even begin, this episode is your grounded, honest starting point.

AU Rego Resource Download

“Do not think that the Middle East is glamorous all the time. There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears in order to make six-month programs work.”

In this episode of Your Design Passport, architect and project manager Carl Adams pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a global architecture career — beyond the Instagram posts and glossy portfolios.

Your Design Passport

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This qualification becomes your global passport.

In Part 2 of this mini-series on becoming a registered architect in South Africa, we move beyond architecture school and into the phase that transforms you into a professional — mentorship, thesis, candidacy, logbooks, the PPE exam, and finally, registration with SACAP.

This episode is both a roadmap and a reflection on how these milestones shape not just your career, but your confidence, credibility, and global mobility as an architect. Download PDF here

This journey is about so much more than ticking academic boxes — it shapes who you become as a designer.

In this episode of Your Design Passport, I’m opening the door to what it actually looks like to begin an architecture career in South Africa — beyond prospectuses, entry requirements, and glossy studio photos.

This is Part 1 of a two-part mini-series where I walk you through the real foundations of studying architecture in South Africa: how people arrive here (often by accident), what schools really expect, and why studio culture becomes something you carry with you long after graduation.

In the first episode of Your Design Passport, I share my journey across Johannesburg, Brisbane, and Dallas—exploring identity, burnout, and reinvention. From rebuilding confidence and navigating multi-country licensing to surviving high-pressure architecture, pivoting to specs during COVID, and rediscovering joy in the U.S., this story is for anyone dreaming of working abroad or starting over.