Entering Architecture Programs ****************************************************************************************** * ****************************************************************************************** We have talked to a graduate of the Krystal study center (2012-2013 academic year), Natali the Architecture program of the Czech Technical University (FA ČVUT) [ URL "https://www.fa  and has already graduated from her master’s degree there. She told us about her experienc studying and gave a couple of practical tips for future students of FA ČVUT. On behalf of Krystal, the interview was conducted by our graduate Anek, the photos are tak personal archive. Krystal: Hi! Let’s start with a fast poll: who are you, where are you from, where did/do y do you study? Natalia: My name is Natalia. I am from Irkutsk. I came to the Czech Republic in 2012 to st Krystal courses. Then I got accepted to the Faculty of Architecture at ČVUT. 4 years later a bachelor’s degree and entered master’s program at the same university, which I am alread working in an architectural firm at the same time. K: Did you speak Czech when you came to the Czech Republic? N: No, I could not even say “Ahoj!”. ****************************************************************************************** * Entrance exams: creative and not creative ****************************************************************************************** K: Architecture is considered a creative discipline and the exams take place earlier than faculties. Did you manage to learn Czech to pass the exam? N: The entrance exams themselves took place in January, but we had already submitted our a (přihlášky) in October. In 2019, the applications can be submitted from October 15 to Nove nostrification took place in April, but there were no SCIO exams at that time. In fact, I přijímačky (entrance exams) after 4 months of learning Czech. Now, to pass the entrance exam, you need to bring a Czech proficiency certificate at the B than on the day of the exam. Also, on the day of your enrollment, i.e. in summer or even i following year, you need to show a B2 level certificate. For those who study at Krystal, t are achievable. K: What are the entrance exams like? N: A lot has changed since the time I took the entrance exams, so I will talk about today’ Přijímačky are divided into 2 stages. The first stage consists of four parts: creative exa thinking exam, general knowledge test and SCIO. In SCIO, you need to score 1 point. Exampl thinking tasks and tests of general knowledge can be found on the faculty website. K: Could you please tell us more about the creative exam? What are the requirements there? N: This year the creative exam includes three tasks: 1.Model drawing, which is a realistic still-life drawing composed of basic geometric solid pencil drawing. 2.Abstract composition: here you need to create a spatial composition from the given geome format color perspective sketch. 3.Perspective: A perspective sketch of a 3D object from the point of view of a standing pe the provided site plan. You are working with A3 format. In this part, it is important to show the examiners that you can correctly display perspec have spatial thinking, imagination, and also that you actually can draw. This is the basic In general, it is important that you don’t have any serious or typical mistakes. For examp know how to build a perspective, it is an outpoint. When I was taking the entrance exams, it was like this: our post-Soviet applicants prepare creative exam, but had worse results in tests, while Czech boys and girls, on the contrary tests, but barely passed the creative exam.

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K: Is it then possible to neglect preparation for the tests, hoping to succeed in the crea N: No, you can’t do that under any circumstances. Because your score is the sum of the res exams. And you need to maximize your chances. Well, after all, you study in Krystal not on of passing the exams, but also in order to keep up with Czech students at the university l at the language courses, you already need to start learning professional vocabulary and de ability to understand by ear and speak. K: Speaking of conversations: what is the second stage of the exam, the interview, like? N: I hasten to say that not everyone takes part in the second stage. Those who got very hi first stage can be accepted at once. And those who showed a low level of knowledge and ski out right away. If you got to the second stage, you need a portfolio with your works. It should contain no pieces. Format: A1 is the maximal. The works have to be in the field of fine arts, archite architecture or design. When I applied, I brought standard drawings of plaster heads, plei etc. With this portfolio, you come to the assigned classroom and wait your turn. In the classro a committee of three people. You come in. They take a look at your score for the first sta ask you some simple questions: who you are, what you are, where you studied, why you decid faculty of architecture. They may ask you about architectural styles, design, history, etc you to have deep knowledge, but you need to have some general ideas. In addition, the examiners evaluate your ability to communicate and discuss. The second st early March, by that time students of Krystal are well on the way towards the B2 level, so to worry. However, the applicants are still quite nervous. There was a situation when a gi could not say who is sitting on a horse on Wenceslas Square. She was just too nervous and simple question. Anyway, I feel like the purpose of the oral exam is to check whether you mind (laughs). For this stage, you also get some points that are added to your final result. And then drž have our fingers crossed) to be among those who have been accepted for study. You will get March: first they will be published on the website, and then you will receive an official A schedule of admission procedures and requirements can be found on the university website “Admissions” section. ****************************************************************************************** * Buying art supplies for studying ****************************************************************************************** K: Okay, let’s say you have been accepted. Now you need to buy different art supplies for save money? N: Firstly, you can use university equipment. You will be attached to an art workshop (ate the teachers. In this workshop you will have your own spot – a table and your own locker. days there: by painting, drawing and reading. You will have an electronic key to enter the need an easel, you should go to special workshops for painting. You can work there when th is free. Even if there is someone inside, you can always stand in a corner and quietly dra disturbing anyone. Secondly, you do not need to take expensive paper for your drawings. Everyone buys wrappin rolls (balicí papír). You can buy such paper in a stationery store (papírnictví) on the se the Faculty of Civil Engineering. At the same time, no one would mind if you use both side of paper, or even paper with something written or printed on the other side. Because, in f friendly! For drawing, you should definitely have lead pencils or charcoal. They are not that expens else is up to you and your budget. For technical drawing, you definitely need a ruler, tem divider, pencils and felt-tip pens. This is the minimum. For your projects, it is enough t and markers. You don’t have to buy expensive paints. You also need to buy a roll of tracin for the projects. You can find it in the same papírnictví of the Faculty of Civil Engineer In the city center, there is also Zlatá loď shop, but it is more expensive. Stationery and expensive in general. There’s nothing you can do about it. K: What do you spend most of your money on? N: The biggest one-time expense is printing of a poster (plachta) and a model at the end o Prices of poster printing start from 300 crowns. Model costs may differ. You can buy cheap and cut everything yourself, or you can make a model of expensive cardboard and even have However, what is evaluated is the carefulness with which you create your model, so no one either the price of your cardboard or the method of cutting it.

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****************************************************************************************** * First year of studying ****************************************************************************************** K: Ok, let’s say, you’ve done the shopping and are ready to learn. What does your studying N: It begins with your class schedule appearing in your personal account in the KOS inform or two weeks before the start of the semester. And – surprise – in the first year of your studies, you are not able to make or change your own schedule. In the first semester you will have about 10-12 subjects, one of which is your project. Ea will have a specific type of project: fundamentals of design, residential construction, pu etc. The rest of the subjects are basic: mathematics, design fundamentals, descriptive geo The unchanging schedule has one big advantage – socialization. You basically study with on whole year. You develop some relationships and even friendships. K: Where can I find out more about the training process? N: ČVUT has a White Book (Bílá Kniha [ URL "https://www.fa.cvut.cz/studium/bila_kniha_2019 More precisely, white books, because each faculty has its own book. In these books you can all questions related to study. However, I can give you a few pieces of advice that are de the book. Firstly, attend lectures, although it is not required. At lectures, you will learn what ex teachers want you to remember. This will help you succeed in the exam later. In addition, lectures you will increase and consolidate your professional vocabulary. Secondly, communicate with teachers in written form. Even if you have settled something ve email saying that you are writing in follow-up to your conversation to make sure that you everything correctly. You need this because there are lots of students, and a teacher may that, for example, you are excused from class, so you will get an absence and will not be the exam. Thirdly, in no case should you miss practical classes. But sometimes you can do so with ot There will be several groups with the same subjects at a different time. Your absence can coming to a certain class with another group, but for this you again need to settle this w so that you will be allowed not only to enter the classroom, but also to participate in th Covering your previous absence also needs to be recorded in written form or confirmed by a ****************************************************************************************** * Master’s degree and so forth ****************************************************************************************** K: And what are the requirements for admission to the master’s program? Is work experience N: If you have graduated from your bachelor’s degree of architecture at ČVUT with a genera of 1.5 or less and have got an A in the final state exam, you will be admitted to the mast program without an entrance exam. Everyone else is taking a two-stage exam. At the first stage, you submit a portfolio with format (maximum 30 pieces). Usually, those who plan to apply for a master’s degree program that they have made in the bachelor’s degree to their portfolio. You will be taught making the university. The committee might accept you right away or send you to the second stage Those who did not get their bachelor’s degree at FA ČVUT pass an exam that consists of one portfolio evaluation. No work experience is required for admission to the master’s degree program. Now almost ev their studies to get master’s degree, and rarely leaves with Bc. title, because they want identified as architects thanks to the Ing. Arch. title. K: I understand that it is strange for a ČVUT student to hear such questions, but still: i be eager to get into ČVUT or can other universities be considered as well? Is it difficult you didn’t study at ČVUT? N: At the moment, with the unemployment rate being close to zero in Prague, everyone is hi wouldn’t worry about this. Now there are a lot of people in architectural and design offic studied anywhere in the Czech Republic and work having only Russian diplomas. As for other universities, you need to take into account that your studies depend on the n who will be in charge of the workshops, where you will work on your projects. There are ma at large universities, so you can choose whose workshop you will be working at and with wh small universities, the choice is limited. For example, at ČVUT, in addition to the Facult itself, there is also the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, people have workshops there. At the same time, well-known and recognized professionals wor faculties. However, I can recommend you to consider VUT in Brno [ URL "https://www.fa.vutbr.cz/"] . P from bachelor’s degree program there and then come to Prague for a master’s degree. Their is interesting, because the duration of compulsory period of study is four years, and not other universities, at the same time, a mandatory internship is included in these four yea that after completing a bachelor’s degree there, you will have work experience. By the way, at this university it seems possible to go for the Erasmus program already dur bachelor’s degree studies, whereas at ČVUT architects have this opportunity only at master K: Yet we often hear that the projects that win competitions and are implemented are made graduates. N: Usually, the projects that win are not the ones of fresh graduates, but of architectura heads are architects over 50 years of age. Indeed, they often are ČVUT graduates, because there was simply nowhere else to study. However, no one forbids you to dream about becoming a famous architect whose projects are hot cakes right after graduation. In fact, we came to Prague not only to get education, bu K: Thanks for the interview!

Do you want to study at the best Czech universities for free?

You only need to do two things for thist – learn Czech and for the entrance exams.

All this ca ILP courses of Charles University

Ap b>