How long to review for the Architecture (ALE) board exam: 4 to 5 months, based on PRC's calendar and subject weights, with a 20-week plan.
Mariano Luiz King
Published November 9, 2026
Plan on 4 to 5 months of full-time review for the Architecture (ALE) Board Exam, the Licensure Examination for Architects. That's about how long the ALE review programs that publish their dates run, and it fits PRC's exam calendar. This post shows where that number comes from and gives you a 20-week plan, as of November 2026.
After reading this, you can pick a start date for your ALE review and split your weeks by subject.
The exam dates and filing windows come from PRC's 2025 and 2026 schedules. The subjects and weights come from PRC's own documents, which I laid out in ALE board exam coverage. Review program dates come from the providers' own sites. I checked all of them on November 9, 2026.
There's no official answer to how long you should review. Treat this as a starting plan and adjust it after your first diagnostic test.
The ALE exam is held in January and June. Here are the last two:
| Exam dates | Filing window |
|---|---|
| January 20 and 22, 2026 | November 11 to December 15, 2025 |
| June 8 and 10, 2026 | March 10 to May 11, 2026 |
So the next sitting is usually about 5 months away. That's your maximum review window if you're deciding between two dates.
Filing on LERIS opened about 3 months before each exam and closed about 1 month before. So start reviewing before the window opens, not when you file. PRC hasn't released its 2027 dates yet; the expected months are in the PRC board exam schedule.
These are classes. Most reviewees also study on their own before and during them, so your own review usually runs at least this long.
| Subject | Weight | Items |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural Design and Site Planning | 40% | 200 |
| History and Theory of Architecture, Principles of Planning and Architectural Practice | 30% | 100 |
| Utilities, Structural Conceptualization, Building Materials and Technology | 30% | 150 |
To pass, you need a 70% weighted average, with no subject below 50% (RA 9266). The weights tell you where your weeks should go.
The plan splits the middle weeks by subject weight. Heavier subjects get more weeks.
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Timed diagnostic: one practice set per subject. Note your weakest topics. |
| 2 to 8 | Architectural Design and Site Planning: learn, then practice questions (40%) |
| 9 to 13 | History and Theory of Architecture, Principles of Planning and Architectural Practice: learn, then practice questions (30%) |
| 14 to 18 | Utilities, Structural Conceptualization, Building Materials and Technology: learn, then practice questions (30%) |
| 19 to 20 | Two full timed mock exams, then your weakest topics only |
Two habits run through every week:
Cut weeks from subjects your diagnostic says you're already strong in. Don't cut the heaviest subject just because it's long.
And don't drop any subject. The ALE exam fails you if any subject is below 50%, even with a good average.
If you're working full-time, you'll need more weeks, not fewer. See how to review for the board exam while working full-time. If you're retaking, start from your subject ratings instead of week 1: see a retake review plan.
4 to 5 months of full-time review is a sensible target for the ALE exam. Pick your sitting, count back 20 weeks, and start before the filing window opens.
About 4 to 5 months of full-time review is a common target, based on how long published review programs run. Working reviewees need more.
Count back from your exam date. Filing opens about 3 months before the exam, so start reviewing at least a month or two before the filing window opens.
Twice a year, in January and June, based on PRC's 2025 and 2026 schedules.
Ready to start? Try the free ALE board exam reviewer. I built prepPH, so I'm biased, but every question has an explanation. Not sure you need a review center? Read can you pass the ALE board exam with self-review?.
