The British Architects Registration Board (ARB) has announced a new £9,200 ($11,300 USD) yearly fee, which will begin being asked from all 60 accredited schools of architecture in the UK next year. The move has sparked criticism that they are “crippling” education efforts in the country’s smaller and underfunded degree programs. 

The announcement was made at the beginning of November, just months removed from the organization’s proposal of “fundamental” overhauls to higher education that eventually drew criticism from RIBA and academic organizations.

The scheme is reportedly expected to haul in an extra £550,000 (around $675,500 USD) in funds annually. Fees of £3,000 will also be assessed for any new applications for qualification from schools, along with an annual £2,000 renewal fee requiring a “periodic review” of their credential.

The ARB has been hiking fees lately in addition to pursuing those educational reforms, though the latest news still comes as a “shock” to many, according to the Architects’ Journal. 

The Manchester School of Architecture's Head, Kevin Singh, shared with the AJ: “It’s inevitable that some schools will struggle to afford this, or at the very least, it will take money away from the student experience. There is no proposal for the fee to be means tested, which has disappointed many, especially the smaller schools.”

A spokesperson for the ARB told the publication: “The legislative changes were made so that ARB can recover the costs of its activities from those who use ARB’s services. Without this change, the costs of accrediting qualifications would fall on the architects’ profession through their annual retention fee for registration.”

Schools now have until the end of September 2024 to pay the initial fees.