The title ‘garden and landscape architect’ is protected by law. This means that only people who are trained at an accredited educational institute and are registered in the Architects’ Register may call themselves garden and/or landscape architects.

Dutch educational institutes  that provide a master’s degree in landscape architecture are Wageningen University, Delft University of Technology and the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam.
In addition, the law offers the possibility to persons who do not have these diplomas but who do meet certain conditions, to participate in an annually organized architect examination that also gives access to registration in the register. In all cases, completion after January 1, 2015 also requires completion of a two-year professional experience period.

All aspects of title protection and management of the Architects’ Register are handled by The Architects Registration Bureau. On their website you can read everything about the law, the register and conditions to be registered as a garden and landscape architect.

Every student who graduates as a landscape architect after January 1, 2015 and wishes to register as a garden and landscape architect in the Netherlands, must complete a mandatory professional experience period. The professional practice experience period is a period in which, after obtaining a qualifying Dutch (master’s) degree, you gain professional experience under the supervision of a mentor. This period lasts about two years if you work at least 32 hours a week. If you work less, the period of professional experience is longer. If you work less than 20 hours per week on average, you cannot participate in the professional experience period. The mentor must work in the same discipline as you. He/she must also have been registered in the Architects Register for that same discipline for at least three years. After this period, graduates can register at the Architects Registration Bureau.

Read more about the Professional Practice Experience period on the Architects Registration Bureau website and on the Professional Practice Experience page itself. You will also find more information about the different routes available to complete the Professional Practice Experience period.