Life Fellowship can be awarded to members who is a Fellow of the Institute and who, in the opinion of the National Council, has rendered notable contribution to the advancement of the profession in design, construction, literature, education, public service or in any other way deemed worthy of the honour of Life Fellowship. 

“Notable contribution” is defined as being a contribution above and beyond the normal contribution made by an architect in the course of their professional career, eg. a record of long or high service in a professional or industry association; a long and sustained record of recognised excellent works or public service, or similar achievement in the fields of building technology, literature or education.

Guidance Notes for Submission of Nominations for Life Fellowship

Article 3 of the Articles of Association of the Institute reads as follows:
Article 3. Life Fellows – The National Council shall have power to confer Life Fellowship upon an architect who is a Fellow of the Institute and who in the opinion of the Council has rendered notable contribution to the advancement of the profession in design, construction, literature, education, public service or in any other way deemed worthy of the honour of Life Fellowship.

1. All Corporate members of the Institute are eligible to make nominations.
2. Nominations shall be in the name of a Proposer, who will be personally responsible for collating and submitting all relevant information together with a citation.
3. Nominations shall be submitted to the Chapter of which the nominee is a member (or, if not a member of a Chapter, to the Secretary of the RAIA).
4. Chapter Councils shall be responsible for checking that nominations are adequately prepared in accordance with these notes before onward transmission to National Council. They shall also be responsible to append their endorsement, or otherwise, of nominations, but shall not withhold from National Council any nomination on the grounds that it is not endorsed.