Student Life
FIU Student Housing
Given the long hours and often intensive working conditions in the design studio, we encourage students to live on or near the Modesto Maidique Campus, if at all possible. While there are many small and reasonably priced apartments to be found in the surrounding areas, the offerings on campus are considered to be some of the best around. For more information, please visit the website of the FIU Office of Housing and Residential Life by clicking here.
Laptop + Software Information
Laptops
- Undergraduate Students: $900 – $1,200
- Graduate Students: $1,300 – $1,800+
Software
As an FIU student, you are eligible to purchase software from UTS Shop Software.
Laptop Specifications
Please see the chart below for reference.
| Component | Undergraduate Students | Graduate Students |
| Processor (CPU) | Intel Core i7 (Quad-Core or higher) AMD Ryzen 7 equivalent | Intel Core i9 / AMD Ryzen 9 (8+ cores) |
| Memory (RAM) | Minimum: 16 GB | Recommended: 32 GB or more |
| Graphics (GPU) | Dedicated GPU required NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050M / RTX 2060M or higher AMD Radeon Pro 5300M / 5500M or equivalent | High-performance dedicated GPU strongly recommended NVIDIA RTX 3060 / Quadro T2000 or higher AMD Radeon Pro 6000 series or equivalent |
| Storage (SSD) | Minimum: 512 GB SSD | Recommended: 1 TB SSD |
| Display | 15” Full HD (1920 x 1080) minimum | 15” or larger, high-resolution display (4K optional) |
| Networking | Built-in Wi-Fi required | Wi-Fi + Ethernet port or USB-C adapter recommended |
| Operating System | Windows 11 (64-bit) | Windows 11 (64-bit) |
Student Organizations
American Institute of Architecture Students – AIAS
The American Institute of Architecture Students is a grassroots student-led organization; nationally-recognized and dedicated to helping architecture students across the United States succeed in their academic studies and upcoming careers.
Want to learn more, check out: aias.org
Our Mission
Our mission is to promote excellence in architecture education, training and practice for all students. We are dedicated to helping all Architecture, Landscape and Interior Architecture students succeed during their time at FIU! By coordinating various social and academic events throughout the year, AIAS aims to:
- Provide students with the essential tools and resources to better their skills inside the classroom.
- Prepare students for the professional workplace outside of the classroom.
- Connect students with networking opportunities amongst the local, national, and international architecture community.
Our Team
Vice President: Elizabeth Miqueo
Treasurer: Melanie Rizzo
Secretary: Maria F Luna
Events Chair: Haiji Walters
Chapter Email: fiu@aias.org
Chapter Instagram: @aias_fiu
Linktree: linktr.ee/aias_fiu
Nicon Chapter of Alpha Rho Chi (APX)
Coed, professional fraternity available to anyone in any field of the allied arts. Find out more information on their website, http://www.alpharhochi.org. Membership is acquired through the traditional fraternity template, rush, pledge, initiation. Alpha Rho Chi is a brotherhood, we work very closely together and recently we have emerged as a strong force in the School of Architecture. They also have a national chapter Facebook.
Established at Florida International University on July 11, 2004.
Worthy Architect (President): Enrique Socarras
Worthy Associate Architect (VP): Diego Gonzales
Superintendent: Stefania Mestroni
Worthy Scribe (Secretary): Darline Garces
Worthy Estimator (Treasurer): Julieta Vega Urrutia
Sergeant At Arms (Master of Ceremony): Stefania Mestroni
Sigma Xi Chapter of Tau Sigma Delta
Tau Sigma Delta was founded in 1913 at the University of Michigan to celebrate achievement in the design disciplines. At the Florida International University School of Architecture, invitation and induction to Tau Sigma Delta honor the academic accomplishments of students who are in the final two years of their professional studies, and whose academic records place them in the top 10% of their respective programs. Thirty-four students became the newest members of the honor society in a ceremony that celebrated the inductees, their families, friends and faculty.
Contact Professor Marilys Nepomechie for more information on this organization: nepomech@fiu.edu.
National Organization of Minority Architect Students – FIU
The National Organization of Minority Architect Students at FIU is here to provide students with another avenue that will allow various cultures within a specific career to unite. We give students an opportunity to create relationships with both architect students and professionals throughout the nation. We participate mostly in social gatherings, informational seminars, and competitions. The ultimate goal in having this organization, is to inspire students to continue pursuing their career goals while simultaneously allowing their culture to influence their work in an innovative way.
For more information, visit the National Organization of Minority Architects at www.noma.net, and visit the NOMAS-FIU Chapter on Facebook and Twitter.
Vice President: Haiji Walters
Executive Treasurer: Sean o’sullivan
Executive Secretary: Bayan Abedulazis
Marketing and Publications Director: Hiro Durad
RSO Representative: Ashley Rodriguez
Chapter e-mail: fiunomas@gmail.com