Scholarships
AIA Northern Virginia Scholarships & Grants
Throughout the year, the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter hosts a series of competitions, scholarships, and programs to support architects, emerging professionals, and firms that have exhibited excellence and dedication in the field and the development of the profession.
AIA Northern Virginia is strongly committed to fostering the development of future leaders in the field and recognizing those that have distinguished themselves by their passion and commitment to design.
Winners and awardees are selected and recognized throughout the year.
AIA Northern Virginia Annual Student Scholarship Competition
Each year, the School Connections Committee holds a scholarship competition for architecture students who are attending school in Virginia or attend an accredited architecture program out-of-state but reside in Virginia. Scholarships, to be used toward tuition in an accredited architecture program, will be awarded.
Competition Timeline
The Call for Entries is released in November and the winners will be announced the following January.
Judging
The jury panel includes members of the Schools Connections Committee and additional AIA Northern Virginia members with relevant experience. The judging criteria changes from year to year based on the selected theme of the competition.
Donations/Funding
Cash prizes are awarded to winning students with funds from AIA Northern Virginia, along with matching funds from AIA National through a component matching scholarship grant program.
ARE® Scholarship
The AIA NoVA's Young Architects Forum (YAF) has developed a scholarship program to support testing and defray the costs for the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). This scholarship is intended to recognize an Associate AIA member of the chapter who has made significant contributions to the profession at an early stage in their career and to encourage their pursuit of licensure. The recipient will receive financial support to cover the cost of six tests (one test per practice area) of the ARE®, whether the test is passed or not. Valid for one calendar year following the receipt of the scholarship, the chapter will reimburse up to $1,410 of the recipient’s testing fees as will reimburse after each test is taken.
Nominations Timeline
Call for submissions is typically released in Aug-Sept. and due late Sept or early October. The recipient will be announced and celebrated at the annual Autumn Social.
Judging
The jury panel is composed of recently licensed architects and is charged with reviewing submissions and recommending an individual that demonstrates passion for the pursuit of architectural license and has made significant contributions to the profession, community, and/or the advancement of emerging professionals.
Donations/Funding
Funding of this scholarship is provided by AIA Northern Virginia. If you would like to contribute, please email [email protected].
AIA Northern Virginia Past Presidents and Fellows Scholarship
Awarded annually each Spring, the Past Presidents and Fellows Scholarship is a minority-directed scholarship that aims to support diversity and inclusion among students pursuing architecture as a career. Whether you are nominating a student or donating to the scholarship fund, you have an opportunity to help cultivate the future of the architecture profession.
Nominations Timeline
Nominations are typically accepted at the beginning of the calendar year. One (1) nomination may be submitted for consideration from each dean of Virginia’s schools of architecture. Nominees must be a Virginia resident, college (undergraduate) sophomore or above, demonstrate both financial need and academic promise, and be enrolled in a school of architecture within the Commonwealth of Virginia. A student is eligible to receive the scholarship more than once and up to four times if the student is nominated by a dean and selected by the jury each year.
Judging
The jury, composed of AIA Northern Virginia Past Presidents and/or Fellows and the current Chapter president, will review nominations based on the recommendation submitted by each Dean detailing a student's merit, financial need, academic promise and being deemed a rising star and standout among their class.
Donations
All Chapter Past Presidents and Fellows are eligible to contribute to this scholarship fund. Donate today in 3 Easy Steps:
1. Make checks payable to "The Virginia Foundations of Architecture, Inc." (Due to tax reporting purposes, credit card donations are not currently being accepted.)
2. In the memo line note "AIA NoVA Presidents' Scholarship".
3. Mail donations to the Chapter, Attn: Executive Director
Contributions are accepted at any time. To qualify as a charitable donation, checks must be received for processing no later than Dec. 15. Donations are tax-deductible. You will receive an acknowledgement letter of receipt from the Virginia Foundation for Architecture, Inc.
AIA Northern Emerging Leaders in Architecture Nomination & Grant
The AIA Virginia Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) is an intensive program of educational sessions structured around presentations, discussions, team exploration, analysis, consensus-building, collaboration, and case study activities undertaken over the course of a year by a small cadre of participants selected for their potential to be outstanding contributors to the profession and the community. Facilitators and mentors who are established leaders in the building, finance, non-profit, development, university, legal, consulting, and design professions and in the community at large develop and deliver the sessions, designed to provide participants with advanced knowledge and skills related to specific areas of leadership and practice. AIA Northern Virginia nominates one individual for admission to the program and awards 50% of the program’s tuition cost to assist that deserving AIA NoVA member to participate in the program.
Nominations Timeline
Call for submissions is typically released in Aug-Sept. and due late Sept or early October. The recipient will be announced and celebrated at the annual Autumn Social.
Judging
The jury panel is composed of ELA Program Alumni and is charged with reviewing submissions and recommending an AIA NoVA emerging designer or architect with leadership potential, unique perspectives, and complementary talents.
Donations/Funding
Funding of this scholarship is provided by AIA Northern Virginia. If you would like to contribute, please email [email protected].