2026 IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship
IA Interior Architects established the IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship in partnership with the IIDA Foundation to support and elevate students that represent diverse voices and perspectives in interior design, with the goal of enriching diversity of thought and practice across the industry.
A diverse design community drives innovation and inclusion by incorporating different experiences, voices, and ideas, and as the future of design, students are a major force pushing the industry towards more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
For questions on this award program, email foundation@iida.org.
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Submissions Open: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Submissions Close: Friday, December 4, 2026
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Submission Requirements:
The IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design scholarship program invites interior design and architecture students to write and submit a brief essay of up to 500 words on the outlined prompt below:
"It has become impossible to consume any media without coming across a reference to AI's impact on our culture and society. This is an especially relevant topic for the interior design and architecture profession, but one that also creates some problematic questions for the future of our industry.
For this year's essay topic, we are asking students to answer this question: How can we as designers and architects ensure an authentic creative process, one that incorporates creative thinking and sensitivity to both representation and the lived experience, while using AI technology?"