Fellowship (FAIA)

The AIA New York Chapter Fellows Committee accepts recommendations for local nominees for Fellowship at any time, but there is a deadline for each calendar year in February for consideration of submissions to the College of Fellows Jury for that year. Recommendations can be either self-referrals or submitted with the support of another AIA member. A recommendation from a Chapter Fellow is particularly appreciated.

Referrals should be sent to Suzanne Mecs at [email protected] with Subject Line: Recommendation to AIANY Fellows Committe

As a local resource, the seminar What Does it Take to Become FAIA? will be held in February 24, 2026. Registration for the event will be through the Calendar.

Once the event has been completed, a recording will be made available. In the meantime, a recording from  the 2025 session is available at the link below. You may also request the February 2026 event slide deck or ask questions by emailing Suzanne Mecs at [email protected].

Architect members who we believe have met eligibility requirements should receive an invitation via email to submit a portfolio outlining their achievements for review by the Fellows Committee. Candidates are urged to confirm their eiligibility which includes at least 10 years as an Architect level (AIA) member.

The requirements for the 2026 portfolio can also be downloaded here; each year's portfolio request may have modest tweaks to the requirements, but will follow a similar framework. 

Committee notifies individuals in early May if they have been nominated by the Chapter for that year's submission for College of Fellows Jury consideration. Nominees are asked to identify their sponsors as soon as possible after their selection if it had not been noted in advance. Nominees, their adminstrative support, and sponsors are invited to a submission preparation workshop, which will be held in late May.

The National Honors and Awards department maintains a wealth of information on the Fellows section of their website, including samples of past successfull submissions. These can be accessed via the web or by inquiry to the national archivist. The Chapter also has some electronic copies from individuals elevated beginning in 2007; contact Suzanne Mecs (212-358-6115 or [email protected]) if you would like to recieve a particular portfolio.

Each year, the AIA New York Fellows Committee will host a morning workshop for nominees who are working on a Fellows submission to the College of Fellows Jury. We will review the requirements and provide insight based on experience with prior candidates. Details and registration to the event will be posted on the AIA New York Calendar starting about four weeks prior to the event.

Nominees supported by the Chapter prepare a draft of the 40 page submission required by the College of Fellows Jury following the guidelines from the Honors and Awards Department. The AIANY Fellows Committee will review and return comments by early September.

The National submission portal is currently closed. However, resources and links are available at the AIA National website Fellowship section to assist those considering or preparing for a submission. Final instructions for the October submissions are posted by the Honors and Awards Department each June.

Members elevated to the College of Fellows in February 2027 will be honored at an investiture during the 2027 Conference on Architecture. The 2026 Colleger of Fellows Investiture will take place in San Diego, CA, June 10-13, 2026. They will recognized with a local reception on March 17, 2026.

Nominees who submit in October 2026 will be notified by email coming from the Honors and Awards Department in Washington, DC in mid-late February 2027.