Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Single or multiple awards up to $5,000.

Merit-based scholarships that support deserving students acquiring their first professional degree in architecture, design, engineering, planning, or a related discipline in a program within New York State.

Students seeking their first professional degree in architecture or related design discipline from an accredited school within New York State. The dean or chair of the architectural school or accredited design program shall invite up to two students from their respective college or university to apply based on their high level of academic performance and evidence of financial need. Financial need of the student shall be determined by the guidelines of the Financial Aid Officer of the school nominating the candidate.

Note: Students cannot be nominated for both the Center for Architecture Design and Allwork awards. Students in their final year of school are not eligible to apply. Students must be nominated by their dean or chair of their accredited program that they are currently studying in order to apply for this award.

Eligible Engineering Programs
Architectural, Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Structural

Eligible Design Programs
Architectural, Environmental, Furniture, Industrial, Interior, Landscape, Sustainable, Urban

Note: Graduate students pursuing the M. Arch degree from an NAAB accredited school within New York State are eligible to apply if their undergraduate degree is in a field other than architecture. Current M. Arch students who hold a 4-year degree in architectural studies or other non-accredited pre-architecture programs are also welcome to apply.

Financial aid for students seeking their first professional design degree with a high level of academic performance and financial need. Student portfolios, each containing three projects, should be judged in terms of the following additional criteria:

Concept: Demonstrates a clear and focused line of inquiry

Artistry: Demonstrates a sensitive aesthetic ability

Skill: Demonstrates an a high level of aptitude

This scholarship aims to broaden the purview of the award program to include students studying in design related fields including engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, etc.

A complete application includes the online application, a portfolio, and two letters of recommendation. All aspects of the application must be submitted electronically via the application form.

Application Form
The Cover Page Form must be placed at the beginning of submission.

Portfolio
The portfolio should include three student projects as examples of work. Submissions of collaborative projects where the applicant’s role is not clear are discouraged. Do not submit slides.

Two Letters of Recommendation
All letters of recommendation must be signed and on letterhead.

• One letter must be written by the nominating dean or chair. This letter will serve as the Dean’s official nomination. Students cannot be nominated for both the Center for Architecture Design and Allwork scholarships.
• One letter must be written by a faculty member familiar with the applicant’s work.
• If your recommender would like to submit their letter directly to scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org, please upload a document including their name and contact information and that they will be submitting their letter via email. The same deadline of March 18 applies.

Optional: The applicant may submit up to two more academic or professional references from an educator and/or design professional testifying to achievement and professional promise demonstrated through academic or professional work in an office environment.

Note:
• There is no entry fee.

Electronic Submission
All aspects of the submission (online application, portfolio, and two letters of recommendation) must be submitted electronically via the online form.

Portfolio
The portfolio should be saved in the following manner:

CFA Design Portfolio – Applicant’s Last Name

Letters of Recommendation
Recommenders should save letters in the following manner:

CFA Design Recommendation – Applicant’s Last Name

All letters of recommendation must be signed and on letterhead.

1. Do applications need to be post-marked by the deadline?
All application materials, included letters of recommendation, must be RECEIVED electronically by March 21, 2025 at 5:00 pm ET.

2. Is it possible to extend the deadline based on personal extenuating circumstances?
All applications must be received by the due date in order to be reviewed. 

3. Can letters of recommendation be sent separately from the application?
Applicants are strongly advised to submit complete applications including both letters of recommendation. However,  letters of recommendation may be sent separately, directly from the recommender, to scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org. Please have your recommender enter the following in the subject line: [LAST NAME – CFA Design Recommendation]

4. Can I hand-deliver my application?
All application materials MUST be submitted digitally via the online form by March 21, 2025 by 5:00 pm ET.

5. Does the Center for Architecture sponsor individual students pursuing an architectural education in need of financial aid?
The Center for Architecture supports students through our scholarship program. At this time it is not possible for the organization to give financial aid above and beyond this program.

6. I am a high school student seeking scholarships for an undergraduate degree in architecture. Am I eligible for the CFA Design Scholarship?
No, in order to be considered for the CFA Design Scholarship, applicants must be nominated by the Dean or Chair of the program they are currently attending. 

7. I am applying to an architecture program at a school in New York State. Am I eligible for the CFA Design scholarship?
No, in order to be considered for the CFA Design Scholarship, an applicant must be nominated by the Dean or Chair of the Architecture program the applicant is currently attending.

8.  I am a graduate architecture student, but my undergraduate degree is not in architecture. Am I eligible for the CFA Design scholarship?
Yes, graduate students are eligible as long as the applicant’s undergraduate degree is in a field other than architecture. Applicants must be working toward their first architectural degree.

9. Do applicants need to submit documentation of financial need?
No, financial need is determined by the Financial Aide Dean or Chair who nominates you.

10.  Does the Dean or Chair need to mention a student’s financial need in the nomination letter?
The financial aid officer addresses the student’s financial need; the Dean or Chair is not required to.

11. Does the Dean or Chair need to write a letter of recommendation in addition to nominating each of the three students?
The Dean or Chair must write an individual letter of recommendation for each student he or she nominates. This letter of recommendation will act as the formal nomination. 

12. Is it possible to review the submissions of past recipients?
No, but you can read more about our recent recipient here.

13. What is the schedule of notification?
Applicants will be notified by early-May.

14. Can applicants submit a digital portfolio that is more than 30 MB?
No, 30 MB is the maximum size for all uploads attached to one submission, including the portfolio and both letters of recommendation.

2025 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Emily Comfort
City College of New York
Merit Award

Sofia Luna Narvaez
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

Terence Huang
University at Buffalo
Merit Award

2025 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship & AIA Component Matching Scholarship Grant 

Eugene Kim
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

2024 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Catherine Lizbeth Moreno
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

Christopher Martinovic
City College of New York
Merit Award

2024 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship & AIA Component Matching Scholarship Grant 

Flora JingLin Ng
Columbia University
Merit Award

2023 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Jasper Townsend
The Cooper Union
Merit Award

Farzana Hossain
Cornell University
Merit Award

2022 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Casey Breen
City College of New York
Merit Award

Earl Kwofie
The Cooper Union
Merit Award

2021 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Ava Sierra Heckman
Columbia University
Merit Award

Abby Stein
City College of New York
Merit Award

2020 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Leticia Bohrer Avila
University at Buffalo
Merit Award

Florence Methot
City College of New York
Merit Award

2019 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Sonya Feinstein
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

Emmet Sutton
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

2018 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Vahhab Aboonour
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

Stav Eilam
The Cooper Union
Merit Award

Sarah Chikh Ousman
City College of New York
Merit Award

Benjamin Sather
New York Institute of Technology
Merit Award

Mayrah Udvardi
Columbia University
Merit Award

2017 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Patchariya Kate Jirasitham
City College of New York
Merit Award

Zara Tamton
City College of New York
Merit Award

2016 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Christopher Brockhoft
Columbia University
Merit Award

Clara Puglsey
The Cooper Union
Merit Award

2015 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Design Scholarship

Lester Li
City College of New York
Merit Award

Caleb Sillars
Parsons School of Design
Merit Award

Brendan Vogt
Columbia University
Merit Award

2014 Recipients of the Center for Architecture Foundation Design Scholarship

Magdalena Checo
City College of New York
Merit Award

Kyle Sullivan
Columbia University
Merit Award

2013 Recipient of the Center for Architecture Foundation Design Scholarship

Hyatt Tortorella
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Merit Award

2012 Recipient of the Center for Architecture Foundation Design Scholarship

Roberto Jenkins
Pratt Institute
Merit Award

2011 Recipient of the Center for Architecture Foundation Design Scholarship

Yinery Baez
City College of New York
Merit Award