IDEC Foundation Graduate Scholar Award
The IDECF has been supporting graduate students through scholarships to participate in the annual IDEC conference for more than a decade. Supporting graduate students to become the next generation of design educators is a key objective of IDECF.
Calls for submissions will be released in the Fall and be awarded to apply towards the conference in the following calendar year.
The IDECF has been supporting graduate students through scholarships to participate in the annual IDEC conference for more than a decade. Supporting graduate students to become the next generation of design educators is a key objective of IDECF.
Calls for submissions will be released in the Fall and be awarded to apply towards the conference in the following calendar year.
2027 Graduate Scholar Award Call
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2026 11:59PM PST
PURPOSE
This award serves Interior Design graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career as an Interior Design educator. The award provides:
AMOUNT
Each scholarship is awarded for $ 1,000 to graduate scholars attending the 2027 Annual IDEC Conference. Up to three scholarship recipients will be selected. Recipients will be informed tentatively by January 3, 2027, so scholarship recipients may plan for travel.
*Possible additional scholarships to be determined based upon IDEC Regional fundraising.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be currently enrolled in a graduate program emphasizing Interior Design. Full-time educators and former recipients of this award are not eligible. Current and former IDECF Board Members from the last five years are not eligible to apply.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
BLIND REVIEW
Applications are assessed through a blind-review process. Please do not include any individually identifying information in your response to the submission requirement questions.
DISQUALIFICATION
Any of the following will result in the disqualification of the applicant, resulting in the rejection of the application without review:
PURPOSE
This award serves Interior Design graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career as an Interior Design educator. The award provides:
- Funding to partially offset the costs of registration and travel funding to attend the 2027 IDEC Annual Conference in Washington DC.
- Formal mentorship by a team of esteemed Interior Design academic leaders.
AMOUNT
Each scholarship is awarded for $ 1,000 to graduate scholars attending the 2027 Annual IDEC Conference. Up to three scholarship recipients will be selected. Recipients will be informed tentatively by January 3, 2027, so scholarship recipients may plan for travel.
*Possible additional scholarships to be determined based upon IDEC Regional fundraising.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be currently enrolled in a graduate program emphasizing Interior Design. Full-time educators and former recipients of this award are not eligible. Current and former IDECF Board Members from the last five years are not eligible to apply.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Online application form.
- An essay responding to the questions below. Be clear, focused, and concise in your answers. Your response to the following questions should not exceed (2) 8 ½” x 11” pages at 12 pt. font. Create a heading for each question so that reviewers may easily navigate your application.
- College-level degrees you hold: list any other Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and/or PhD degrees, or state “not applicable”.
- What propelled you to seek a graduate degree in Interior Design?
- What are your professional plans once you complete your degree?
- How will attending IDEC help you achieve these goals?
BLIND REVIEW
Applications are assessed through a blind-review process. Please do not include any individually identifying information in your response to the submission requirement questions.
DISQUALIFICATION
Any of the following will result in the disqualification of the applicant, resulting in the rejection of the application without review:
- An application that exceeds the (2) 8 ½” x 11” pages at a 12 pt. font limit.
- An incomplete application; all required questions must be answered.
- Inclusion of additional materials beyond those requested for the application.
- The applicant has received the award previously.
- The applicant is not a full-time graduate student in a program emphasizing interior design.
- The applicant is a full-time educator.
- Any identifying information within the essay, including the revealing of name, program, institution, location, etc. Docs saved with identifying information in the file name will be disqualified.
- The application is submitted past the deadline.
QUESTIONS?
Grant Coordinator: Anna Ruth Gatlin, [email protected]
Scholarship Coordinator: Rana Abudayyeh, [email protected]
RUBRIC
A full rubric is available on the IDEC Grants call page, accessible via the Apply link below.
Grant Coordinator: Anna Ruth Gatlin, [email protected]
Scholarship Coordinator: Rana Abudayyeh, [email protected]
RUBRIC
A full rubric is available on the IDEC Grants call page, accessible via the Apply link below.
I have reviewed the obligations associated with this award
