This scholarship is designed to support and increase representation of Black/African American architects and interior designers in our industry. Applicants who identify as Black or African American are strongly encouraged to apply.
ABOUT OTJ ARCHITECTS

OTJ Architects is a premier architecture and design practice that partners with leading organizations at key moments of transition in their development. With offices nationwide, OTJ delivers enduring human-centric solutions that promote diversity, wellness, and sustainability across the commercial real estate, corporate, government, science and technology, multi-family, arts, culture, and education, as well as nonprofit sectors.

Signature recent projects include workplaces for Adobe, BMW, PBS, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Yelp; the renovations of the iconic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, New York’s Webster Hall, and the Cincinnati Music Hall; laboratories for Dyno Therapeutics and Agios Pharmaceuticals; as well as the Visitation commercial mixed-use development in historic Frederick, MD. For more information, please visit otj.com.


THE IMPORTANCE OF LICENSURE IN OUR INDUSTRY

Diverse perspectives strengthen design outcomes, drive innovation, and better reflect the communities we serve. However, barriers to licensure (financial, structural, and access-related) have disproportionately impacted underrepresented professionals in architecture and interior design.

Achieving licensure represents a critical milestone in career advancement and leadership development within our profession. This scholarship is designed to support and increase representation of Black/African American architects and interior designers by helping remove barriers on the path to licensure.


SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

1 architect candidate will receive
  • a total of $1,600 for the ARE exam
  • access to ARE exam prep materials (Black Spectacles & Amber Book)
1 interior design candidate will receive
  • a total of $1,400 for the NCIDQ exam
  • access to NCIDQ exam prep materials (Q Practice)

Past award winners are not eligible for this scholarship, but candidates who have not been awarded may resubmit. You must also be either NCARB or NCIDQ certified to qualify for this scholarship.

DEADLINES

Candidates for architect:
  • Application opens 07.01.2026
  • Submission deadline 09.25.2026
  • Recipients will be announced on 10.15.2026
Candidates for certified interior designer:
  • Application opens 07.01.2026
  • Submission deadline 09.25.2026
  • Recipients will be announced on 10.15.2026

CONTACT

For questions regarding the application process, please email scholarship@otj.com


PLEASE CLICK NEXT TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

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