Interior Design Financial Aid & Scholarships

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Interior design degree programs can last four or five years, and be quite costly -- tuition alone can be $6,000 - $10,000 per semester, and this doesn't include room and board or other expenses. The solution? Federal loans or grants, school-based merit scholarships, or outside private scholarships.

Federal Financial Aid

Schools that are regionally accredited can participate in federal financial aid programs. To be eligible, you should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year you are enrolled in school. Need-based scholarships and loans are offered by both the state and federal government and are based on you or your family's income. The FAFSA will determine how much you can receive from the government.

Scholarships

Merit-based scholarships offered by art schools and state universites go to students who exhibit talent in the area they wish to pursue. Applications for these school-based merit scholarships often require a portfolio.

Outside private scholarships or grants, meanwhile, are offered by a variety of organizations -- from companies to non-profit associations. These awards can be used toward tuition that your loans may not cover, or other expenses such as supplies and books. A good first step to finding outside scholarships is to register for Fastweb.com, which can match you with a variety of scholarships that you might not find otherwise.

  • Fastweb
    FastWeb is the most complete source of local, national and college-specific scholarships. With 1.3 million scholarships worth over $3 billion, there's a scholarship that's right for you. Plus, research colleges, find a part-time job and get financial aid advice -- all for free.

Other private organizations that offer scholarships particularly for design students:

  • American Architecture Foundation
    The American Architecture Foundation offers a Minority/Disadvantaged Scholarship to encourage diversity in architecture. Twenty awards are given each year, and range from $500 to $2,500.
  • American Society of Interior Designers Foundation
    The ASID Foundation offers scholarships to support undergraduate students or professoinal graduate students studying a variety of aspects of interior design -- from health and safety to historic preservation.
  • International Furnishings and Design Association
    IFDA scholarships are open to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are members of IFDA and pursuing a degree in interior design. Awards range from $1,500 to $3,000.