Scholarships

The Association for Women in Architecture Foundation offers annual cash awards to women students studying Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and/or Land Planning, Interior Design, Historic Preservation or Environmental Design leading to a college degree.

See application for details - click here.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications to be eligible (see application form for details):

  • Applicants must be female residents of California or attending a California school, and must be enrolled in one of the qualifying majors for the current school term.

  • Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 units in their major by the application due date, OR current community college students shall have a minimum of 10 units completed in their major.

2026 application deadline is Friday, April 3.

Go to Scholarship Application

For questions, contact Diana Perez, Scholarship Co-Chair at awards@awa-foundation.org

Sponsoring an AWAF Scholarship reflects a commitment to supporting and encouraging female students as they strive to achieve their educational goals and enter the design professions. For information on becoming a sponsor and gaining a unique opportunity to be involved, please contact our Foundation President.

2025 Scholarship Awardees

Thanks to the support of our amazing donors and underwriters, the AWA Foundation awarded eight scholarships in 2025 to outstanding women shaping the future of our profession. Their efforts and passions highlight diversity, creativity, and the power of design to uplift and transform.

AWA Foundation Scholarship ($5,000)

Raquel Vera‑Mijares
Academy of Art senior bridging communities with inclusive architectural practice.

AWAF Wena Dows Scholarship ($5,000)

Mariella Cajina
a Cal Poly SLO student and structural engineer passionate about sustainable, equitable housing.

Helms Design District Scholarship ($3,000)

Alana Abuchaibe
Colombian‑American interdisciplinary designer advancing cultural preservation through storytelling.

AWAF Board Scholarship ($3,000)

Mary Dilanchian 
Woodbury senior weaving memory and emotional resonance into architectural narratives.

Commons at NHM Team Scholarship ($3,000)

Claire Guo 
Syracuse University undergraduate exploring political and cultural forces in design as a catalyst for change. 

2025 Sarah Hays Scholarships

The AWA Foundation is proud to continue Sarah Hays’s legacy of design excellence and social engagement. Her transformative bequest in 2021 has allowed us to offer awards that recognize community-minded leadership and exceptional resilience, and begin a grant program affecting change outside the bounds of our own award programs.

Read Sarah Hays – Remembered for a personal reflection about her work in her own community, as well as her spirit of generosity and strength.

Sarah Hays Social Impact Award ($7,500)

Georgie Ampudia (UCLA)
Passionate about addressing housing insecurity, the reviewers were highly impressed by Georgie as the student lead on the LuminOCity Project, her already impressive impacts on the profession and community, and her work in sustainable, affordable design.

Sarah Hays Community College Awards ($3,000 each)

Esperanza Herrera (ELAC → USC)
Andrea Factor (El Camino College → Cal Poly Pomona)
Both recipients shine through their storytelling, sketching, and commitment to inclusive, sustainable design as they transition to four-year architecture programs.

Thank You to our 2025 Scholarship Jurors

Scholarship Jury:
Angela Ball, Ashley Morales Diaz, Ashley Margo, Eden Ferry, Jana Wehby, Jeanmarie Zimmerman, JT Chieh-Ting Chuang, Karin Najarian, Mehrnoosh Mojallali, Murjani Oseguera , Naoko Miyano, Simone Drucker, Yifei Yan

Committee Member Reviewers:
Christina Monti, Diana Perez, Isa Mattia