CIDQ Scholarship ACCESS Program (SAP)

The Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) runs the Scholarship ACCESS Program (SAP) to reduce barriers and expand access to career opportunities for historically underrepresented minorities and underserved communities in the interior design profession. CIDQ encourages individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations, and those with disabilities, to apply. Scholarships cover EXAM FEES ONLY — not application fees, study materials or other expenses. Awards are annual and apply to spring and/or fall 2027 exams, and must be used in the fiscal year awarded. The application period is September 1 to October 31, 2026. To apply you must belong to a historically underrepresented group and have a CIDQ-approved NCIDQ Exam application at the time of scholarship submission. Individuals awarded the scholarship in the previous year are not eligible to reapply for the current award cycle and must wait one full award cycle; vouchers are not replaced or reissued once used to schedule an exam, because a cancelled exam costs CIDQ the seat. Decisions are based on clarity of ideas, communication of experiences and teaching impact.

Applications open September 1, 2026 and close October 31, 2026, via the 'Apply for the Scholarship ACCESS Program (SAP)' link on the CIDQ Scholarship ACCESS Program page. Applicants must already hold a CIDQ-approved NCIDQ Exam application at the time of scholarship submission. Decisions are based on clarity of ideas, communication of experiences and teaching impact.