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Submissions

2026 Student of the Year

  • Coming Soon
Otyweb 2023 web 1584 x 400
Recognizing an IIDA Student Member that has demonstrated outstanding leadership, insight, and involvement in their school’s interior design program.

Eligibility

Candidates must be an IIDA Student Members in good standing for a minimum of one (1) year. Students applying for 2026 must have a join date of January 1, 2025, or earlier.

Competition Guidelines

Important Dates

Applications for the IIDA Student of the Year Award open annually.
Submission Open October 1, 2025
Submission Closed December 15, 2025

Pricing

There is no cost to apply to the IIDA Student of the Year Award.

Sponsored by

  • OFS black

Competition Guidelines

Application Requirements

All applications must be completed electronically. No hard copy applications will be accepted. If any of the following items are missing, your application will not be reviewed. Any additional materials will be removed and not considered. To apply you need to prepare and submit the following:

Written Component

Resume + Portfolio

100-250 word response to the following prompts:

  • Why did you join IIDA?

  • Where do you think the profession of interior design will be in five (5) years?
  • What would you like your legacy to be as an interior designer?
  • Design is...

Visual Component

  • One (1) 2-3 minute video describing the candidate's involvement and support of interior design initiatives at their school

  • Headshot in JPG or JPEG format with a minimum size of 1000px by 1000px

Letters of Recommendation

  • One (1) letter of recommendation from an individual who knows the candidate well and can support the candidate's qualifications and achievements (letters from family members and relatives are not allowed)
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation from two (2) educators who have worked directly with the candidate.

Prize

The IIDA Student of the Year will receive:

  • $5,000 cash award sponsored by OFS Brands

  • Complementary IIDA membership
  • Award presentation during the 2026 IIDA Annual Meeting
  • Round-trip coach airfare and a one-night hotel stay in Chicago to attend the award presentation during the IIDA Annual Meeting
  • Optional participation in the IIDA National Student Charette and reception
  • An immersive experience at the OFS headquarters in Huntingburg, IN, inclusive of travel and accommodation for two (2) days and one (1) night
  • A feature on IIDA.org, Design Matters, the flagship e-newsletter of IIDA, and QUAD, the quarterly IIDA Student member e-newsletter
  • Official digital assets, including logos for self-promotion
  • Coverage and mention on IIDA’s social media accounts, and in an official press release distributed to leading industry outlets and media partners

For more information, contact Cody Czmyr, Director of Member Services, at cczmyr@iida.org.