Awards FAQ

All award deadlines are strictly observed: requests for a deadline extension or exemption will not be granted.

Please note that all award applications are due on the day listed by  5pm ET. Misunderstandings related to time zone are not grounds for extension. 

Requests for support regarding program criteria and/or technical assistance received at or after the application deadline will not be considered as grounds for deadline extensions.

Previously successful application samples can be requested from the AIA Archives.

AIA national awards use an online awards management system (Open Water) to receive all award application materials (including fee payment) and conduct all application reviews. 

All information must be submitted through the online software: sending materials via email, fax, shared file upload software (e.g., Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.), via phone, or postal mail is not permitted. 

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Most AIA awards require the applicant to be an AIA member in good standing (i.e., current on membership dues) at the time of application. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on any AIA membership requirement(s) to apply.   

Please check your AIA membership dues status before the application deadline to remedy any owed dues. Receipt of dues after award compliance screening does not constitute grounds for compliance exemption.

Most AIA award programs require that the candidate and/or Submitting Architect must be a U.S.-licensed architect. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on licensure requirements to apply.

Any application requirement (e.g., document standards, required materials, etc.) will be noted within the online application submission portal. Blank applications (e.g., PDF, Word, etc.) external of the award management system are not available.

Application components are made available to the public when the program begins actively accepting materials. Applicants and their supporters should defer to information housed in the submission portal and should not assume previous competition’s application items or policies will remain unchanged in future program cycles.

AIA recommends applicants and their supporters wait to prepare any materials until the award is actively accepting submissions to ensure all relevant information is available.
 

A Copyright Information File is required for all applications containing images (e.g., announcement images, portfolio images, etc.).

The Copyright Information File contains information on any/all images used throughout the application and affiliated attachments. This file is created by the applicant and uploaded into the application via the online portal as one continuous PDF file.

The file must include the following information:

Announcement images:

• Thumbnail
• Caption - Under 200 characters
• Copyright credit (name and contact information) - who took the photo
• Copyright notice (name and contact information) - who owns the photo

Images in the portfolio / exhibits file:

• Thumbnail
• Page of the portfolio it appears on
• Copyright credit (name and contact information) - who took the photo
• Copyright notice (name and contact information) - who owns the photo

Work featured in the submission file (e.g. text, brochures, drawings, photographs, logos, graphics, plans, closed, books, or other copyrighted material):

• Author/creator
• Copyright owner
• Publication date

Yes. There’s a common misconception that if it is on the internet, it’s public domain (i.e., free and not owned by a person or organization). This is not true. 

Any materials captured from a website must be included in the copyright. Please provide the necessary information for all images gained from websites on the Copyright Information File.

Typical copyright information should be provided: Title, publisher, author, date of publication. If you are referencing a specific page or article in from the publication, please provide that information as well. 

The copyright information is for AIA records to give proper attribution to the image license holder should you be recognized with an award. 

Applications are reviewed by a panel of experts referred to as a jury. These experts are identified by the AIA Jury Development Task Force and appointed by the AIA member President. 

Jurors score submissions based on evaluation criteria established according to the intent of each award program. The format for application materials that jurors receive and evaluate (e.g., portfolio document) can vary between award programs. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on portfolio format. 

Overarching formatting requirements for documents included in an AIA award include the following:

• Documents (e.g., portfolio, recommendation letter, nominator letter, etc.) format must be 8.5-inch by 11-inch size. This requirement is to ensure standardized presentation of materials for jury review. Petitions to be exempt from this requirement will not be considered. All other sizes will be disqualified.
• Reasonable (i.e., easily viewable, printable) margins.
• Consistent use of either a landscape OR portrait orientation throughout the submission, including, where applicable, inclusion of nominator letter. Spread format is not permitted.
• A minimum of 11-point font size
• PDF file format. Do not use password protection or other document restriction features, as files that cannot be accessed will be considered absent. 

Note that materials which are difficult for jurors to view and assess may incur lower scores as a result. Do not assume view aids (e.g., zoom function) are available for juror use.

The page limits refer to every page in the uploaded document and not to pagination. For example, if the page limit for your program is 40, any PDFs over 40 pages will be disqualified, regardless of how those pages are labeled or how many pages the document is over the limit (e.g., a 41-page packet and a 51-page packet are both equally disqualified). 

Organizing pages (e.g., cover pages, tables of contents, etc.) are allowed but not required. Submissions may use them so long as the total document is under the page limit.

Photo collages are acceptable. 

Applicants are advised to consider whether the size, quantity, and placement of images on a collage are unduly difficult for jurors to view. Materials that are difficult for jurors to view and assess may contribute to lower scoring. 
Please note that AIA considers all non-text files as images (e.g., photographs, project plans, designs, etc.).

Application documents, including the portfolio, must be viewable offline. Do not include QR codes, live links, animations, embedded video/audio clips, or other interactive or web-dependent content in application documents.

An Image Copyright Release Form (current template HERE) must be provided for every image (e.g., announcement images, portfolio images, company logos, photographs, online images, etc.) included in the application (e.g., announcement images, portfolio images) where the applicant is not the licensed copyright owner.

Providing Image Copyright Release Form(s) at the time of submission is optional. 

While applicants are highly encouraged to provide Image Copyright Release Form(s) at the time of submission, applicants are required to provide all Image Release Forms should their submission be selected to receive an award. Applicants with an award offer who cannot provide this information in full by the communicated deadlines cannot receive an AIA national award. 

Applicants are advised not to include any images where they cannot determine the copyright holder, and/or cannot determine the likelihood of securing a release.

An Applicant Materials Copyright Release Form (current template HERE) must be provided for every application. 

Providing Applicant Material Release Form(s) at the time of submission is optional.

While applicants are highly encouraged to provide Applicant Material Release Forms at the time of submission, applicants are required to provide an Applicant Materials Release Form should their submission be selected to receive an award. Applicants with an award offer who cannot provide this information in full by the communicated deadlines cannot receive an AIA national award.

Any use of AI in the creation of award submissions must be disclosed. In the application portal, applicants will be asked to disclose whether AI was used in the creation of submission materials, which programs or tools were used, and which area(s) of the application were impacted by AI. 

Application materials (including name, image, and likeness of involved parties) may be processed for purposes of program administration, promotion, and/or accessibility.

Each program notification period varies based on the timeline of the award and the volume of applications received. In unforeseen or extreme circumstances, notification to award applicants may exceed the estimated notification period. AIA reserves the right to modify notification intervals to ensure all applicants receive a fair, equitable review. 

All applicants not selected are notified of their status via email once the review process has concluded. 

Most applicants selected to receive an award will be notified via email from AIA. Certain AIA award program recipients are notified over the phone by the AIA Board of Directors President or their designee. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on this process.

Each award program and any related program categories has its own specific criteria and eligibility requirements. Applicants should carefully review the criteria for each program to determine which one best aligns with their submission. Projects can be submitted to multiple award programs where eligible. 

If you have questions to clarify the eligibility criteria of specific award programs or program categories, please contact honorsawards@aia.org.

Disqualification is a status for a submission where it does not meet required eligibility criteria, and/or where one or more parts of the application did not meet required formatting standards (e.g., required attachments, omitted required data, etc.). All applications undergo administrative and eligibility compliance review. Applications marked as disqualified do not proceed to review and are not considered for an award. 

Universal disqualifications across award programs include items like pages outside of the required 8.5x11 inch formats, incomplete unpaid labor, and Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct attestations, missing release information, and/or attempting to contact a jury member. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for additional disqualifications to be aware of. 

When in doubt, contact AIA Awards for clarification. Applicants are encouraged to seek clarifications well in advance of application deadlines. 

For support with technical issues or navigation of AIA's awards management system (Open Water), please contact honorsawards@aia.org. Including screenshot images, text of error messages, or other information to describe the issue encountered is helpful.

Contact from award candidates and/or their supporters (e.g., nominator, letter of recommendation writers, mentor, mentee, employer, etc.) to the real or potential jurors presiding over the review of an AIA award program is strictly prohibited. This is one of several measures to prevent and reduce the opportunity for introducing explicit or implicit bias that may compromise jurors’ abilities to provide all applications a fair, equitable evaluation of their works. 

Evidence of applicants and/or their supporters attempting or actualizing contact with an AIA award juror(s) pertaining to the evaluation of applications for awards they are competing to receive can result in an official filing with the AIA Ethics Committee, suspension of membership in good standing, ineligibility of involved parties from participation in current and/or future AIA award program participation, and/or additional measures. 

All applications to AIA national award programs that undergo review will receive juror feedback at the conclusion of the review process. Timing for receiving feedback varies depending on the specific award program and review schedule. AIA will contact applicants with instructions for accessing feedback when it becomes available.

All applicants who remain eligible are encouraged to reapply. Please refer to the specific award program criteria to ensure continued eligibility and for information on the reapplication process, including any reapplication limitations (e.g., AIA Fellowship).

Owing to its exceptionally prestigious nature, program requirements for Fellowship and Honorary Fellowship are often unique from the application requirements of other AIA national awards. Please visit the Fellowship page for specific program information. First-time candidates are encouraged to download the Fellowship 101 resources available.  
 

Applicants to awards that celebrate individuals and organizations are not required to fit comprehensively within the principles included in the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. However, submissions are highly encouraged to illustrate how the candidate(s) and/or their projects, leadership acumen, etc. perform in this context, and to highlight relevant instances in materials where applicable.

Reference letters for candidates who received an AIA award are archived with the application. Unsuccessful applications reference letters are kept on file for the season the program occurs within.

In general, applicants are usually not able to get copies of their recommendation letters.

Unsuccessful application reference letters remain confidential.

Reference letters are confidential for the lifetime of a successful applicant or for 30 years, whichever is later.

Letters for a 1975 submitter who died in 2012 would come open on his/her death, but letters for another 1975 submitter who died in 1980 would not come open until 2005. This is part of AIA’s retention schedule for records management.

While some award programs do not have requirements for the selection of writers, some programs do have restrictions on who can serve as a letter of recommendation writer. This restriction is typically related to the writer’s role on the AIA Board of Directors, Officers, or AIA Strategic Council. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on eligibility to be a letter of recommendation writer.

In general, it is in a candidate's best interest to demonstrate a broad range of support and influence (e.g., geographic distribution; various sources such as a firm or committee) in the individuals submitting recommendation letters.

Many AIA awards require letters of recommendation from industry experts attesting to the merits of the candidate, their projects, their leadership acumen, etc. Each program has a set number of required recommendation letters, no more or fewer letters are accepted. Recommendation letter requirements are as follows:

Seven (7) recommendation letters required

• Architecture Firm Award
• Edward C. Kemper Award
• Gold Medal Award
• Whitney M. Young Jr. Award

Five (5) recommendation letters required

• AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Architectural Education
• Award for Excellence in Public Architecture
• Collaborative Achievement Award
• Honorary AIA Membership

Three (3) recommendation letters required

• Associates Award
• Young Architect Award

*Please refer to Fellowship and Honorary Fellowship pages for additional information on the recommendation letter structure specific to those programs.

Anyone meeting the program-specific eligibility criteria can proactively secure an eligible nominator to apply to an AIA award. Candidates do not need to wait to be approached by a nominator to apply. 

Nominator eligibility varies by program. Please refer to the specific program criteria for more information on nominator eligibility, their role in the application process, and the pieces nominators provide to an application.

Unless otherwise noted at the program level, nomination letters are not confidential. Nominators and candidates (or administrators acting on behalf of candidates) can coordinate to ensure the nomination letter is appended to the application as the program specifies.

Recommendation letters are confidential and remain so even after the selection process has ended. Unless otherwise noted, candidates should minimize contact with recommendation writers, positioning nominators to liaise on their behalf. All letters are collected electronically through the online application platform: receipt of letters via email, fax, shared online drive (e.g., Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.), or postal mail is not permitted.

All required letters must be received in full by the application deadline. Late or partially complete letters provided after the application deadline are not accepted. Applications that fail to receive all required letters in full by the deadline will be disqualified. Applicants are encouraged to request letters from intended writers through the application system early and check receipt progress within the application system often.

All reference letters should be addressed using the following format: "To the Jury Chair, [Award Year, Award Name]".

Juries are posted on each award program webpage as they are confirmed. If the jury has not been identified in advance of the submission deadline, please include “Jury Chair” in place of a specific name. 

Applicants can recycle letters of reference and/or letter of reference writers if they reapply to an award program. 

Award programs vary on whether applicants must request that writers resubmit their letter into the application portal (i.e., "roll over" of letters is not necessarily automatic). Please refer to the specific award program criteria for information on this process. 

Some AIA awards require a submission fee in order to apply. 

The submission fee structure for the 2027 cycle is as follows:

$450 Application fee

• Architecture Firm Award
• Collaborative Achievement Award
• Fellowship
• Gold Medal
• Honorary Fellowship

$100 Application fee

• Associates Award
• Young Architects Award

No application fee

• AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Architectural Education
• Award for Excellence in Public Architecture
• Edward C. Kemper Award
• Honorary Membership Award
• Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award

The portfolio document for project submissions must be submitted as one PDF file no larger than 20 MB, with a maximum of 15 images and 20 total pages. These limits apply only to the portfolio document and do not include other application materials (e.g., required announcement images, release forms, etc.).

The 15-image limit includes all visual content in the portfolio (e.g., photographs, drawings, plans, graphics, and brochure images). Composite images are allowed and count as one image if multiple images are combined into a single visual. All images must fit within the 20-page maximum.

Text-only pages are allowed and optional. Some applicants choose to add text narrative pending the award requirements or choose to add navigational pages such as a cover page, table of contents, etc. There is no scoring advantage or penalty for including text-only pages in the portfolio. 

Applicants are encouraged not to extend the portfolio just to reach the 20-page maximum. Submissions that exceed the 15-image or 20-page limits are disqualified. To avoid issues, applicants are encouraged to keep images clear and concise, number and label them consistently, include them in the Copyright Information File, and ensure every image included has an associated image release.

Yes. 

All submissions to an AIA national project-based program (e.g., Architecture Award, Small Projects Award, Interior Architecture Award, etc.) must provide evidence that the project client authorized the submission by completing and submitting a Client Authorization Release Form. 

Please provide the fully executed form as a single PDF file.

Applications that do not provide the required declarations form(s) and/or provide forms with altered terms and/or provide incomplete forms and/or attempt to provide forms after the application deadline are subject to disqualification.

Yes.

All firms credited with involvement on a project submitted to an AIA national project-based award program (e.g., Architecture Award, Small Projects Award, Interior Architecture Award, etc.) must show evidence of abiding by the required AIA policies by completing and submitting a Credited Firms Declarations Form. 

Every firm credited as participating with the project must provide a completed form. This is relevant to all firms listed in the “Architectural Credits” section of the online submission form. Please provide all fully executed forms as a single PDF file.

Applications that do not provide the required declarations form(s) and/or provide forms with altered terms and/or provide incomplete forms and/or attempt to provide forms after the application deadline are subject to disqualification.

All projects submitted to an AIA national award program are required to respond to how their entry considered or addressed the ten principles of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. 

COTE Top Ten applicants must respond to all Framework principles using project data over a minimum of twelve months and 75% occupancy.

While entries to other awards do not need to fulfill the standards for all principles in the Framework, or address principles not relevant to their project, they do need to highlight how the project performed in this context and highlight relevant narratives and metrics where applicable.

In the application, applicants will be prompted to provide narratives and relevant metrics to the specific principles that apply to their project. Submitters are encouraged to provide as much data as possible.
 

COTE Top Ten framework metrics are now captured via the AIA Design Data Exchange (DDx). All applicants must provide data for a minimum of 12 months at 75% occupancy via the DDx in order to be considered: use of the previous data spreadsheet is not allowed. 

When entered, a DDx download will be available for upload into an AIA COTE Top Ten Award application. Additional information can be found on the DDx COTE Top Ten help pages.

Interior shots are often required, and highly recommended, in project-based programs. Please refer to the criteria of the specific award program you are interested in for information on image requirement(s) to apply.   

Nighttime shots are requested of projects that operate at night. If the project does not operate at night, then nighttime photographs are not necessary in the application. 

All project-based award submissions must identify a “Submitting Architect” who participated in the project. In some cases, this person will be the architect of record. Engaging the architect serving as the Submitting Architect with the application process early and continuously is highly recommended.

To be eligible for consideration, a project Submitting Architect must be licensed to practice in the United States and an AIA national architect member in good standing (i.e., current on dues, no ethical violations on file, etc.) at the time of the application deadline. 

Applications that do not identify a Submitting Architect affiliated with the project, include an individual that does not meet the eligibility criteria, and/or applications that include an architect not involved with the project is considered noncompliant and will not advance in the review process.

To ensure your submitting architect is in good standing and/or to process dues payments in advance of the application deadline, please contact AIA Membership Support at membersupport@aia.org  or (202) 626 7300 8:30am–6pm ET, Monday through Friday.

Yes, there is a $450 fee for submission to all project award programs (e.g., Architecture Award, Small Projects Award, etc.).