What is the application procedure for scholarships?
Undergraduate applicants must complete and submit the main application form no later than 12 January, stating their interest in an AA Scholarship in the Scholarships and Awards section. There is no need to specify which scholarship you wish to be considered for as this will be decided by the Scholarship Committee. Students whose work is considered to be of Scholarship standard will be asked, after their entry interview, to complete a Scholarship application form, provide financial information and prepare a portfolio for the Scholarship Committee who meet in early June.
How much financial assistance is provided?
Most scholarships are equivalent to one-third or two-thirds of the fees, although the Baylight Scholarship and the David Allford Scholarship enable the AA to offer British students entering the Diploma School full-fee scholarships.
List of AA Scholarships
David Allford Scholarship
This full-fee (three-term) scholarship has been set up to honour the memory of David Allford (1927–97), a partner of YRM Architects, trustee of the AA Foundation, and friend and benefactor of the AA. It is awarded to a British student who demonstrates both academic excellence and a need for financial aid. This award was made possible by the generous support of David Allford's friends and family.
Baylight Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of the Baylight Foundation, headed by AA Past President Crispin Kelly, the AA is able to provide a number of full-fee scholarships to British students entering the Diploma School. Candidates need to demonstrate both outstanding merit and need.
Alvin Boyarsky Scholarship
As Chairman of the Architectural Association from 1971 to 1990, Alvin Boyarsky was an outstanding figure in the field of architectural education, transforming the AA into an internationally respected school and a forum for architectural experiment and debate. The fund for this award was set up through the generous support of many of Alvin's friends. The scholarship is for one term's fees, and is awarded to a talented student who needs financial assistance.
Martin Caroe Memorial Scholarship
This award was established to honour the memory of Martin Bragg Caroe, whose collaboration with the AA School was instrumental in the establishment of the postgraduate course in Building Conservation. The scholarship has been made possible through the generous support of Martin Caroe's architectural practice, Caroe & Partners. It covers one term's fees in the second year of the Building Conservation course, and is awarded on a broad consideration of merit and the individual's need for support. Applicants are invited to notify the administrative coordinator of the course.
Stephen Lawrence Scholarship
This award, in memory of the young man who was murdered in a brutal racist attack on 22 April 1993, has been established with the support of the family of Stephen Lawrence, the Stephen Lawrence Trust, and a number of generous private donations. Applications are particularly welcome from members of ethnic minorities, who are at present under-represented in architectural education; preferably applicants should be incoming First Year students. Applicants must demonstrate both merit and the need for financial aid.
Eileen Gray Fund
The Eileen Gray Fund for AA students was established in 1980 by the distinguished architect and furniture-designer's niece Prunella Clough-Taylor, in recognition of Eileen Gray's concern for architectural training. A recent bequest from Ms Clough-Taylor has expanded the scope of this fund, which will now award a series of bursaries and scholarships every year, to talented students in need of financial assistance.
Andrew Szmidla Bequest
The Andrew Szmidla Bequest was established in late 2011. Andrew Szmidla, who taught at the AA in the 1970s, left a bequest that will be used to fund a series of scholarships and bursaries for undergraduate and postgraduate students from Eastern Europe.
Read here about RIBA funding options for
five-year RIBA/ARB recognised course and AA Masters/MPhil/PhD course (pdf).
