Scholarships

The Association for Learning Environments does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other restricting classification in its selection of scholarships.

2026 Scholarship Award

The Oregon / SW Washington Chapter Scholarship is a needs and merit-based scholarship program designed for students who seek financial support for their pursuit of post-secondary educational opportunities.

Qualifications:

• The candidate shall be a graduating high school student in the state of Oregon or Southwest Washington region.
• The candidate shall display engagement with and/or service to those around them in school, community, family and/or employment.
• The candidate must be accepted into a post-secondary educational program following their graduation, (i.e.: university, technical school, community college, etc.), and pursuing a field of study that aligns with A4LE’s mission, vision, and core values. Eligible areas of study include Architecture, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Structural, etc.), and other disciplines within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Related fields may also qualify, such as Interior Design, Industrial Design, Construction Management, Computer-Aided Design/Drafting, and education degrees when they relate to building design, construction, or associated career paths.
• Applicants must meet at least one of these two requirements:
  1. Have participated in the A4LE SchoolsNEXT Design Competition in the state of Oregon or Southwest Washington.
     OR
  2. Graduate from a school district in Oregon or Southwest Washington that currently has a School District/Public Authority Membership with A4LE. Applicants that graduated from the following Oregon and Washington School Districts are eligible to apply:
     • Oregon City School District 62
     • Lake Oswego School District
• The candidate will submit a personal and creative essay, video, digital resource, etc. on the required Essay Subject:
  “There has been increasing evidence that the design and condition of an educational facility has a significant impact on the quality of education and a student’s ability to learn. Daylighting and views, flexible spaces, lighting, acoustics, technology, access to the outdoors, and air quality, are just some of the design characteristics that have that impact. In 500 words or less, describe how the design and condition of your high school facility has contributed to the quality of your education. Describe the changes to your high school facility that you would propose, that if implemented, would improve the quality of education for future students.”

Evaluation Criteria:

The candidate will be evaluated based on the following scoring criteria:
Acceptance into a post-secondary educational program that aligns with A4LE’s mission, vision, and core values following their graduation	Pass/Fail
Engagement with and/or service to those around them in school, community, family and/or employment (Item 9 on application)	Maximum Points Available: 35
Essay Subject	Maximum Points Available: 30
Question Responses (Items 10 & 11 on application)	Maximum Points Available: 35
Evaluation Criteria Total	Total Points Available: 100

Award Value:
Based on available funding, up to two (2) students will be selected as the recipients of a $5,000 Scholarship (up to $10,000 total awarded). All student scholarships will be sent directly to the financial aid or administration office of the higher education institution on behalf of the student. NO checks or funding will be sent directly to any student or individual. Please be sure to use your personal email (not student email in District) in the application so that we can ensure that the notification reaches you.

Deadline for Submissions: May 22, 2026.

Scholarship Award Process:

• The School District shall distribute information on the scholarship to eligible students.
• The Oregon / SW Washington A4LE Scholarship Committee will review the applications and make a recommendation on the award of the scholarship to A4LE International by June 19. The scholarship recipient will be notified by June 26th.
• The successful candidate shall provide confirmation of enrollment at a post-secondary educational institution to A4LE International by July 31, 2026.
• The A4LE International CFO shall forward the scholarship amount directly to the successful candidate’s institution in Fall 2026 to apply toward their post-secondary education.
• *Optional ceremonial meeting and photo opportunity with the recipient at the financial aid office.