ARIDO Design Scholarship

What you will need

• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Enrollment at an Ontario institution
• ✓ Enrollment in an eligible design program (Interior, Architecture, Furniture, Industrial, Graphic, Lighting, Environmental, or Stage design)

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact ARIDO (the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario — the professional body that regulates interior designers in the province) to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you identify as Indigenous and are pursuing a career in the design arts, such as interior or industrial design. Deadlines come around three times a year on August 1, November 1 and February 1, so aim for whichever one is next. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — whether it is by email, phone, or through an application portal. Selection criteria aren't published — ask ARIDO how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask ARIDO during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with ARIDO whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You must have any Indigenous Affiliation to qualify. You must be enrolled in a program of study at an institution in Ontario only. Eligible programs include interior design, architecture, architecture technology, furniture design, industrial design, graphic design, lighting design, environmental design, and stage (production) design. This award is open to you regardless of your level of study, as any level of study is accepted.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate, graduate or certificate students
• ✓ Resident of Ontario
• ✓ Studying Interior design, architecture, architecture technology, furniture design, industrial design, graphic design, lighting design, environmental design or stage (production) design

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Submit your application

   Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

• Program ChoiceAvoid assuming this is only for interior designers. Instead, highlight how your specific field—like graphic or stage design—fits the broader design community. Clearly link your program of study to the professional standards of the design industry.
• StrategyAvoid applying only once a year. Since there are three separate deadlines (August, November, and February), you should track which one aligns best with your registration or tuition payment dates to maximize your cash flow.
• RealismAvoid ignoring the geographic restriction. Because this is strictly for institutions in Ontario only, ensure your school is located within the province before spending hours on the application.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• RRC Polytech (Red River College Polytechnic)Manitoba Co-operative/Rural/Economic Development Education Award$1,500
• Nipissing UniversityRon Marleau Memorial Award$1,000
• Nipissing UniversityL'Hibou Award$600
• Seger Family FoundationSeger Family Bursary for STEM
• RRC Polytech (Red River College Polytechnic)Manitoba Hydro X Club Winnipeg Chapter Bursary$500
• Holland CollegeEarly Childhood Development Association of Prince Edward Island Award$500
• Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux étudesAFE Loans and Bursaries Program (Programme de prêts et bourses)$14,000
• Toronto Metropolitan University - The Creative School / Shure Inc.Shure Award for Excellence in Sound Design (Image Arts)$5,000