Student Portfolio Competition Criteria

The best collection of student interior design projects in the nation.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on their concept, content, and context and will be evaluated on a 1 to 10 scale (1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest).

Concept: How does it reflect the student’s thought process and design philosophy?
10 points | 33% of total score

  1. Quality of the written statement and project descriptions.
  2. Demonstrates originality, ingenuity, and creativity in problem solving.
  3. Uses innovation and creativity in space planning, three-dimensional experience, material application, and furniture solutions.
  4. Incorporates applicable universal design principles, sustainable practices, and/or health and wellness attributes.

Content: How does it demonstrate the student’s skills and abilities?
10 points | 34% of total score

  1. Includes multiple types of projects with quality in execution.
  2. Shows technical proficiency (digital and/or physical representation).
  3. Communicates effectively (easy to read, attention to detail, quality of composition).
  4. Shows professional representation (method of presentation, free of spelling and grammatical errors).
  5. Demonstrates ability to problem solve (functional needs, project parameters, functional space solutions).
  6. Exhibits the positive impacts of design on the human experience.

Context: How does it represent who the student is and what they have accomplished?
10 points | 33% of total score

  1. Incorporates character and structure in submission.
  2. Includes background of the applicant and relevant biographical information.
  3. Includes special accomplishments, interests, or experiences (volunteer leadership, professional affiliations, projects, awards, citations, grants).

Submission Requirements

Cover – One page 

  1. Full name, school, and expected graduation date.

Statement – One page, up to 500 well-chosen words

  1. Should be written as if applying for a job or an internship.
  2. Should tell the jury who the student is and how the student thinks.
  3. Should emphasize the student’s impact.

Resume – One page

  1. Include education, applicable experience, and any other supporting information (professional memberships, volunteer work, skills, awards, etc.).

Portfolio – Up to 4 projects. Up to 20 pages.

  1. Representation of student’s design capabilities.
  2. Selected projects should showcase the impact of design on the human experience and the value interior design provides.
  3. Projects must have been completed while enrolled in an academic institution.
  4. Individual vs. team projects should be identified. For team projects, the student should identify their specific role(s). More than one team project may be submitted.
  5. Include process images (sketches, diagrams, etc.).
  6. One project may be outside of interior design (ex. graphic design, architecture, art, research, writing, etc.).
  7. The projects in the portfolio should support student’s Statement.

Submission Standards

  • Submission must be one digital document (PDF) no larger than 20 MB.
  • Submission must not exceed 23 total pages, including cover, statement, resume, and portfolio.
  • Each document should be composed of vector art and/or raster images.
  • Raster images should be at a resolution no less than 200 dpi and no greater than 300 dpi to maintain both visual clarity and manageable file sizes.
  • Documents should be legible at both distant and magnified views.
  • Projects may be hand drawn, computer generated, and/or a combination of both.
  • Notations and labeling must be clear and legible in a simple type font.
  • Spelling and grammar should be flawless.

IMPORTANT

  • Please be mindful of the page limits. Entries that exceed the limitations will not be considered.
  • Please DO NOT include a headshot in your submission. Entries that include a headshot will not be considered. A headshot will be required separately as part of your online application and will not be visible to the competition jury.

Jury Process

Submissions will be judged in three rounds by nationally recognized leaders and sponsor representatives.

Round 1: February 12 – March 2, 2026

  • Online review of submissions by the 2025 ASID Ones to Watch Scholars.  
  • Selection of semi-finalists. Semi-finalists will be informed by March 4, 2026. 

Round 2: March 6 – 27, 2026

  • Online review of semi-finalists by the 2026 Student Portfolio Competition Jury.  
  • Selection of finalists. Finalists will be informed by March 31, 2026.

Round 3: April 6 – 8, 2026

  • Mandatory virtual Interviews with the esteemed jury. 
  • Winners to be informed during the week of April 13, 2026.