Qualified individuals must submit the following materials to the Scholarship Committee to be considered:

• A formal letter of request, which includes a description of any special circumstances that might support or augment the application.
• A one-page essay describing why the applicant feels he or she should be awarded the scholarship. This essay should include:
  • How attending the conference relates to the applicant’s future as an active IES member?
  • Specific ways in which the applicant will share the experience and acquired knowledge from the conference with others.
  • What are the applicant’s career objectives? How will this scholarship help the applicant achieve his or her goals?
  • What does the applicant expect to gain from the IES Conference?
• A letter of recommendation from a professor from whom the applicant has taken at least one lighting course in his or her current program or a professional member of the IES.
• Include a school transcript from this semester or a photo of your student ID.

Written acknowledgment and agreement that if selected for the scholarship, the applicant shall write a summary of no less than 500 words of his or her experiences at the conference, and submit it to LD+A for publication no later than 60 days after the end of the conference.

1. Current students pursuing degrees in lighting or related disciplines (architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, etc.)
2. Students must be in their junior or senior year of undergraduate studies or in a graduate program.
3. All applicants must be a member of the IES currently or join as part of their application.
4. Applicant must not have received a prior Young Professional scholarship.

1. Relevance – Will attending the IES conference help the applicant achieve his or her specific educational and/or career goals?
2. Initiative – Has the applicant demonstrated continued dedication to the lighting profession?
3. Communication – Are the ideas expressed in the essays communicated effectively and efficiently?
4. Bonus – Overall, does it seem like this applicant would be fun and interesting to have at the conference?

• Scholarships will be awarded to student applicants who show evidence of a commitment to the lighting profession, leadership abilities, and potential for future involvement in the IES.
• All questions must be answered in order to be considered.
• All applicants will be informed of their application status in a timely fashion prior to the conference for adequate preparation.

• The number of awards will vary each year, depending on available funding.
• The IES will reimburse scholarship recipients for (4) nights at the IES rate at the conference host hotel, coach airfare in North America (must be purchased at least 21 days in advance), and transportation between the airport and the conference hotel. The IES Annual Conference and Illumination Awards Gala registrations are covered as part of your scholarship.
• IES will reimburse expenses after the conference. Reimbursement receipts must be submitted no later than 30 days after the event.

• Submission deadline: May 4, 2026
• Applications should be sent to Jennifer Ferrell → jferrell@ies.org

NOTE:
Applicants who wish to apply for both the Young Professional Scholarship and the IES EP Annual Conference Sponsorship may do so, but a complete and separate application must be submitted to both programs. Only one scholarship/sponsorship will be awarded to an individual.