Program Description: In partnership with the AIA Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT), the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) is proud to announce the 8th cohort of the NOMA Future Faces Fellowship. The NFF Fellowship provides currently enrolled students and recent graduates with access to internships with the top architecture firms across the country. Applicants must be registered student members of NOMA and demonstrate active engagement with a chartered NOMAS chapter. Students from the 7 NAAB-accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities are highly encouraged to apply. 

The 2026 Fellowship will be an 8-week full-time, in-person internship held from June 1 – July 24, 2026. 

Licensure Support: To encourage fellows to pursue licensure and to support the goal of doubling the number of African-American architects by 2030, fellows who complete the requirements for licensure (education, experience, examination) within 5 years of completing the fellowship will be eligible to receive an additional $1,000 stipend. Fellows must contact NOMA directly to claim their stipend. 

Fellowship Stipend: All fellows will be eligible to apply for up to $2,450 in reimbursements to cover qualifying expenses related to completing the fellowship, including but not limited to costs associated with relocation to the host city, lodging expenses, and technology upgrades not provided by the host firm. Fellows should refer to the Fellowship Agreement for additional information about qualifying expenses and reimbursement requests.  

Housing and Travel: At the time of application, applicants will select which cities they are willing to relocate to for the fellowship.If selected as a NOMA Fellow, participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and housing in the host city for the program’s duration. Lodging expenses may be submitted for reimbursement using the process outlined in the Fellowship Agreement. Firms are not required to provide travel and relocation assistance. 

Eligibility: To be eligible for the NOMA Future Faces Fellowship, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

• Applicants must be either (a) currently enrolled in their final 2 years of a 4-year undergraduate program, (b) currently enrolled in their final 3 years of 5-year undergraduate program, (c) currently enrolled as a graduate student in an M.Arch program, or (d) a Fall 2025 graduate of an undergraduate program.  
• Eligible majors include architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, urban planning, or urban design. Students from both NAAB-accredited and non-accredited architecture programs may apply. 
• Applicants must be active student members of NOMA in good financial standing with the national organization as of January 1, 2026 and demonstrate active membership with a chartered NOMAS chapter in their application. Non-members will not be considered.  
• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents eligible to work in the United States. International students are eligible to apply and should refer to the requirements for Student & Exchange Visitors by the State Department to confirm their eligibility: (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practica…). See Applicant Information section below for more information. 

Application Materials: All applications should be submitted through submit.noma.net and consist of the following materials. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.  

• Cover letter stating your interest in the Fellowship 
• Resume 
• Portfolio of work not to exceed 20 MB (links to an online portfolio will not be accepted) 
• 1 letter of recommendation 

Applicant Guidelines 

Application Period: 
Applications will be accepted December 15 – January 18. 

The NFF Fellowship Selection Committee will review all submissions for quality, completeness, and eligibility. Selected finalists will be invited to participate in the Interview Round. 

Application Review and Interviews 

• Applicant resumes, portfolios, and location preferences will be shared with participating host firms. 
• During this period, firms are encouraged to conduct virtual interviews with applicants to assist in the matching process. 
• Firms will contact applicants directly to schedule interviews. 
• Please note that not all firms will conduct virtual interviews. 

Fellowship Matching Process 

• After finalists are notified of their status, they will receive a list of participating host firms. 
• Finalists must submit a ranked list of preferred firms to the NFF Fellowship staff, based on their research and interview experiences. 
• Firms will also submit a ranked list of preferred candidates based on their review of application materials and interviews. 
• The NFF Fellowship Committee will complete the final match based on alignment of preferences between firms and finalists. 

Final Placement and Eligibility 

• Once matched, host firms will extend full-time internship employment offers directly to their selected fellow. 
• Fellows are hired directly by their host firm and must complete all employment requirements through that firm. 
• Candidates hired outside the NFF process will not be recognized as NOMA Future Faces Fellows. 
• Only officially matched NFF Fellows are eligible to apply for the NOMA Reimbursement and Licensure Stipend. 

In-person Fellowship: The 2026 NOMA Future Faces Fellowship is an in-person internship. Fellows may be required to relocate for the summer to complete the internship. Remote work options are not guaranteed. 

International Students: All students must be eligible to work in the United States for the entire fellowship period. Fellows will be notified of their acceptance into the fellowship no later than March 23, 2026. It is the responsibility of the applicant to apply for optional practical training (OPT) in accordance with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and to notify NOMA if they are unable to meet this requirement. Fellows must provide their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to their host firm prior to starting employment. Failure to show proof of OPT approval may result in a delayed start date or forfeiture of the fellowship. Refer to the USCIS website for more information (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practica…). Please note that sponsorship for an H-1B visa cannot be guaranteed by host firms and is not provided by NOMA. 

Email questions to nff@noma.net