APA Scholarships

The APA Foundation Scholarship in Planning supports students who are committed to the planning profession and who face financial barriers to accessing education. Rooted in the Foundation’s mission to strengthen communities, this scholarship invests in the next generation of planners whose perspectives and experiences will help shape great communities for all.

Recipients of the APA Foundation Scholarship in Planning demonstrate a strong commitment to planning, academic promise, and a need for financial support.

Eligibility

Students who are enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate planning-related program at a U.S. institution during the 2026–27 academic year are eligible to apply. Applicants must be APA student members (student membership is free), be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must not have previously received an APA Foundation–administered scholarship or fellowship. A complete application, including two letters of recommendation, must be submitted through the online portal by May 15, 2026.

For the 2026 cycle, 20 scholarships will be awarded, each valued at $5,000.

Apply

Charles Abrams was an internationally recognized authority on housing and urban affairs who died in 1970. Throughout his career, he consistently demonstrated an active interest in helping students. In his honor, the American Planning Association administers a scholarship fund established by his widow and several of his colleagues.

ELIGIBILITY

A student will be selected from among the nominees of the following five schools:

• Columbia University, Division of Urban Planning
• Harvard University, Urban Planning Program (Master in Urban Planning) Harvard Graduate School of Design (Formerly Harvard University, City & Regional Planning Program of the Graduate School of Architecture and Design)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies & Planning
• New School University, Urban Policy Analysis & Management Program, Robert J. Milano Graduate School of Management & Urban Policy (Formerly New School for Social Research, New York, Department for Urban Affairs & Policy Analysis)
• University of Pennsylvania, Department of City & Regional Planning

Applicants must have at least 2 (two) recommendation letters submitted on their behalf. They must be a U.S. citizen and accepted into the graduate planning program at one of the five eligible schools. A nomination by the department chair is required. Incoming students are eligible, provided that a letter of acceptance into the graduate planning program of the specific school accompanies their nominating letter.

For the 2026 cycle, one scholarship will be awarded, valued at $5,000.

Apply

The Judith McManus Price Scholarship for Women and Minorities in Planning was established in 2002 through the generosity of her husband and children. Judith Price was an exceptional planner in Texas and New Mexico. The scholarship fund was created to encourage women and minorities to enter the field of planning and to help planning students who have demonstrated financial need.

ELIGIBILITY

Women and minority (African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, or Native American) students enrolled in Planning Accreditation Board (PAB)-approved programs who are citizens of the United States, intend to pursue careers as practicing planners in the public sector, and can demonstrate a genuine financial need are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

For the 2026 cycle, one scholarship will be awarded, valued at $5,000.

Apply

The M. Piuze Foundation has awarded the APA Foundation with an endowment to award a scholarship to a student who is studying to become a planner with an emphasis on environmental or conservation planning. This supports a portion of the M. Piuze Foundation’s mission to advance wildlife and environmental conservation. Scholarship award is given to students currently enrolled in degree programs in planning.

Eligibility

Students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate Planning program, with an emphasis on environmental or conservation planning. Applicants must be APA student members (membership for students is free). Applicants must have at least 2 (two) recommendation letters submitted on their behalf by the deadline.

For the 2026 cycle, one scholarship will be awarded, valued at $5,000.

Apply