You may have found the Jade Fellowship while searching for financial support, mentorship, or a way to turn your design education into meaningful community work. Then come the practical questions: Am I eligible? Is this simply a scholarship? What would I actually do, and how can I make my application stand out?
The Jade Fellowship—officially the Justice Alliance in Design Education Fellowship—is a paid leadership and professional-development program organized by DesignPhiladelphia with participating Philadelphia-area colleges and universities. It supports emerging designers from historically underrepresented communities while encouraging fellows to help create more inclusive design schools and professions.
The 2026 fellowship has concluded, so future applicants should watch for the next application cycle rather than relying on past deadlines. Program dates, participating schools, and application requirements may change from year to year.
What does the Jade Fellowship involve?
The program is more than a one-time financial award. Fellows join a small cohort and take part in career development, leadership training, professional conversations, site visits, community engagement, and activities focused on inclusion within design education.
During the 2026 summer program, fellows generally committed 10 to 15 hours per week. The published schedule ran from May 28 through August 7, 2026, with certain cohort sessions requiring in-person attendance. Individual meetings and professional experiences could be arranged around each fellow’s interests and availability.
Fellows also develop a capstone initiative intended to strengthen belonging, access, or cultural competency within their school, design program, or wider community. A capstone does not have to be a conventional building, product, or visual design project. It could be an event, exhibition, service initiative, student group, workshop series, talk, or another thoughtfully planned response to a real need.
Who is eligible for the Jade Fellowship?
Eligibility should always be confirmed when a new application opens. Based on the most recently published program information, the fellowship is designed for undergraduate or associate-degree students studying architecture or another design discipline at participating Philadelphia-area institutions.
Recent participating institutions have included:
- Community College of Philadelphia
- Drexel University
- Penn State University
- Temple University
- Thomas Jefferson University
- University of Pennsylvania
Recent application criteria have focused on students in their second or later year who identify as Black or African American, Latine or Hispanic, and/or Native American or Indigenous Hawaiian or Native Alaskan. International students have been eligible when they meet the program’s stated identity requirements, although Indigenous eligibility has been restricted to Indigenous populations connected to the North American continent.
Because details can change, prospective applicants should review the official DesignPhiladelphia Jade Fellowship information before preparing or submitting materials. Do not assume that a previous year’s rules, schools, or dates will automatically apply to the next cohort.
What benefits do fellows receive?
A substantial financial award
The most recently published fellowship award was $10,000 per fellow. DesignPhiladelphia’s program guidance stated that this award was unrestricted, meaning fellows were not limited to spending it on a specific category such as tuition, supplies, or transportation. Capstone expenses were handled separately during project planning.
Applicants should still think carefully about possible financial implications. Fellowship awards may have tax consequences depending on how they are classified and used, so recipients may wish to consult a qualified tax professional or their school’s financial-aid office.
Professional relationships and career exposure
Fellows meet designers, advocates, organizational leaders, public officials, and other professionals. These conversations can help students understand career options that are difficult to see from the classroom alone. They may also provide useful contacts for future internships, references, portfolio feedback, employment, or collaborative work.
Leadership experience
The fellowship asks participants to identify problems, listen to other people’s experiences, and create practical responses. That process develops communication, facilitation, project planning, and public-presentation skills. Fellows are not only receiving support; they are expected to contribute ideas and help improve the culture surrounding design education.
A visible capstone project
A completed capstone can demonstrate initiative and community awareness on a resume or portfolio. More importantly, it gives fellows experience taking an idea from early research through planning, presentation, and possible implementation.
What does the application usually require?
Past Jade Fellowship applications have requested a resume or curriculum vitae, a letter of support from a faculty member or administrator, and a personal narrative. Materials have typically been combined into one PDF, subject to the file-size limit stated in the application.
The personal narrative has asked applicants to discuss topics such as:
- Their career goals and what they hope to learn
- Professionals, organizations, or companies they would like to meet
- Their interest in creating a more inclusive school community
- The biggest cultural barrier within their design program
- The strongest cultural asset within their school
These questions are not invitations for generic statements about diversity. Reviewers are likely trying to understand how you observe your environment, whether you can identify a meaningful need, and how the fellowship connects to your development.
How to build a stronger Jade Fellowship application
Connect your experience to a specific issue
Instead of writing that design should be “more inclusive,” describe what inclusion would change in everyday student life. Perhaps new students struggle to find mentors, important materials are financially inaccessible, studio culture discourages rest, or community members are consulted too late in design projects. Explain what you have noticed and why it matters.
Show evidence of participation
You do not need to have founded an organization or completed a major public project. Relevant experience can include helping classmates, participating in a student group, volunteering, organizing a small event, conducting community research, or raising an overlooked concern. Focus on what you learned and how you responded.
Make your goals usable
Be specific about the people and experiences that could move your career forward. Rather than saying you want to “network with professionals,” name the types of professionals you want to meet and the questions you hope to explore. This helps program organizers understand how they could personalize your fellowship experience.
Choose the right supporter
Your faculty or administrative supporter should know enough about your work, character, and goals to write credibly. Ask early, provide the fellowship description, and share your draft narrative. A detailed letter from someone who has directly observed your growth is generally more helpful than a vague endorsement from a senior person who barely knows you.
Edit for clarity, not perfection
A strong narrative sounds thoughtful and personal rather than overly polished or filled with design jargon. Give yourself time to revise, but do not let fear prevent you from applying. The principle behind taking imperfect action to build confidence and identity is especially useful when an opportunity feels competitive. Submit your clearest honest work instead of waiting for a version that feels flawless.
Final preparation checklist
- Confirm that the next application cycle is open.
- Verify your school, year of study, discipline, and identity eligibility.
- Review the complete time commitment before applying.
- Update your resume with relevant design, leadership, employment, and community experience.
- Request your support letter well before the deadline.
- Answer every narrative question with specific examples.
- Check the PDF format, file size, spelling, and contact information.
- Save a copy of everything you submit.
The Jade Fellowship is best suited to students who want both professional growth and an opportunity to improve design education for others. A competitive application should make that connection clear: what you have experienced, what you want to learn, and how you hope to use the fellowship to create a more welcoming design community.
