RCI-IIBEC Foundation Scholarship Program
RCI-IIBEC Foundation has established a scholarship program to assist students currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program of architecture, construction, building sciences, or engineering related to building sciences.
RCI-IIBEC Foundation Scholarship Program
The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Eligibility
Applicants to the RCI-IIBEC Foundation Scholarship Program must be:
- Current undergraduate or graduate students who have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours as of the application deadline and are enrolled or planning to enroll full-time at an accredited college, university, vocational-technical school, or graduate school for the entire upcoming academic year. Vocational-technical and junior college students are encouraged to apply. Students must be enrolled in an accredited program of architecture, construction, building sciences, or engineering leading to a career in the construction or building industry. Please review this list of eligible/ineligible degree programs and majors in English or French.
- Have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent
- Be a citizen of the United States or Canada attending an accredited school in the United States or Canada
RCI-IIBEC Foundation employees and their family members are not eligible.
The RCI Lewis W. Newlan Award is for undergraduate or graduate study.
Robert W. Lyons Award is for undergraduate study only.
Eligible Degree Programs and Majors
These are common majors that are approved for the RCI-IIBEC Foundation Scholarship:
| Architecture | Construction |
| Architectural Engineering | Building and Construction Management |
| Architecture | Construction Engineering Management |
| Architecture Historic Preservation | Construction Management |
| Architecture and Civil Engineering | Construction Management & Architectural Drafting |
| Architecture and Environmental Design | Project Management |
| General Architecture | Tech Manager |
| Architectural Technology | Engineering |
| Building Sciences | Architectural Engineering |
| Building Science | Civil and Construction Engineering |
| Industrial Technology | Civil Engineering |
| Building Physics | Civil Engineering – Structural Emphasis |
| Civil/Structural Engineering | |
| Energy Systems Management | |
| Engineering | |
| Engineering Management | |
| Structural Engineering |
Ineligible Degree Programs and Majors
Some degrees may appear to fall under the category of building science but do not align with the RCI-IIBEC Foundation’s goals for the scholarship and are considered ineligible. These majors do not qualify for the RCI-IIBEC Foundation Scholarship:
| Aerospace Engineering | Heavy Equipment Operations and Mechanics |
| Agricultural Engineering | Horticulture |
| Agriculture System Management | HVAC-R |
| Airframe and Powerplant | Industrial Engineering |
| Astronautical Engineering | Information Systems Management |
| Aviation Mechanics | Interior Architecture and Design |
| Biology | Interior Design/Architecture |
| Biomedical Engineering | ITS (Intelligent Traffic System) |
| Business Management | Kinesiology |
| CAD/Drafting Technology | Landscape Architecture |
| Carpentry | Liberal Arts |
| Chemical Engineering | Management in Applied Engineering |
| Cloud Computing + Cybersecurity | Manufacturing Engineering |
| Commercial Real Estate Development | Marine Engineering Technology |
| Computer Engineering | Mechanical Aerospace Engineering |
| Computer Information Systems | Mechanical Engineering |
| Computer Science | Network Operations and Security |
| Criminal Justice | Prosthetics and Orthotics |
| Cybersecurity | Real Estate & Development |
| Data Science and Biology | Robotics and Industrial Automation |
| Electrical Engineering | Sound Recording and Music Technology |
| Electrical Engineering Technology | Supply Chain & Operations Management |
| Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology | Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology |
| Environmental Engineering |
Awards
Robert W. Lyons Award
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $5,000 USD award:
- Up to four (4) awards will be granted
- Awards are one-time only, past recipients may not re-apply
- Awards are for undergraduate study only
RCI Lewis W. Newlan Award
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $2,500 USD award:
- Up to four (4) awards will be granted
- This award is not renewable, however recipients may re-apply up to four times in four years provided they meet eligibility requirements
- Awards are for undergraduate or graduate students
Maximum lifetime award for any recipient is $12,500 USD. A recipient may not be granted both awards in any given year.
Awards can be used for tuition, fees, books and supplies only. Awards may not be deferred.
Notification
Applicants will be notified in late May. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.
Notifications are sent via email. When setting up your account, avoid using a school or work email. Instead, use an active, personal email address that you will continue to have access to.
Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address as safe senders in your email contact list.
Payment of Scholarships
Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of RCI-IIBEC Foundation. Awards will be paid in one installment in early August.
Selection of Recipients
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of:
- Financial need
- Two letters of recommendation
- Request for consideration essay
Financial need, as calculated by Scholarship America, must be demonstrated for the student to receive an award.
Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship America. In no instance does any officer or employee of RCI-IIBEC Foundation play a part in the selection. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following:
-
- A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
- Student name
- School name
- Grades
- Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
- A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
- NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.
- Pages one and two of the most recently filed IRS 1040 tax form (U.S.) or T1 General form (Canada) that was used to complete the financial information section. Please black out all Social Security Numbers (SSN), Social Insurance Numbers (SIN), and bank account information.
- Dependent children must upload their parents’ most recently filed tax forms.
- Financially independent applicants are required to upload their own most recently filed tax form.
- Pages one and two of the most recently filed IRS 1040 tax form (U.S.) or T1 General form (Canada) that was used to complete the financial information section. Please black out all Social Security Numbers (SSN), Social Insurance Numbers (SIN), and bank account information.
Also as part of your application, two online recommendations provided as letters must be submitted on your behalf. Recommendations must be submitted no later than April 13, 2026 by 3:00 pm Central Time.
Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.
