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Want a fast track to NCIDQ Certification & stand out to potential employers?
Take the Fundamentals section (IDFX) of the NCIDQ Examination now BEFORE earning work experience!*
Students and Educators
Interior Design Degree Students* and New Graduates are eligible to sit for the Fundamentals Exam (IDFX) Prior to Earning Work Experience Students in the final year* of a bachelors or masters degree program and new graduates are eligible to apply NCIDQ IDFX Only (Route 2, Part 1). Immediately upon approval, an IDFX Only applicant's time clock will start, giving them four exam windows to successfully register, take, and pass the IDFX exam. A passing IDFX Only score will remain valid, allowing the NCIDQ candidate to earn the required work experience before returning to apply for the remaining exam sections. IDFX Only candidates will be required to submit a new IDPX/PRAC application, take and pass the additional sections under a new 10 exam window time frame, in order to earn an NCIDQ Certificate.
Request Vouchers for Student Group Application Discounts for the Fundamentals Exam Application (Route 2, Part 1 - IDFX ONLY)
Educators can request vouchers from CIDQ that they can provide to their students in the final year* of a bachelor's or master's degree program that will provide a $50 discount on the student's Route 2, Part 1 | IDFX Only application. Vouchers are customized specifically for each educator and are valid on a limited-time basis.
Educators should complete the Voucher Request Form or email Kayla Karpp.
Request a Free NCIDQ Ambassador Classroom Presentation
Have an NCIDQ Ambassador make a no-charge, in-person presentation to your students. NCIDQ Ambassadors are practitioners, educators, or advocates, who are stellar examples and motivational role models of the industry's highly skilled professionals. To easily request and coordinate with a speaker in your area, simply go to Request an NCIDQ Ambassador Presentation and follow the prompts.
IDFX Exam Practice Questions Form
In an effort to better support educators and their efforts in preparing students to take the IDFX Exam, CIDQ provides educators with a set of IDFX Exam practice questions. These practice questions should be used by educators with their students to familiarize themselves with the format of questions that will appear on the IDFX Exam. While still relevant to the IDFX Exam, please note not all content areas that are tested on the actual IDFX Exam are covered in this set of practice questions. Reviewing these questions alone should not be considered enough to adequately prepare students for the exam.
The Educators' Path to NCIDQ Certification
Interior Design Educators can take their own specialized path to NCIDQ Certification.
Emerging Interior Design Educator Scholarship Program - 2026 program will open this fall
Goals:
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To provide full-time emerging interior design educators in the academic community with access and opportunity to advance their educational careers by becoming NCIDQ Certified.
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To provide interior design students with interior design educators who are NCIDQ Certified, support the interior design profession, and foster student engagement with faculty mentors who value NCIDQ Certification.
Eligibility:
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The applicant must be a full-time interior design educator (preference to the first 7 years of teaching, a tenuretrack position, or a full-time lecturer or faculty position).
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The applicant must have a CIDQ-approved NCIDQ Exam application at the time of the scholarship application.
2025 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
We are excited to highlight the remarkable educators who have been selected as the recipients of the inaugural CIDQ Emerging Interior Design Educator Scholarship Program for 2025. These individuals have demonstrated exceptional commitment and innovation in the field of interior design education, and we are proud to award 22 scholarships to such deserving candidates. Their contributions will undoubtedly shape the future of interior design education and inspire the next generation of designers.
2025 CIDQ EMERGING INTERIOR DESIGN EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS:
• Dina Al-Dajani
• Rachel Bannister
• Kyoungmee Byun
• Ali Saman Chopra
• Erin Dunn
• Dr. Mehdi Ghiai
• Jerome Gomez
• Ann Hossler
• Victoria Hunt
• SunMin Hwang
• Natalie Jeffcoat
• Jessica Miller
• Melina Misri
• Shahnaz Samuel
• Morgan Schmid
• Ann-Jeannette Seymour
• Tanya R. Shanklin
• Kimberly Smith
• Sonya Turkman
• Henry Mukhwana Wanakuta
• Sheri Watson
• Catherine Yuen
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!