College Scholarships

The NJCPA Scholarship Fund provides one-year college scholarships to accounting students at New Jersey colleges who are currently in their second year (community college), sophomore or junior year or in their senior year and entering an accounting-related graduate program in New Jersey. The scholarship award amount for sophomores is $2,000 and the scholarship award amount for the junior and senior awards is $6,500.

Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, an essay and personal interview. 

Get some guidance on writing your essay from NJCPA member Brigid D'Souza, CPA, MBA, assistant professor at St. Peter's University

Questions?

Contact Pam Isenburg via email or 862-702-5641.

APPLICATION FORM

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

Have an NJCPA Account?
If you currently have an NJCPA account please login before continuing with your application.
Before completing the application form, you will need to:

  • Prepare a 500-word essay on the topic below according to your college year. Copy and paste your essay into the application for submission. Please refrain from including any identifying information in your essay such as your name or school. Your essay will be judged on the following areas: content and originality; commitment to being a CPA; and, grammar, language and organization. An essay that exceeds expectations will demonstrate that the question is answered clearly and accurately and covers all topics requested. The essay is unique, creative and engaging. Language and vocabulary demonstrate sophisticated and exceptional use. An understanding of the CPA profession is indicated. The candidate is excited about what he/she can accomplish as a CPA.

    Topic

    • What interests you most about what you have learned and experienced so far about accounting? By citing specific examples, please explain how your personal experiences and the knowledge you have gained from your academic and/or work experiences have inspired you to pursue accounting and become a CPA.
  • Read and accept the rules below

Rules

  1. ELIGIBILITY

    Sophomore Applicants must:

    • Be a resident of New Jersey attending a New Jersey college or university with a minimum 3.2 overall GPA through the end of the fall 2024 semester.
    • Be an accounting major or have a concentration in accounting with at least three credits completed by the end of the fall 2024 semester and a total of six credits in accounting completed by the end of the spring 2025 semester.
    • Have a current sophomore-year status at a four-year institution or second/final year status at a community college.

    Junior or Senior Applicants must:

    • Be a resident of New Jersey attending a New Jersey college or university with a minimum 3.2 overall GPA through the end of the fall 2024 semester.
    • Be an accounting major or have a concentration in accounting with at least 12 credits in accounting completed by the end of the spring 2025 semester, with a graduation date of December 2025 or later.
    • Have a current junior-year status or above in an undergraduate program.

    OR

    • Be enrolled in an New Jersey accounting–related program in the spring 2025 semester or entering a New Jersey accounting-related graduate program in the fall 2025 semester with a graduation date of December 2025 or later.
  2. APPLICATION

    Submit all four (4) of the items below by Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Your application will not be considered without these.

    1. Online Application. Access the application by agreeing to these rules and clicking the "Continue to Application Form" button below
    2. A 500-word essay. Your essay must be submitted online at the time of application submittal. Your essay must answer the whole question and meet the 500-word count requirement to receive full credit.

      Essay:

      • What interests you most about what you have learned and experienced so far about accounting? By citing specific examples, please explain how your personal experiences and the knowledge you have gained from your academic and/or work experiences have inspired you to pursue accounting and become a CPA.
    3. Official transcript (including fall semester). Have your school send your transcript directly to NJCPA. You may also ask the accounting department to send unofficial transcripts directly to NJCPA.
      • If the required number of accounting credits have not been completed by the end of the fall 2024 semester, you must provide proof of registration for the spring 2025 semester showing additional credits. Sophomore applicants must have completed at least 3 credits by the end of the Fall 2024 semester.
      • All Scholarship recipients must provide an official transcript showing the required completed accounting credits and a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 by the end of the spring 2025 semester.
    4. Your resume.

    Email your transcripts and resume to scholarship@njcpa.org or mail to NJCPA, 105 Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 300, Roseland, NJ 07068.

  3. Required Interview

    All finalists will be notified by January 20, 2025. Finalists are required to participate in a short virtual interview on Saturday, February 1, 2025 . The interviews are held on the Zoom platform and you will be given a link and instructions if you are chosen as a finalist. There will be no make-up date.

  4. Inquiries

    The NJCPA Student Programs and Scholarship Committee will answer any questions that may arise as to eligibility, participation or selection of winners. In all cases, the committee’s decisions are final. Questions about the scholarship program can be sent to Pam Isenburg via email.

  5. Notification of Results

    Scholarship recipients will be notified in early March 2025. A list of all recipients will be available at njcpa.org/scholarship.

  6. Duplicate Scholarships

    In the event a scholarship recipient also receives a scholarship from another source, which he or she stands to lose as a result of winning an NJCPA Scholarship, the Student Programs and Scholarship Committee may, at the recipient’s request, withdraw or reduce the amount of the award.

  7. Award Disbursement and Terms

    Scholarship payment will be made to the college or university. Payment is contingent upon submission of the Scholarship Activation Form.