NJCPA Opens Scholarship Applications for Students and Grants for High Schools

The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) has opened its scholarship applications for New Jersey-based high school and college students studying accounting. For the second year in a row, the Society and the NJCPA Scholarship Fund are also offering grants to New Jersey high schools to support accounting programs.

Through the generosity of the Deloitte Foundation, NJCPA members and other contributors, the NJCPA Scholarship Fund will distribute accounting scholarships to college-bound New Jersey high school seniors, as well as sophomore, junior and senior accounting students at New Jersey-based colleges or universities.

High School Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded by the NJCPA to college-bound New Jersey high school seniors who intend to major in accounting or obtain a concentration in accounting at a two- or four-year institution. Recipients of high school scholarships will also be paired with an NJCPA mentor who can assist them in college and answer questions about their academic journey, the profession and the CPA Exam.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.2 grade point average or minimum 1260 SAT or 26 ACT score (if taken). Scholarships are $1,500 each. The application is available at njcpa.org/scholarships and the deadline is Dec. 7, 2026.

College Scholarships

College sophomores or second-year students at New Jersey community colleges who are continuing their education at a New Jersey four-year college in the fall are encouraged to apply for a scholarship. Applicants must have at least three accounting credits completed by the end of the fall 2026 semester and a total of six accounting credits by the end of the spring 2027 semester. Scholarships are $2,000 each.

Juniors majoring in accounting who are entering their senior year at a New Jersey college/university and seniors who are enrolling in an accounting-related graduate program in New Jersey are invited to apply for scholarships. Applicants must have at least 12 accounting credits by the end of the spring 2027 semester. Scholarships are $7,500 each.

Applicants for the college scholarships must apply at njcpa.org/scholarships by Jan. 8, 2027, have a 3.2 GPA by the end of the fall 2026 semester and be a New Jersey resident.

“Many accounting professionals, including myself, have started on their accounting journey because of these scholarships. It’s wonderful to be part of such a valuable program and encourage the next generation of CPAs,” said Tara M. Baldwin, CPA, president of the NJCPA Scholarship Fund and a manager at WilkinGuttenplan.

Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, standardized test scores, an essay between 450-500 words and personal interviews. For a complete list of eligibility requirements and to apply for the awards, visit njcpa.org/scholarships.

Grants

Recognizing the need to increase resources for high school accounting programs, the NJCPA Scholarship Fund is offering $2,000 grants to New Jersey high schools. The grants will help pay for accounting textbooks and other curriculum materials as well as software, learning tools and office visits. High school administrators must apply at njcpa.org/grants by the fall deadline of Nov. 30, 2026, and the spring deadline of March 30, 2027.

“It is extremely rewarding to acknowledge such outstanding students and to thank the generous members who helped make these scholarships possible. The scholarship program along with the grant distributions will provide much needed resources,” added Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, CEO and executive director at the NJCPA.

The NJCPA Scholarship Fund, which is supported by NJCPA member donations, has given out more than $7 million in scholarships to more than 2,000 New Jersey students since its inception in 1960.