2026 Washington CPA Foundation Scholarship

The Washington CPA Foundation is excited to be able to offer over $650,000 in scholarships for students in Washington state for the 2026-2027 academic year. While accounting scholarships have been awarded for more than 40 years in Washington, this year we have an opportunity to help even more students on the path to pursue their dream of being a CPA. If you are currently a sophomore/2nd-year student or above, have a 2.5 GPA and above (or equivalent), are enrolled or enrolling in a Washington state college/university for Fall 2026, and want to be a CPA – please apply!

Start your application now and log back in to update it as often as you want through the application deadline of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT. Remember: obtaining recommendation letters can take extra time, so start early to give your references plenty of notice.

Contact information: [email protected]

Undergraduate and 5th year students are eligible for $5,000. Master's/PhD awards are awarded at $5,000 to $10,000. 

Application Requirements:

• Current resume including jobs, internships (paid or unpaid), volunteer positions, leadership roles on campus or in the community, etc.

• Transcripts (official or unofficial from ALL colleges/universities attended)

• 3 short essays (500 words or less - prompts found in the application)

• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member, employer, mentor, a licensed CPA etc. (no family/friends)

  • Letters must be submitted online through the application portal
    

Additional Information:

• Scholarships are for tuition only and will be paid directly to the college or university listed at the end of July 2026. The Washington CPA Foundation will not authorize release of the scholarship funds directly to the recipient.

• Responsibility for ensuring that the monies can be used for the quarter/semester granted lies solely with the recipient. Please verify with your school that you are in compliance with institutional rules for scholarships and that you meet all qualifications for payment to be applied to your account.

• Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the Washington CPA Foundation Scholarship Committee based on merit and passion for the profession. Scholarships are awarded without regard to age, gender, race, creed, religion, ethnic or national origin, or sexual orientation. Applicants will be notified of the WA CPA Foundation's decisions in early April 2026.

• Students who have applied and/or won in previous years are welcome to apply again.

• Students that do not qualify for this scholarship program should visit https://www.wscpa.org/scholarships for information on other WA CPA Foundation Scholarships.

• Contact [email protected] if you have any questions or need any assistance with the application process.

To be eligible for one of these scholarships, you must be an Accounting major and:

• entering junior year or higher in Fall 2026 (5th year seniors, master's students, PhD candidates, and community college transfers are encouraged to apply)

• minimum 2.5 GPA (or equivalent) in your Accounting major and overall

• enrolled/enrolling in an accredited college/university within Washington state

• plan to become a CPA (PhD candidates that already have their CPA license may apply)

• Be involved in on-campus, off-campus, or community activities and/or hold a job

Applications reviewed and scored by a panel of CPAs and accounting professionals over 2 rounds during February and March. Applicants will be notified of the Washington CPA Foundation's decisions in early April 2026. Scholarship awards will be mailed to schools in late July / early August 2026.