Washington CPA Foundation scholarship applications for the 2023-2024 academic year are now open! Whether you'll be a first-year college student in fall 2023, a PhD candidate, or anything in between, there is a scholarship waiting for you. The Foundation provides more than $500,000 across 100 scholarships with first- and second-year college students receiving $2,000, upper-level undergraduates (juniors, seniors, fifth-year seniors) receiving $5,000, and graduate students (master's students and PhD candidates) receiving up to $10,000. Learn more about these scholarships and start your applications here.

The deadline to submit scholarships will be here sooner than you think, so here are some things to keep in mind:

Start now and save as you go. Just because the scholarship deadline isn't until early 2023 (February 14 for the $5,000-$10,000 scholarship and April 14 for the $2,000 scholarship) doesn't mean you should wait to start. The application process takes time, and there are materials that need to be submitted with the application. These include unofficial transcripts, your résumé, and a letter of recommendation. The application platform, Kaleidoscope, allows you to start an application, save your progress, and return when you’re ready to continue. This means you can request your letter of recommendation now and start working on the rest of your scholarship application while you wait, giving you lots of time to make sure you’re submitting the best application you can.

Stand out through your résumé and essays. Your résumé and essays are your opportunity to shine. Show the scholarship reviewers who you are, your passion for accounting, and your commitment to becoming a CPA. Résumés should include your work and volunteer experience but can also include other ways you’re involved in the community. This might be extracurricular activities such as clubs and student groups, membership in professional organizations, sports/athletics, or other commitments within your community. Essays should be concise and focused on answering the question being asked. Have specific goals in mind for your academic and professional careers and elaborate on them. Let the reviewers know how this scholarship will help you achieve those goals. Essays may also be a chance to explain special circumstances, like the reason for a blip in the grades on your transcript or a challenge facing you or your family. You can also mention some of your accounting role models.

Take the time to review. Remember to proofread everything to catch grammatical or typographical errors and any issues with formatting. To get a different view of your application materials, try changing the font size or reading from the bottom up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help by having someone look over your résumé and essays. Ask for feedback and instruction on how they might be improved. The WSCPA has resources available to help you with your application such as a video on résumé building tips in our Student Accounting Accelerator video series, past blog articles in our Become a CPA Blog, and a scholarship open house (stay tuned for dates).

Now you’re all ready to begin your application! Remember, start the application process now so you can come back to it as needed. Set a reminder for the deadline (February 14, 2023 or April 14, 2023), use your résumé and essays to show why you’re an excellent candidate, and REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW.

If you have questions about scholarship eligibility, application requirements, or you’re having issues with the application platform, reach out to foundation@wscpa.org.