The AICPA/PCPS George Willie Student Scholarship supports talented students who aspire to become CPAs and represent the future of the accounting profession. This scholarship is designed to assist first-generation college students who have demonstrated financial need and are committed to pursuing a career in public accounting.

An eligible applicant must be/have:

• Be a first-generation college student (neither parent/guardian has earned a bachelor’s degree).
• Some financial need. Financial need will be assessed based on criteria outlined within the application form. Applicants must not be receiving any full or partial scholarships or grants that cover or exceed all of their educational expenses.
• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate-level degree in accounting.
• Planning to pursue the CPA licensure but not presently be a CPA.
• Completed at least 30 semester hours (or equivalent) of college coursework, including at least 6 semester hours (or equivalent) in accounting, by the end of spring 2026.
• Maintaining an overall and major GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• Enrolling as a full-time undergraduate (12 semester hours or equivalent per semester) or a full-time graduate-level student (9 semester hours or equivalent per semester) for the full 2026-27 academic year; fall 2026 and spring 2027.
  • Students graduating upon completion of fall 2026 are eligible to apply.
  • Part-time students who are currently employed and have at least 6 semester hours or equivalent per semester to meet the CPA license work experience requirement are encouraged to apply. A letter of employment is required along with a letter of recommendation from an accounting professor).
• An AICPA Student Affiliate member (or have submitted a new member application). Apply for free at: www.thiswaytocpa.com/join-aicpa.
• A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (Green Card holder).
• Enrolled in a business and/or accounting program that is regionally, nationally or internationally accredited for the 2026-27 academic year. The program must be accepted by the state board of accountancy as meeting the educational requirements necessary for CPA licensure in the state you intend to become licensed OR in the state where your program is located.
  • Please visit ThisWayToCPA’s State & Territory Requirements or contact your state board of accountancy to confirm if your program meets the educational requirements necessary for CPA licensure.
• Willingness to remain engaged with the AICPA and to provide feedback for the development of this and other programs by the Association.

How to Access This Scholarship Application

1. Sign Up for a FREE student membership to AICPA at the top-right corner of this page.
2. Current student members Sign In to ThisWayToCPA.com using your student membership account at the top-right corner of this page.
3. Return to this application page and click the Apply Here button at the top of this page.
4. Create an account on the AICPA Foundation Awards and Financial Aid portal using your thiswaytocpa.com username and password.
5. Once inside the portal, click APPLY or SEE OPPORTUNITIES in the top-left corner.
6. Look for the AICPA Foundation Legacy Scholarships Eligibility Quiz, then click Check Eligibility.
7. Once you pass the eligibility quiz, continue back to the application dashboard, where you will see the AICPA Foundation Legacy Scholarships application box. Click on the Apply button to start your application entry.

For questions contact: scholarships@aicpa.org.

Note: AICPA, CIMA and their family members are not eligible to receive this scholarship.