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AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship

Offered by AICPA Foundation · Free to apply

Award
$1,000
one-time award
Deadline
March 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET
deadlines recur around March each year
Estimated odds
1 in 1,000
Solyo estimate, not a published rate
Application effort
~2 hrs
about $1 of expected value per hour

Two high school seniors each receive $1,000 from the AICPA Foundation for planning to major in accounting at an accredited two- or four-year U.S. college. Applying means joining AICPA as a free student affiliate, then submitting a short application through the foundation's awards portal with a transcript, an essay on accounting career plans, and proof of college acceptance for the coming academic year. The student must be an active DECA member with at least a 3.0 GPA and some remaining need, meaning other aid does not already cover their costs. The application opens December 10 and closes March 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET. BPA members can apply for a parallel AICPA Foundation award on the same terms.

How hard is the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.

Estimated odds
roughly 1 in 1,000 applicants
Modelled applicant field
~2,000 students
Awards each cycle
2
Payoff per hour of work
$1 / hr

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

  • More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
  • Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
  • Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
  • Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
  • Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
  • Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3 GPA

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

  • Open to high school seniors
  • GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted)
  • Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
  • Planning to study Business
Confirm these before applying
  • Must be a currently active DECA member
  • Must be (or apply to become) an AICPA Student Affiliate member
  • Requires proof of acceptance at an accredited public or private not-for-profit two- or four-year college or university in the U.S. states or territories for the upcoming full academic year
  • Must enroll as a full-time undergraduate (12 semester hours or equivalent)
Good to know
  • Must intend to major in accounting
  • Two awards are given per year; a parallel AICPA Foundation scholarship exists for BPA members with the same terms

What the application takes

  • Essay required. The prompt centers on career goals.
  • Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is March 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 15 each year. Applications open December 10. Proof of college acceptance is required at submission, so this suits students who have an admission decision in hand by mid-March.

Application opens
December 10, 2026
AICPA student affiliate membership in place
Before you apply
Application closes
March 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET
Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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Common questions about the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship

How much is the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship worth?

The AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship awards $1,000. 2 awards are made each cycle.

When is the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship deadline?

The current deadline is March 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 15 each year. Applications open December 10. Proof of college acceptance is required at submission, so this suits students who have an admission decision in hand by mid-March.

When do AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship applications open?

Applications open December 10, and close March 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Proof of college acceptance is required at submission, so this suits students who have an admission decision in hand by mid-March.

Who is eligible for the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors; GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted); Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card); Planning to study Business.

Does the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship require an essay?

Yes. The application requires an essay and a transcript. Expect to spend about 2 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 1,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~2,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and an official transcript is required. At 2 hrs of work, that is about $1 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.

Is the AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The AICPA Foundation DECA Student Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.