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Top Scholarships for Finance Majors
A finance degree can get you a career in several fields including accounting, banking, and financial planning. However, pursuing a degree in finance requires some expenses. These scholarships for finance majors can help cover these expenses.
Jump ahead to:
- Top finance scholarships
- Resources for finance majors
- Frequently asked questions about finance scholarships
- Summary of scholarships for finance majors
- Upcoming scholarships
Continue reading our list of top scholarships for finance majors!
Top finance scholarships
BD Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students must be residents of the following states: New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, California, Utah, Arizona, Texas, or Nebraska. They must be enrolled full-time at any UNCF member institution, HBCU, or accredited 4-year college. Major in one of the following areas of study: communications, computer science, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, life sciences, microbiology, finance, global health, nursing, science technology, or sociology. A letter of recommendation is also required.
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: February 1, 2022
Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students who have an interest in pursuing a career in fraud examination.
- Amount: $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000. A one-year ACFE Student Associate membership.
- Deadline: February 4, 2022
AICPA Foundation Scholarship for Future CPAs
- Eligibility: Full-time students must be studying accounting or a related major with the intention to enter into the profession. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Part-time students must be employed to meet the CPA license work experience requirement. Must be a member of the AICPA (American Institute for Certified Public Accountants) Student Affiliate Program.
- Amount: $3,000 – $10,000
- Deadline: March 1, 2022
AICPA Foundation Two-Year Transfer Scholarship Award
- Eligibility: Students looking to transfer from a two-year to four-year school to complete a degree in accounting or related major. Applicants must be planning to pursue a CPA license. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and an AICPA Student Affiliate Membership.
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: March 1, 2022
AWSCPA Scholarship Award
- Eligibility: For women undergraduate and graduate students studying accounting or a related major and planning to pursue a CPA license. Applicants must also have a 3.0 GPA.
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: March 1, 2022
Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance Scholarships
- Eligibility: Available to undergraduate and masters students. Undergraduates must be sophomores studying finance or accounting and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Masters students must have applied to a master’s degree program by the time of the application deadline and be majoring in finance or accounting. Candidates must have a minimum GPA.
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: April 1, 2022
Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students who sign up for the Hustle free daily newsletter and share what they learned.
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: End of each month (award given out on June 1, 2022)
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
- Eligibility: Women of any age pursuing a business program with major field of specialization in accounting, economics, finance, business management, marketing, and more
- Amount: $8,000
- Deadline: Contact your local club for the deadlines, which are usually between April and August of each year
Ted Rollins Eco Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate students and high school seniors planning on earning a business or sustainability degree
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: December and June 1st of each year
Resources for finance majors
Beta Alpha Psi
Beta Alpha Psi is an international honor organization for students interested in accounting and finance. This organization can help you to keep up to date with the current state of the field, as well as provide networking opportunities with professionals around the world. You can check whether there is a chapter in your region or at your school through their website.
Michael Lewis’ Against the Rules Podcast
The author of books such as Moneyball and The Big Short has been making finance accessible for decades. His podcast includes information to help explain complex finance topics in ways anyone can understand. Especially for beginning students, this can be a valuable resource to become introduced to topics you’ll learn about later in your studies. For more advanced students, this can be a crash-course in explaining complex topics in simple terms.
Association for Finance Professionals
The Association for Finance Professionals is an international organization with members across many different fields of finance. You can earn certificates through this organization, connect with professionals, and learn about the current state of the industry.
Frequently asked questions about finance scholarships
Does finance count as STEM?
In general, finance has not counted as a STEM degree. However, in some spheres, that definition is changing. For example, at MIT, the administration recently classified finance majors as STEM majors. This may be part of a larger shift in classification for finance. What does this mean for finance majors? Well, one big change is that it may qualify you for STEM scholarships. STEM scholarships are one of the most plentiful types of scholarships, so this is potentially a big opportunity.
How can I pay for a finance degree?
There are many ways out there to pay for a finance. It’s a good idea to take full advantage of every possible opportunity. That includes filling out the FAFSA, seeing if you qualify for the Pell Grant, applying for outside scholarships, and applying for school-specific scholarships. Many students also have to take out loans. Another great strategy for finding scholarships is looking for local scholarships. Because the competition is usually less numerous, you have a better chance with local scholarships.
Do I need to major in finance to earn a finance scholarship?
Most finance scholarships require that you have plans to major in finance or a finance-related field. So, you have to demonstrate an interest in the field and an intent to major in it. That being said, if you end up changing your major down the line, you will probably be able to keep the scholarship money if you applied for it during high school. If you have a renewable scholarship, you may not be able to renew it if your major plans change, however.
What careers in finance are in-demand?
According to Northeastern University’s December 2021 report, controller, financial manager, and management consultant are the three most in-demand finance careers. For the most up-to-date results, try browsing the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. You’ll be able to look up any occupation that interests you and see its forecasted growth over the next decade, as well as median salary data.
Summary of scholarships for finance majors
- BD Scholarship
- Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program
- AICPA Foundation Scholarship for Future CPAs
- AICPA Foundation Two-Year Transfer Scholarship Award
- AWSCPA Scholarship Award
- Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance Scholarships
- Hustle Tech & Business News No-Essay Scholarship
- Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
- Ted Rollins Eco Scholarship
Upcoming finance scholarships
DECA Scholarships
- Eligibility: These scholarships are merit-based. Applicants must be enrolled full-time at a college or university. Any high school grade level can apply. Specific eligibility requirements depend on the scholarship sponsor.
- Amount: $1,000+
- Deadline: January 14, 2022
Goldberg-Miller Public Finance Scholarship
- Eligibility: Full-time graduate students preparing for a career in state and local government finance. recognize outstanding performances by graduate program students preparing for a career in state and local government finance. A letter of recommendation will be required.
- Amount: $20,000
- Deadline: January 14, 2022
Government Finance Professional Development Scholarship
- Eligibility: Part-time graduate students with a career interest in state and local government finance. Must be studying: public administration, (governmental) accounting, finance, economics, or business administration (with specific focus on government). Must have been employed for at least two years by one or more state or local governments.
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: January 14, 2022
Minorities in Government Finance Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate minority students enrolled full- or part-time in a course of study preparing for a career in state or local government finance. Must be studying: public administration, (governmental) accounting, finance, political science, economics, or business administration (with specific focus on government or nonprofit management). A letter of recommendation is also required.
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: January 14, 2022
