Promoting Careers in Government Finance 

Patrick W. Kelly Scholarship Program

Annually, GFOAA awards five $3,000 scholarships to qualifying applicants. The scholarship awards are paid in the amount of $1,500 per semester commencing with the fall semester following the application period. Application packages are to be postmarked no later than July 15 of each year and are reviewed by the Scholarship Committee prior to the Summer Board meeting.

The Scholarships are awarded on a reimbursement basis up to $3,000. To receive scholarship funds, the recipient must submit receipts (tuition, books, fees) and an official transcript at the end of the term. Checks will be made payable to the scholarship recipient.

Qualifications:

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

• Recipients must be undergraduates of junior or senior status with a major course of study in accounting or business administration with a major in accounting or finance, OR individuals seeking a Master of Business Administration or Master of Public Administration with an undergraduate degree in accounting or finance or a concentration in accounting. Priority is given to those students who demonstrate a career interest in the governmental finance area.

• The applicant must be a full-time student attending an accredited Alabama four-year or graduate college or university during the scholarship award period.

• One recipient may be a GFOAA member’s dependent child enrolled in an undergraduate program majoring in accounting or related field, regardless of classification, and attending an accredited in-state or out-of-state four-year college or university during the scholarship award period.

• One recipient may be a GFOAA member enrolled in an accredited graduate school program majoring in accounting or related field during the scholarship award period.

Undergraduate applicants:

Must be of junior or senior standing and have completed Intermediate Accounting I.

1. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or greater computed on a 4.0 scale, in both the major subject and overall at the time of application.
2. Should reference coursework in governmental accounting, internship or part-time work in governmental finance, or other basis of interest as evidence of interest in the governmental finance area (if applicable).
3. Should be attending full-time. Twelve semester hours must be completed during the term of the scholarship award period.

Graduate applicants:

1. Must have a GPA of 3.5 or greater computed on a 4.0 scale.
2. Should reference current employment in government (non-military personnel) or other basis of interest as evidence of interest in the governmental finance area (if applicable).
3. Should complete a minimum of six semester hours are during the term of the scholarship award period.

Click here for application and instructions.