The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board named 685 students as PCAOB Scholars to receive a $15,000 merit-based scholarship, totaling over $10 million.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 mandates that collected PCAOB monetary penalties must be used to fund a merit scholarship program for students in accounting degree programs. Since its launch in 2011, the PCAOB has awarded nearly $43 million in scholarships to 3,603 recipients.
This year's cohort is the largest in the program's history to date. Recipients are nominated by their respective institutions, which participate in the program based on their accreditation and the number of students they graduate with accounting degrees each year. The program's aim is to "benefit outstanding students who are likely to become auditors" and "make a difference to eligible students who might otherwise pursue a different career path," the statement reads.
"Congratulations to our 2025-2026 PCAOB Scholars," outgoing PCAOB Chair Erica Williams said in a statement. "If we want our system of investor protection to stay strong, the best and brightest must continue to pursue careers in the accounting and auditing profession. We are proud that our PCAOB Scholars Program helps outstanding individuals, such as this group of students, along this career path."
This year, approximately 58% of recipients are women, 57% live in households with incomes under $75,000, 30% are the first in their families to attend college, 47% identify as members of historically underrepresented groups in the profession, and 55% have received Pell Grants. Additionally, 14 Historically Black Colleges and Universities participated in the program this year.
