Scholarships

The Colorado Chapter of the ACFE supports the education of Collegiate Accounting and Criminal Justice students who aspire to become Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs).

Each year, the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners accepts applications for academic scholarships for the upcoming school year.  Scholarships awarded are paid directly to the student’s academic institution.  We begin accepting scholarship applications in the fall (one year prior to the award term period) with the submission deadline occurring at the end of March (again prior to the school term award period).

2025/2026 Scholarships

The Colorado Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (COCFE) is accepting applications for two academic scholarships of $7,500 each, to be awarded for the 2025 – 2026 academic year.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible, the applicant must be an ACFE Student Associate member currently enrolled full-time (9 semester hours undergraduate; 6 semester hours graduate, or equivalent per term) at an accredited Colorado college or university with a declared major or minor in accounting, criminal justice, or other field related to fraud examination. If you need financial assistance or information on joining the organization, please contact jincampo@jeffco.us for further information. Previous applicants may reapply.

The following persons are not eligible for the CO-ACFE Scholarship:

• Past scholarship winners or
• Students who are related to any CO-ACFE Board Member or Scholarship Committee Member.
• The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of: (a) overall academic achievement; (b) three letters of recommendation; (c) an interest in fraud detection, deterrence, and prevention, demonstrated through courses of study or career goals.

For more information:[View the Flyer]

APPLICATION

Application deadline is April 11, 2025. Scholarship winners will be notified by April 26, 2024.  Formal recognition of the scholarship recipients will be conducted at the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ monthly meeting in July 2025.  Recipients should plan on attending.  Funds will be distributed directly to the recipient’s school prior to the start of Fall 2025 term.

To be considered for the award applicants must submit packet in a single (not multiple files) PDF, by April 11, 2025. Application packet should include the following items:

1) Scholarship application: [Application]

2) A copy of transcript(s), showing all completed college or university courses (scholarship winners may be asked to provide official transcript(s))

3) Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from an instructor in accounting or criminal justice. Additional recommendations may come from advisors, faculty members or employers.

4)  An original 250- 500 word essay explaining why the applicant is seeking the scholarship and how fraud awareness will affect his or her professional career development.

5) Submit completed application to John Incampo by email. ( jincampo@co.jefferson.co.us) or (JIncampo@jeffco.us)

Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship

ACFE Scholarship Awards are available to full-time accounting and criminal justice majors. The program provides $1,000 scholarship awards for up to 30 students. Students will also receive a free one-year Student Associate membership to the ACFE.  This is a scholarship awarded by ACFE, not COCFE.

Please check this website periodically for information about the scholarship and application.  Alternatively, you can check the ACFE website at www.acfe.com

Awards

Each chapter in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners has the opportunity to nominate individuals for various awards throughout the year.

The Distinguished Achievement Award

This award is reserved for those individuals who have excelled in the profession of preventing, deterring, investigating or prosecuting white-collar crime. Click here for more information.