Ritchie Jennings Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Association of Fraud Examiners
Program Overview
The Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship supports students pursuing education and careers in fraud examination and related anti-fraud professions. Recipients also receive one year of membership in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Awards are paid directly to the recipient’s accredited college or university to support academic expenses.
Description: The scholarship recognizes students with demonstrated interest in anti-fraud work and helps advance their professional development through financial support and professional membership.
Award Value: Awards are available at four levels: $10,000, $7,500, $5,000, and $2,000; all funds are disbursed to the recipient’s institution rather than directly to the student.
- Supports anti-fraud careers and education
- Includes one year of ACFE membership
- Multiple award levels paid to institutions
Eligibility
Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a career in fraud examination or a related anti-fraud profession and meet academic and enrollment requirements. Required application materials include a completed scholarship application, official transcripts, and two letters of recommendation from a professor or a professional who knows the applicant. Eligible fields include accounting, business administration, finance, criminal justice, or comparable fraud-related disciplines. Specific enrollment and credit-hour requirements apply for undergraduates, graduates, and junior college applicants transferring to four-year institutions.
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited four-year college or university through the 2027–2028 academic year (second-year junior college students or those with an associate degree are eligible if enrolled at a four-year institution), maintain the required semester-hour load (undergraduates typically 9 semester hours; graduates typically 6 semester hours), and declare a relevant major or minor.
- Requires application, transcripts, and two recommendation letters
- Must pursue a fraud-related field of study
- Enrollment through the 2027–2028 academic year at an accredited four-year institution
- Certain groups are explicitly ineligible (e.g., high school students, past recipients, students graduating in 2027, ACFE chapter directors/officers)
Application Process & Timeline
The application process for the 2027–2028 academic year is open and managed through an online application system. The application period opens on September 1, 2026. Recipients are scheduled to be announced in May 2027, with awards distributed the same month. The source does not specify a complete application deadline date.
Application Timeline: Notable dates listed include the application opening on September 1, 2026, recipients announced in May 2027, and awards distributed in May 2027; a specific application deadline was not provided in the source material.
How to Apply: Eligible students can access and complete the online application for the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship for the 2027–2028 academic year.
- Online application portal used for submissions
- Application opens September 1, 2026
- Recipients and awards announced/distributed in May 2027
Selection and Non-Discrimination
The ACFE Foundation awards scholarships annually based on a holistic review of applications, academic achievement, and demonstrated interest in fraud-related activities and career goals. Selection factors include a completed application, fraud-related interests and goals, academic transcripts, and recommendation forms. The ACFE Foundation maintains a non-discrimination policy and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, or sexual orientation in any of its programs or activities.
Selection Criteria: Scholarship decisions are based on the completeness of the application, relevance of fraud-related interests and activities, overall academic achievement, and strength of recommendations.
Non-Discrimination: The ACFE Foundation affirms equal opportunity in its programs and selection processes without discrimination on protected characteristics.
- Award decisions consider application completeness, interests, academics, and recommendations
- Annual award cycle with documented selection criteria
- ACFE Foundation enforces a non-discrimination policy