NCBFAA’s 2026 Future Leaders Scholarship
NCBFAA is delighted to announce that two competitive $5,000 scholarships are now available to help both current and future members of our industry achieve their goal of furthering their education! These scholarships help offset the costs that students and our members accrue while learning or further developing the skills they will need to succeed in a career in Customs Brokerage, Freight Forwarding, or related fields in international trade. We ask each of our NCBFAA Regular Member companies to share this special scholarship announcement with your staff today!
Our Association is most appreciative of Roanoke Insurance Group and Alba Wheels Up International for generously providing these scholarship awards.
NCBFAA's two annual scholarships help cover the cost of tuition and student housing, as applicable. The scholarship award will be paid directly to the accredited institution and not to the applicant themselves. The awardees will be required to attend a special luncheon at the NCBFAA Annual Conference on Monday, April 13, 2026, in San Antonio, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa to receive their award onstage. The awardees may also be asked to participate in a brief interview on camera to discuss their achievements. NCBFAA will cover the cost of the round-trip airfare and one night’s stay at the conference hotel. Scholarship recipients are welcome to attend the full conference, but would be required to pay for the extra days of their stay.
How to Apply:
Please note that this scholarship program is open to employees and children of employees of NCBFAA Regular Member firms ONLY. This includes high school seniors, as well as students or employees, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree with an accredited college or university. The applicant should be intending to or already pursuing a career in Customs Brokerage, Freight Forwarding or a related field, such as international trade and supply chain management.
To apply, please access the application and scholarship rules here. Then return your completed application by Feb. 2, 2026, with the following:
- Typed, double-spaced essay of 1,000-2,000 words, including a detailed bibliography, on the topic: How can AI be leveraged without compromising the responsible supervision and control obligations mandated by 19 CFR Part 111?
- Employment verification letter from NCBFAA regular member firm indicating that the candidate or candidate's parent is so employed.
- Proof of acceptance to, or current enrollment in, an accredited college or university, your class year (e.g., high school senior, undergraduate freshman, sophomore, etc.), and major area of study.
- Short (100 words or less) personal statement of your career goals and a brief synopsis about the steps you took to research your response to the essay question.
All candidates must submit their applications postmarked no later than Feb. 2, 2026, to NCBFAA Scholarship, 8601 Georgia Avenue, #612, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. You may email your essay to cgillis@ncbfaa.org; however, you must provide a hard copy of the supporting materials before we will consider your eligibility for the competition.
The NCBFAA Scholarship Committee will select the winners and announce the winners by Feb. 9, 2026. The awardees will be notified by e-mail.
Don’t delay! Take advantage of this scholarship opportunity today!
