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:) Scholarship Guidelines TheDream.US – A NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR DREAMers UPDATED: January 27, 2014 Introduction TheDream.US is a national scholarship fund for DREAMers1 established by Graham Holdings Company. We provide college scholarships to highly motivated DREAMers who, without financial aid, cannot afford a college education that will enable them to participate in the American workforce. We partner with quality colleges that focus on college completion and make a commitment to provide comprehensive student support services to TheDream.US Scholars attending their institutions. TheDream.US awards scholarships for tuition and fees to DREAMers who have demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, and a high motivation to succeed and are accepted to attend one of our partner colleges. For more information on our partner colleges, click here. This scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services®, a division of Scholarship America®. Scholarship Management Services is the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability or national origin. The guidelines for the scholarship are set forth below. If you have additional questions, you can go here for Frequently Asked Questions and the answers. Eligibility Applicants to the TheDream.US Scholarship Program must: Be a first time college student (with less than 12 college credits unless those credits were earned in high school) applying to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program at one of TheDream.US participating colleges. Have graduated from a U.S. based high school with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (2.5/4.0) or higher or achieved a U.S. State approved high school equivalency with a score equivalent to 2.5 (2.5/4.0) or higher (Scholarship America will determine whether an applicant’s GED score is equivalent to a 2.5). Meet DACA eligibility criteria (see http://www.uscis.gov/i-821d) Have submitted Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or received notification of DACA approval and provide a copy of the DACA approval notification or the receipt for the submission of the DACA application. (Note: Non-U.S. citizens who have received an official Temporary Protected Status designation form the United States may be eligible in certain circumstances.) Awards The Scholarship Award is up to $12,500 for tuition, fees, and books for an associate degree, and up to $25,000 for tuition, fees, and books for a bachelor degree. The amount of each award will be based on the current tuition, fees, and estimated cost of books charged by the participating college in which the Scholar enrolls. DREAMer Scholars will have the following time frames in which to complete their degrees. Using an extended amount of time will not increase the amount of the scholarship: For associate’s candidates, up to three years or until an associate’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. For bachelor’s candidates, up to six years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. DREAMer Scholars who finish their program with at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.5/4.0 are eligible to receive a one-time Honors Graduate Award. This Award will be $1,000 for students who complete an associate degree with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and $2000 for students who complete a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. In order to continue to be eligible to receive the scholarship, DREAMer Scholars must: Maintain a cumulative GPA of “B” (3.0/4.0) or better in the program; Remain continuously enrolled at least part-time2 (at least 6 credits); Remain current on all of your college accounts and charges; Remain DACA eligible, reapply for DACA approval as required, and upon re-application, provide Scholarship America with a copy of the receipt for your DACA application or your DACA approval letter; and Meet other program commitments outlined in the Award Letter. Renewal awards will continue on a term-by-term basis at the amount authorized at the time of enrollment provided the DREAMer Scholar continues to meet the stated renewal eligibility criteria. A DREAMer Scholar enrolled in an associate degree program at a Partner College is eligible to re-apply for the TheDream.US Scholarship to complete a bachelor degree so long as they have met their Scholar Commitments and there is not a break in enrollment. TheDream.US scholarships will be applied based on the charged credit cost, fees, and books for the term for courses that count toward the student’s degree, and cannot be applied to courses that are retaken due to previous failure. Application Process You can apply for the Scholarship by clicking here: https://www.scholarsapply.org/thedreamus You will need to read and agree to a consent statement, supply a unique and valid email address, and create a username and password. You are responsible for gathering and submitting all necessary information. Instructions for completing the Financial Data section of the application are included. Applications are evaluated on the information supplied; therefore, answer all questions as completely as possible. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated. All information received is considered confidential and is reviewed only by Scholarship Management Services and TheDream.US Selection Committee. The deadline for submission of your application and supporting documents is March 31, 2014, 11:59 p.m. CST. Required Documents As part of your application, you must also upload or mail the following documents to Scholarship Management Services by March 31, 2014: Identification: A copy of your passport, birth certificate (with translation) plus photo identification, school or military ID with photo, or any U.S. government immigration or other document bearing your name and photo A copy of your DACA approval letter or the receipt for your submission of your DACA application If you are financially dependent on your parents, a copy of the first two pages of your parents’ most recently filed IRS Form 1040; or, if they have not filed an IRS Form, a copy of their most recent W-2 forms, if available (Note: If you are financially independent, provide a copy of the first two pages of your most recently filed IRS Form 1040 or, if you have not filed an IRS Form, a copy of your most recent W-2 form, if available). A copy of your current high school transcript or GED diploma and test scores (your school may send on your behalf) A Letter of Recommendation from someone in the following approved categories who knows you well and can speak to your strengths and weaknesses: school teacher, counselor, or advisor; work or volunteer supervisor; or community organization representative or mentor. Your application is not complete until all materials are received at Scholarship Management Services. The mailing address is provided below. Program Deadline Your application must be submitted by March 31, 2014, by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time. Your documents must be uploaded or mailed and postmarked by March 31, 2014. Selection of Recipients Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis on demonstrated academic achievement, clarity of motivation to succeed, and financial need as follows: Demonstrated Financial Need (these scholarships are intended for students who do not have the resources to finance their education without substantial financial support. Applicants must also apply for all other forms of financial aid for which they may be eligible); Academic achievement (we consider grades, GED test scores, commitment to learning, and work ethic); and Motivation to succeed (determination and perseverance in the face of challenges, ability to set and remain focused on goals and to put in the effort needed to meet those goals in the face of obstacles). Selection of recipients is made by Scholarship Management Services and TheDream.US Selection Committee. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final. Notification Applicants will be notified on or before May 15, 2014. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply in future scholarship rounds if they meet eligibility requirements. Payment of Scholarships Scholarship Management Services processes scholarship payments on behalf of TheDream.US. Award payments will be made directly to the participating college in which the student is enrolled, on a term by term basis. Scholar Commitments Being selected as a DREAMer Scholar is an honor and a privilege. In order to make the most of the Scholarship award, DREAMer Scholars are asked to commit to their own academic achievement and success as well as to supporting the academic achievement and success of other DREAMer Scholars. DREAMer Scholars are asked to commit to: Thanking the donors who have made their scholarship possible Building and maintaining a close relationship with their student advisor Developing and using an education plan for completion of their degree Taking advantage of their college’s student support programs Maintaining good attendance and full or part-time enrollment status (at least 6 credits per term) Maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better Building and participating in the “National DREAMer Scholars Community” Supporting and improving TheDream.US scholarship program After graduation, keeping TheDream.US informed of their career paths Recipients are required to notify Scholarship Management Services of any changes in address or other relevant information, including a copy of the receipt for the submission of their application for renewal of their DACA status. Revisions TheDream.US reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of this scholarship program and to make changes at any time, including termination of the program. Questions? Contact us. Email: [email protected] Telephone: 1-507-931-1682 and ask for the TheDream.US Scholarship Program Mail your required documents to: TheDream.US Scholarship Program Scholarship Management Services One Scholarship Way Saint Peter, MN 56082 (1) DREAMers came to the United States as minors, have graduated from U.S. high schools or earned a U.S. high school equivalency but lack a legal status. This prevents them from accessing any federal aid to help pay for their college education. In order to apply for TheDream.US Scholarship, DREAMers must be DACA eligible and have applied for or received DACA approval. Non-U.S. citizens who have received an official Temporary Protected Status designation form the United States may be eligible in certain circumstances. (2) For purposes of the Scholarship, part-time status requires enrollment in at least 6 credits per term; Partner Colleges may have additional requirements for part-time status.