SRF Scholarship Rules & Regulations

OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. CAN I APPLY?
The Student Research Foundation Community Contribution Scholarship Competition (the “Competition”) is open to all high school students who are legal residents of the United States. Applicants must: (1) have recognized a need or a problem in their community, (2) have determined a way to address this need or solve this problem, (3) have developed an action plan so as to address the need or solve the problem.  The action plan must be a unique project developed by the student, not a project developed by an established group of which the student is a member. All applicants under the age of eighteen (18) or minors at the time of application must have the permission of at least one (1) of their parents and/or legal guardians to apply. By applying, applicants and/or their parents or legal guardians (if such applicants are minors) agree to accept and be bound by all terms of these Official Rules and Regulations (“Official Rules”). Employees (and their immediate families and household members, whether or not related) of Student Research Foundation, their parent, subsidiary or affiliated entities, advertising or promotion agencies, are not eligible to apply or win. Void where prohibited. Competition is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

2. HOW TO APPLY
Applications will be accepted from July 27, 2022 through July 26, 2023 (the “Application Period”). To apply, applicants must complete the official Student Research Foundation Personal Achievement Scholarship Competition Application (“Official Application Form”) in its entirety. The application can be found on the Student Research Foundation website, located at https://www.studentresearchfoundation.org/srf-community-contribution-scholarship (the “Website”); application must be completed and submitted online. To be eligible, all applicants must provide (1) all required personal information including Parent/Guardian’s full name and permanent address, city, state, zip; phone number, and email address; (2) applicant’s full name and permanent address, city, state, ZIP code; phone number; e-mail address; (3) name of applicant’s high school; high school graduation year; high school address (including city, state, and zip); (4) applicant’s approximate QPA/GPA; (5) an adult reference who is familiar with applicant’s accomplishments.  (please include their name, email address and phone number)  This adult cannot be a parent/guardian or relative.  SRF may contact this person if applicant is selected as a semi-finalist. SRF may also ask for supporting documentation from semi-finalist; (6) a description – of up to 1,000 words – of the community need the applicant’s project addressed, or the community problem the applicant’s project solved and the results achieved by the applicant’s project. Applications must be received by July 26, 2023; applications received after July 26, 2023, will be held and submitted for judging in any subsequent competition for 2023/2024 provided that the applicant will still be in high school.

Descriptions must be the applicant’s original work. All applications (and Descriptions) become the property of Sponsors, will not be acknowledged or returned, and may be used by Sponsors in any manner or media in perpetuity without compensation. The Official Application Form and Description must be written in English. Limit one (1) application per person. Multiple applications from any person and/or duplicate applications will be deemed void. Sponsors are not responsible for misdirected, inaccurate, incomplete, lost, late, delayed, undelivered, damaged or illegible applications, and all such applications will be void. Sponsors are also not responsible for errors or problems which may occur in connection with or relating to the Competition or utilizing the Official Application Form, whether computer, technical, mechanical, human or otherwise, including, without limitation, errors or problems which may occur in connection with the administration of the Competition, the processing or judging of applications or the announcement of scholarship semi-finalists, finalists / winners. Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel, modify or prematurely conclude the Competition should any unauthorized intervention or other cause beyond their control corrupt the administration, security or proper operation of the Competition. If the Competition is cancelled, Sponsors may, in their sole discretion, judge all eligible applications received up to time of such action using the judging procedures outlined below to determine the winners. False or deceptive entries or acts will render the applicant ineligible, and Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify any applicant (and void his/her entry) who acts in a disruptive manner or violates these Official Rules.

3. PRIZES; ODDS OF WINNING
Ten (10) scholarships, totaling $25,000, will be awarded to 10 Finalists/Winners as follows: One (1) First Place Award of $7,000; One (1) Second Place Award of $5,000; One (1) Third Place Award of $2,500; Seven (7) Fourth Place Awards of $1,500 each. Awards will be paid by check to the accredited postsecondary educational institution designated by the Winner at the start of the Winner’s first applicable postsecondary school term following Winner’s selection. Odds of winning will depend, in part, upon the number of applicants from each graduation year. (For example, if 50% of the qualified applicants are high school seniors, 50% of the scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors.) All prizes will be awarded. Receipt of this scholarship may negate or otherwise affect the financial aid the student receives from other sources. Winners and/ or their parents or legal guardians are responsible for the reporting and payment of all federal, state, and local taxes incurred by acceptance and use of the prize (or any portion thereof).

4. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
By participating in this Competition, applicants (and/or their parent or legal guardian): (1) agree to be bound by the decisions of Sponsors and judges which are final and binding in all matters; (2) grant Sponsors and their designees the right, unless prohibited by law, to use their names, cities and states of residence, voices, pictures and likenesses, without compensation, notification or permission, for the purpose of advertising and publicity in any and all media, now or after known, throughout the world in perpetuity; and (3) acknowledge and agree that Sponsors will own and administer 100% of the copyright in all Descriptions submitted and may use, edit, modify, and distribute the Descriptions in any and all media, now or hereafter known throughout the world in perpetuity without limitation at no additional notification or permission of applicants, their parents or legal guardians or any third party. Sponsors expressly disclaim any responsibility and applicants (or their parents or legal guardians if such applicant is a minor) agree to release, indemnify and hold Sponsors harmless for liability, damages or claims for injury or loss to any person or property (including death) relating to, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, participation in this Competition, the acceptance and/or subsequent use or misuse of any prize awarded. Sponsors are not responsible for any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the downloading of any material from the Website, regardless of whether the material was prepared by Sponsors or a third party, and regardless of whether the material is connected to the Website by a hypertext link. Sponsors further assume no liability either for the cancellation, modification or premature conclusion of the Competition for any reason. All such losses or expenses must be borne by the affected applicants or Winners.

5. OFFICIAL RULES, WINNERS’ NAMES REQUESTS & REMOVAL FROM MAILING LIST
For a copy of these Official Rules or to learn the identity of the Finalists / Winners, log onto the Website. The identity of the Finalists/Winners will be announced on or around November 20, 2023. If you do not wish to receive future Competition or other Student Research Foundation contest or sweepstakes mailings, please submit a written removal request to Sponsors at: Student Research Foundation, P.O. Box 311 Midtown Station, New York, NY 10018.

6. PRIVACY
Information applicants provide to Sponsors will be used to communicate with applicants regarding this Competition and otherwise as set forth in the Sponsors’ Privacy Policy available at www.studentresearchfoundation.org by clicking on the “Privacy of Student Information Policy” link.

7. DISPUTES
Each applicant (or their parents or legal guardians if such applicant is a minor) agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this Competition, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resorting to any form of class action, and any judicial proceeding shall take place in a federal or state court within the State of New York; (2) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Competition, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will applicant be permitted to obtain awards for, and applicant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, and consequential damages, and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of applicant and Sponsors in connection with the Competition, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law, rules or provisions (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction), that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

8. SPONSORS
This Competition is sponsored by Student Research Foundation, P.O. Box 311 Midtown Station, New York, NY 10018. Sponsors reserve the right to cancel the Competition at any time and substitute another promotion in its place.