This scholarship is for a student enrolling in their first year as an undergraduate at a college or university. The applicant must be:

• Living in the United States (with a U.S. mailing address).
• Not previously enrolled in a college or university prior to the current application year.
• Planning to enroll as a student in an undergraduate degree program within the current application year.

To verify eligibility, we may contact the teacher or school administrator listed in the winners' applications, so make sure to include valid contact information for a teacher or administration official who can vouch for your status as a student.

Vertex42 employees and their immediate family members are not eligible.

Applicants not meeting all eligibility criteria will not be considered.

The scholarship may be applied to tuition, books, or other educational expenses such as room and board, school supplies, etc.

The awards will be paid directly to the winners by mailing a check.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to report the award appropriately in tax returns and financial aid applications. If you have questions about how or whether to do this, please consult a certified accountant.

Employees and owners of Vertex42 will review the applications and select the finalists.

The selection process will be completely subjective, but the following factors will be important:

• Originality (your own writing and experiences). This is by far the most important factor.
• Enthusiasm for spreadsheets.
• Ideas that will help other students (and teachers).
• Examples that demonstrate your use of, enthusiasm for, and experience with spreadsheets.
• Conciseness.

Note: Financial need is assumed by your completing the application. Do not include information about financial status, nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc.

Before final winners are selected, we will notify the finalists via email and provide a release form to be signed by the finalist (or a parent if under the age of 18). The signed form will require the student to verify that the written essay is her/her own original work and give us permission to use the student's name and entry in promotional material (such as being featured on the Vertex42 website). The form will also require the winner to provide a valid mailing address (so that we can mail the award).

Your application may be published in whole or in part on our website. We may prepare a report summarizing the information and ideas that are shared regarding spreadsheets in education. Don't share anything you would consider proprietary or too personal. Winners of scholarships might have their applications published in their entirety, including names.