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TheDream.US1OpportunityScholarshipProgram–ApplicationGuidelinesMay23,2016

PROGRAMOVERVIEW

TheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipProgramisofferingscholarshipstohighlymotivatedDREAMers2withDACAorTPSstatuswholiveintargetedstatesthathaveeffectivelylockedDREAMersoutoftheircollegesbyrequiringDREAMerstopayout-of-statetuitionorprohibitingDREAMersfromenrollinginthestate’scollegesanduniversitiesalltogether.TheGovernorsofConnecticutandDelawarehaveagreedtoacceptout-of-stateDREAMerswithTheDream.USOpportunityScholarshiptoattendanaffordablefour-yearcollegeintheirstateatatargetedcostof$20,000peryearfortuition,fees,andon-campushousingandmeals.TheDream.USScholarshipawardwillpayupto$20,000peryeartofundthesecosts.TheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipisforDREAMerswho

• HaveDACAorTPSstatus;• Liveinandhavegraduatedfromhighschoolsintargetedlocked-outstates,and• havedemonstratedtheacademicpotentialandadeterminationtosucceedincollegeandinlife.

Webelievethatthesearetheverystudentswhoshouldhavetheopportunitytogotocollege.

ScholarswhoareselectedforTheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipmustbeacceptedto(andbewillingtorelocateandattend)oneofthefollowingPartnerCollegesinConnecticutorDelaware:

• EasternConnecticutStateUniversity• DelawareStateUniversity

1TheDream.USisaprojectofNewVentureFund,a501(c)(3).InternationalScholarshipandTuitionServices,Inc.(ISTS)administerstheprogram.Awardsaregrantedwithoutregardtorace,color,creed,religion,sexualorientation,gender,disabilityornationalorigin.

2DREAMerscametotheUnitedStatesaschildren,havegraduatedfromU.S.highschoolsorearnedaU.S.highschoolequivalencybutlackalegalstatus.Thispreventsthemfromaccessinganyfederalaidtohelppayfortheircollegeeducation.InordertoreceiveforTheDream.USScholarship,DREAMersmusthaveDACA(DeferredActionforChildhoodArrivals)orTPS(TemporaryProtectedStatus)approval.

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TheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipApplicationwillbeusedforourscholarshipselectionandforwardedtoourPartnerCollegestodeterminecollegeadmission.EachPartnerCollegewillreviewyourapplicationanddeterminewhetheryoumeetitseligibilitycriteriaforacceptance.Ifyoudo,youwillbeeligibletoreceiveTheDream.USOpportunityScholarshiptoattendthatcollege.

The“locked-out”statesforpurposesofthisScholarshipRoundare:

• Alaska • Mississippi• Arkansas • NorthCarolina• Georgia • NorthDakota• Idaho • Pennsylvania• Indiana • SouthCarolina• Iowa • SouthDakota• Louisiana • WestVirginia• Missouri • Wisconsin

ELIGIBILITYCRITERIA

Thisscholarshipisavailabletohighschoolseniors,highschoolgraduates,communitycollegestudents,orcommunitycollegegraduateswhoseektoearnacareer-readybachelor’sdegreeatoneofourPartnerCollegesinConnecticutorDelaware.Studentswhoarecurrentlyenrolledinafour-yearcollegearenoteligible.Tobeeligibletoapply,youmust:

• Liveinandhavegraduatedfromahighschoolinatargetedlocked-outstatelistedabove;

• HaveearnedahighschoolGPAof2.8orhigheron4.0scale;

• MusthavetakentheSATorACT;

• Notcurrentlyenrolledinafour-yearcollege(otherthaninahighschoolpre-collegeordualenrollment

program);

• Intendtorelocatetoandenrollfull-timeinabachelor’sdegreeprogramatoneofourPartnerColleges

inConnecticutorDelawareintheFalltermofthe2016-2017academicyear;

• HavecometotheUnitedStatesbeforereachingyour16thbirthday;

• BeDACAorTPSeligibleandhaveappliedfororreceivedDACAorTPSapproval;and

• Demonstratesignificantunmetfinancialneed.

SELECTINGOURSCHOLARS

WeawardscholarshipstoDREAMerswhohavedemonstratedsignificantunmetfinancialneedandthedeterminationtosucceedincollegeandinlife.Werecognizethat,givenlifecircumstances,aDREAMer’s

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academicrecordmaynotfullyreflectthestudent’sabilitytosucceed.Forthisreason,weplacegreateremphasisonastudent’sdemonstrateddeterminationtosucceedthanongradesandtestscores.Ourscholarshavedemonstrated:

• SignificantFinancialNeed• Ourscholarshipsareforstudentswhodonothavetheresourcestofinancetheireducationwithout

substantialfinancialsupport.WeexpectourScholarstoapplyforallotherformsoffinancialaidforwhichtheymaybeeligible.

• AcademicPromise• Whileweconsidergradesandtestscores,wearelookingforcollege–readystudentswhohave

demonstratedacommitmenttolearningandhavecleareducationandcareergoalsandaplantoachievethem.Applicantsshouldbeabletoclearlycommunicatetheirgoals,howtheywillachievethem,andhowachievingtheirgoalswillimpacttheirlivesandthelivesofothers.

• DeterminationtoSucceed• OurScholarshavedemonstratedsignificantdeterminationandperseveranceinthefaceof

significantchallenges,andhavemanagedtosetandremainfocusedongoalsandtoputintheeffortneededtomeetthosegoalsinthefaceofobstacles.OurScholarsareabletoclearlyarticulatewhattheyhavelearnedinovercomingadversityandhowtheywillusethatlearningtohelpthemselvesandothers.

OURAPPLICATIONPROCESS

ApplicationDeadline:Thursday,June9,2016,11:59P.M.CentralStandardTime

YourapplicationandsupportingdocumentsmustbesubmittedbyThursday,June9,2016,by11:59p.m.CentralStandardTime.YoucanapplyfortheScholarshipbyclickinghere:http://www.thedream.us/opportunityscholarship/

Essays

Aspartoftheapplication,youwillbeaskedtowriteshortessaysonyoureducationalandcareergoalsandachallengingcircumstancethatyoufacedandhowyouovercameit.Theessaypromptsare:YourEducationalandCareerGoalsOneshortessayof750wordsmaxeach:

• Describeyoureducationalandcareergoalsandexplainwhatorwhohasinspiredorhelpedshapethese

goals.

• Excludingfinancialneeds,whatarethemostsignificantchallengesyouexpecttofaceinsuccessfully

completingcollegeinastateoutsideofyourhomestate?Howwillyouovercomethesechallenges?OvercomingAdversityOneshortessayof750wordsmaxeach:

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• Describeachallengingfamilyorpersonalcircumstancethathasaffectedyourachievementor

participationinschool,work,orcommunityactivities.

• Howdidyouovercomethischallengeandwhatdidyoulearnfromtheexperienceabove?RequiredSupplementalDocuments–DueThursday,June9,2016,by11:59p.m.CentralStandardTimeAspartofyourapplication,youmustalsouploadthefollowingdocumentsbyThursday,June9,2016by11:59p.m.CentralStandardTime.

• DACAorTPSapplicationorapproval:AcopyofyourDACAorTPSapprovalletterorthereceiptforyour

submissionofyourDACAorTPSapplicationoryourEADcard;

• FinancialDocuments(ifavailable):

o Acopyofthefirsttwopagesofyourparents’mostrecentlyfiledIRSForm1040,ifavailable;OR

o Ifyouarefinanciallyindependent,provideacopyofthefirsttwopagesofyourmostrecently

filedIRSForm1040,ifavailable;OR

o Otherfinancialdocumentsthatwillverifyyourincome.

• Transcripts:

o Acopyofyourofficialhighschooltranscript;

o Acopyofyourofficialcollegetranscriptifyouearnedcreditsafterhighschool;

o AcopyyourSATorACTtestscores.

Note:Yourapplicationisnotcompleteuntilallrequireddocumentsareuploaded.

WEWILLNOTCONSIDERINCOMPLETEAPPLICATIONS.

OURSELECTIONPROCESS

Wehavearigorousapplicationreviewprocessthatincludesanalysisandscoringof:

• yourgrades,standardizedtestscores,participationinadvancedcourses,

• yourresponsibilitiesincludingvolunteerworkandcommunityservice,and

• youressaysandletterofrecommendation.ScholarshipsareallocatedacrossourPartnerCollegesandareawardedtothehighestscoringapplicantstothatcollege.Allapplicantsagreetoacceptthedecisionasfinal.

NOTIFICATION

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ISTSwillnotifyyoubytheendofJune2016whetherornotyouhavereceivedascholarship.Ifyoudonotreceiveascholarship,youmayreapplyinfuturescholarshiproundsifyoumeettheeligibilityrequirementsforthatround.

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THEAWARD

TheScholarshipisintendedtocoverasignificantportionofthecostsoftuition,fees,andon-campushousingandmealsuptoamaximumof$20,000peracademicyear($80,000maximum)forabachelor’sdegree.Theamountofeachawardwillbebasedonthecostsofattendanceandyourfinancialneedaftertheapplicationofanyavailablefederal,state,institutionalaid,oroutsidegrantsorscholarships.

AWARDRENEWAL

YoumustrenewyourScholarshipeachacademicyear.Todoso,youmustmeetthefollowingcriteria:

• Continuetobeenrolledfull-timeforeachconsecutiveacademicterm(exceptthesummerterm),unlesswehavepre-approvedapart-timescheduleorone-timeleaveofabsence;

• MaintainacumulativeGPAof3.0orbetterthroughoutyourattendance,unlesswehaveapprovedaplanforimprovement;

• Remaincurrentonallofyourcollegeaccountsandcharges;• MaintainyourDACAorTPSstatusand,uponapplicationforrenewal,provideISTSwithacopyofthe

receiptforyourDACAorTPSrenewalapplicationorapprovalletter;and• Meetallotherprogramcommitments.

OURSCHOLARCOMMITMENTS

BeingselectedasaDREAMerScholarisanhonorandaprivilege.InordertomakethemostoftheScholarshipaward,weaskthatyoucommittoyourownacademicachievementandsuccessaswellastosupportingtheacademicachievementandsuccessofotherDREAMerScholars.AsaDREAMerScholar,youwillcommitto:

• Thankingthedonorswhohavemadeyourscholarshippossible

• Promptlyrespondingtoemails,textmessages,andothercommunicationsfromISTSandTheDream.US

• PromptlynotifyingISTSofanychangeinyourtelephonenumber,emailorhomeaddressorchangein

yourimmigrationstatus

• Enrollinginthe2016-2017academicyearandmaintainingfulltimestatusandregularattendance

• Buildingandmaintainingacloserelationshipwithyourstudentadvisor

• Developingandusinganeducationplanforcompletionofyourdegree

• MaintainingacumulativeGPAof3.0orbetter

• Takingadvantageofyourcollege’sacademicsupportprograms

• Completing10hoursofcommunityservicepersemesterbysupportingandmentoringfellowandnew

DREAMerscholarsorthroughserviceinmycollegeorcommunity

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• SupportingandimprovingTheDream.USScholarshipProgrambyprovidingfeedbackthroughsurveys

onlinediscussionsandbyhelpinguspromotetheprogramtofriendsandfamily.

REVISIONS

TheDream.USreservestherighttoreviewtheconditionsandproceduresofthisscholarshipprogramandtomakechangesatanytime,includingterminationoftheprogram.Questions?ContactUs:Email:TheDream.US@applyists.comandreferenceTheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipProgramTelephone:1-(855)670-ISTS(4787)andaskfortheTheDream.USOpportunityScholarshipProgramOrvisithttp://thedream.us/forfrequentlyaskedquestionsandtheanswers.