13th Year™ Student Pathway System™ Scholarship

 

Terms and Conditions / Official Scholarship Rules

 

Effective for the Fall 2026 Award

 

Please read carefully. No purchase or other consideration is necessary to apply or to be selected. A purchase will not, and cannot, increase a student’s opportunity to receive a scholarship award.

Sponsor: 13th Year, LLC (“13th Year™,” “Sponsor,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). The 13th Year™ Student Pathway System™ Scholarship may also be referred to as the “13th Year™ Pathway Scholarship,” the “Scholarship Program,” or the “Program.”

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1. Program Overview

13th Year™ plans to award $25,500 in Pathway Scholarships beginning with the fall 2026 award period, subject to these Official Rules. The Fall 2026 Award Period includes one $3,000 Top 13th Year™ Network-Wide Pathway Scholarship and up to forty-five (45) $500 school-level Pathway Scholarships. The school-level award structure is intended to support the goal that each eligible participating high school with at least one eligible, verified applicant has one student recognized during the Fall 2026 Award Period.

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The Scholarship Program is designed to encourage students in grades 9–12 to explore their best post-graduation future by completing or updating their 13th Year™ Pathway Profile, including interests related to college, trades, military service, workforce pathways, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and other future pathway options.

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2. Eligibility

The Scholarship Program is open to students who meet all of the following requirements at the time of application and at the time the award is confirmed:

• The student is enrolled in grade 9, 10, 11, or 12 at a participating high school or other high school location approved by Sponsor for the applicable award period.

• The student has completed or updated a 13th Year™ Pathway Profile for the applicable award period before the applicable deadline.

• The student is actively enrolled, recently graduated, and/or actively attending the participating high school identified in the student’s Pathway Profile, as applicable to the award period.

• To the extent the participating high school is permitted to confirm, the school has verified the student’s enrollment or attendance status and has not identified any school-related eligibility concern or objection that would make the student inappropriate to receive the scholarship award.

• School confirmation is used only for verification purposes. Sponsor remains solely responsible for administering the Scholarship Program and determining final scholarship eligibility under these Official Rules.

• The student, and if required the student’s parent or legal guardian, completes any verification, consent, tax, payment, or release documentation reasonably required by Sponsor before the award is finalized.

• The student is not an employee, officer, director, owner, agent, or immediate family member of Sponsor or a related company, and does not reside in the same household as such person.

• The Scholarship Program is intended for students in grades 9–12 and is not directed to children under 13. If Sponsor learns that it has collected personal information from a child under 13 without required parent/guardian consent, that student is ineligible and Sponsor will delete the information or require verified parent/guardian authorization before further participation.

• Void where prohibited or restricted by applicable law, school policy, or scholarship-program requirements. Sponsor may determine, in its reasonable discretion, whether a student, school, submission, or award is eligible under these Official Rules.

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3. How to Apply; Required and Optional Information

To apply, an eligible student must complete or update the student’s 13th Year™ Pathway Profile through the 13th Year™ Student Pathway System™, scholarship application page, kiosk, QR code, approved school link, or other approved Sponsor submission method.

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Required scholarship-entry information may include student name, high school, grade level, email address or other contact method, and confirmation of eligibility. Other pathway-interest information may be optional unless clearly marked as required.

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The Pathway Profile may ask for information such as the student’s preferred communication method, intended or possible post-graduation pathways, college or career interests, trade or apprenticeship interests, military interests, workforce interests, and other pathway-related information. Students may update their Pathway Profile during the applicable award period. The most recent eligible profile information submitted before the applicable deadline may be used for scholarship eligibility, selection, verification, communication, and related reporting purposes.

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A student’s chance of receiving a scholarship is not increased by selecting any college, career, trade, military, workforce, apprenticeship, or other partner for follow-up. Any partner follow-up request is optional and separate from scholarship eligibility.

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Limit one active scholarship entry per student per award period, although a student may update the same profile before the deadline. Duplicate, incomplete, inaccurate, automated, or fraudulent submissions may be disqualified.

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4. Fall 2026 Award and Deadlines

The application/profile deadline for the Fall 2026 Award Period is November 15, 2026, unless Sponsor publishes a different deadline or time with the applicable scholarship notice.

Award Application/Profile Deadline Planned Award Pool

Fall 2026 Award November 15, 2026 $25,500

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Unless Sponsor publishes a different time with the applicable scholarship notice, all online submissions must be received by Sponsor’s official submission platform no later than 11:59 p.m. on the applicable deadline date, according to the timestamp recorded by the submission platform. Sponsor is not responsible for late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, inaccessible, corrupted, or unintelligible submissions, or for technical, device, network, internet, software, hardware, or transmission issues that may affect a student’s ability to submit or update a Pathway Profile.

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5. Scholarship Award Structure

Sponsor plans to award up to $25,500 for the Fall 2026 Award Period in 13th Year™ Career, College, and Trades Pathway Scholarships, subject to eligible applicants, verification, available funding, applicable law, and these Official Rules.

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The Scholarship Program is designed with two levels of recognition:

1. School Pathway Scholarships — intended to support the goal that each eligible participating high school with at least one eligible, verified applicant has one student recognized during the Fall 2026 Award Period; and

2. Network-Wide Scholarship Award — intended to create one larger scholarship opportunity for students across the 13th Year™ Student Pathway System™ network.

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Sponsor plans to award up to forty-five (45) school-level Pathway Scholarships in the amount of $500 each for eligible participating high schools where the 13th Year™ kiosk is installed and operational by September 30, 2026, and where at least one eligible, verified applicant has submitted a Pathway Profile.

Sponsor also plans to award one (1) Top 13th Year™ Network-Wide Pathway Scholarship in the amount of $3,000, selected from eligible student Pathway Profiles across the participating 13th Year™ network for the Fall 2026 Award Period.

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The planned Fall 2026 award structure is:

Award Category Number of Awards Amount Total

Fall 2026 School Pathway Scholarships Up to 45 $500 Up to $22,500

Top 13th Year™ Network-Wide Scholarship 1 $3,000 $3,000

Total 46 awards Up to $25,500

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If there are fewer than forty-five (45) participating high schools eligible for a school-level award, Sponsor may reallocate or reduce unused school-level scholarship funds to additional school-level awards, additional network-wide awards, future scholarship awards, or other scholarship-related purposes.

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If there are more participating high schools than anticipated, Sponsor may increase the number of school-level awards, adjust award amounts, add additional funds, or otherwise modify the school-level award allocation in a manner intended to preserve the Program’s goal that each eligible participating high school with at least one eligible, verified applicant has one student receive a scholarship award during the Fall 2026 Award Period.

Award amounts, categories, and number of awards are subject to verification, available funding, compliance with these Official Rules, and Sponsor’s right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Program as described below.

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6. Selection of Potential Scholarship Recipients; Selection Process and Applicant Pool

Potential scholarship recipients will be selected from eligible student Pathway Profiles submitted or updated for the applicable award period. Recipients in all scholarship categories are selected through a random selection process from eligible submissions unless Sponsor publishes written judging criteria before the applicable deadline. All selections are subject to verification, school-level eligibility confirmation when available, and compliance with these Official Rules.

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Pathway Scholarships are intended to be selected in a manner that supports the Program’s goal of recognizing at least one student from each participating high school with at least one eligible, verified applicant. Sponsor plans to award up to 46 Scholarships in the fall 2026.

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A student’s opportunity for selection for a school-level 13th Year™ scholarship depends on the number of eligible student Pathway Scholarship Profiles received from the student’s participating high school for the applicable award period, and the number of participating high schools eligible for school-level awards. 

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A student’s opportunity for selection for a network-wide scholarship depends on the total number of eligible student Pathway Profiles received across the participating 13th Year™ network for the applicable award period.

A student may be eligible for both a school-level award and a network-wide award in the same award period. Sponsor may, in its discretion, limit a student to one award per award period or may permit a student selected for multiple categories to receive the highest applicable award amount. Sponsor may select alternate potential recipients if a selected student is ineligible, cannot be verified, does not respond, declines the award, fails to provide required documentation or consent, or is otherwise unable to receive the award.

 

7. Student Permission and School-Level Verification Before Official Notification

By applying, a student gives 13th Year™ permission to contact the student’s high school for the limited purpose of confirming that the student is enrolled, attending, and eligible for the scholarship. 13th Year™ will not ask for grades, discipline records, or private school records. If the student is under 18, a parent or guardian may need to give approval before any award is final.

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Before officially notifying a selected student, Sponsor may contact a school counselor, administrator, or other authorized school representative to request a limited eligibility confirmation, to the extent the school is permitted under its policies and applicable privacy rules. The suggested verification question is: Is the student currently enrolled in and actively attending the school, or did the student recently graduate from the school, and are you aware of any school-related eligibility concern that would make the student inappropriate to receive this scholarship? Please do not provide confidential records or details.

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Sponsor does not request confidential student records, disciplinary information, grades, educational records, or other private student details as part of this limited verification. A school may respond with a simple “Yes,” “No,” “Unable to confirm,” or other limited response. If a school requires separate student or parent/guardian authorization before confirming eligibility information, Sponsor will coordinate the appropriate consent where reasonably possible.

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The school’s inability or refusal to confirm information does not automatically disqualify a student, but Sponsor may require additional verification from the student, parent/guardian, or another appropriate source before finalizing the award.

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8. Notification and Scholarship Communications

Potential scholarship recipients may be notified by email, text message, phone, school contact, or another contact method provided through the student’s Pathway Profile or otherwise available to Sponsor. A potential recipient is not an official scholarship recipient until Sponsor has completed all required verification steps and the recipient, and if required the recipient’s parent or legal guardian, has completed all required documentation.

By providing a mobile number, the student and/or parent/guardian authorizes 13th Year™ to send scholarship-related informational text messages, including application, verification, award, consent, and follow-up instructions. Consent to receive text messages is not required to apply, and the student may request an alternate communication method. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to opt out, or contact 13th Year™ through the published scholarship contact method.

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Scholarship-administration emails may be sent for transactional or relationship purposes. Promotional or marketing emails, if any, will be handled separately and in accordance with applicable email marketing laws.

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9. Documentation and Acceptance

Potential recipients may be required to complete and return an eligibility confirmation, consent form, parent/guardian authorization, publicity/media release if participating in optional media activity, tax documentation, payment instructions, or other documentation reasonably requested by Sponsor. If a potential recipient does not respond or provide required documentation within the time specified by Sponsor, Sponsor may select an alternate recipient.

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If a selected student is under the age of 18, Sponsor will require approval from the student’s parent or legal guardian before the scholarship award is finalized. If the selected student is 18 or older, Sponsor may coordinate directly with the student for any required approvals, payment information, tax forms, or documentation.

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10. Scholarship Payment, Use of Funds, and Taxes

Scholarship awards may be paid in a form and manner determined by Sponsor, which may include payment to the student, the student’s parent or legal guardian if the student is a minor, an educational institution, a training provider, an approved account, or another approved recipient or payment method. Sponsor may require documentation to verify identity, enrollment, age, parent/guardian authority, tax information, payment information, or other information needed to process the award.

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Scholarship awards are intended to support the student’s post-graduation pathway exploration, education, training, or related future-pathway needs. Unless Sponsor approves otherwise in writing, scholarship awards are not assignable, transferable, or exchangeable. No substitution is permitted except at Sponsor’s discretion.

13th Year™ does not provide tax, financial-aid, or legal advice. Recipients and parents/guardians are responsible for consulting their own

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11. Privacy and FERPA-Aligned Practices

13th Year, LLC is not an educational institution, school, school district, college, or university. 13th Year™ is an educational support services company that works to support students as they explore future college, career, trade, military, workforce, apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship pathways. While Sponsor is not itself subject to all obligations that apply to schools, Sponsor seeks to operate in a FERPA-aligned manner and to take reasonable precautions to protect student personal information and student-related information shared with Sponsor.

Student information received by Sponsor is generally provided directly by the student through the 13th Year™ Student Pathway System™ or related scholarship submission process. Sponsor may use the information to administer the Scholarship Program, verify eligibility, communicate with students and parents/guardians, communicate with school representatives for limited eligibility confirmation, provide aggregate reporting, improve the Program, and share information only as directed or authorized by the student or parent/guardian when required.

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Where a student chooses to request information from a specific college, career, trade, military, workforce, apprenticeship, school, or other approved recipient, Sponsor may share student information with the specific recipient selected or authorized by the student, subject to applicable consent requirements. Sponsor does not ask schools to disclose confidential education records in connection with scholarship verification and does not condition award eligibility on a school’s disclosure of confidential student records.

Sponsor will retain identifiable scholarship application and verification information only as long as reasonably necessary to administer the Program, comply with legal, accounting, audit, dispute-resolution, and reporting obligations, support authorized student follow-up, and maintain Program integrity, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

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Where required by a participating school or district, 13th Year™ may enter into a separate school, district, vendor, data-sharing, or student-data privacy agreement. If there is a conflict between such agreement and these Official Rules regarding school-provided data, the more privacy-protective provision will control to the extent required by applicable law.

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12. Optional Photo, Media, and Publicity

After a scholarship award is confirmed, Sponsor may ask whether the student, parent/guardian if applicable, participating school staff, and any required school or district representative would be willing to participate in an optional photo opportunity, oversized-check presentation, announcement, kiosk promotion, school-year scholarship promotion, or other media or promotional activity.

Participation in any photo, media, publicity, or promotional activity is optional and is not a condition of receiving a scholarship award. Sponsor will seek separate written approval before using a student’s name, image, likeness, voice, school name, award information, or story in promotional materials, and parent/guardian approval will be required when the student is under 18. School staff or school representatives who participate in media activity may also be asked to provide consent, and any required school or district approval must be obtained before use.

Sponsor may publish limited recipient information, such as a recipient’s name, partial name or initials, school, award category, and award amount, only to the extent permitted by applicable law, consent, school policy, and these Official Rules.

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13. Ownership of Submissions and Limited License

Students retain ownership of their personal information, profile information, and any original written responses or content submitted through the 13th Year™ Student Pathway System™. By submitting or updating a Pathway Profile, the student grants Sponsor a limited, non-exclusive license to use the submission for purposes of administering the Scholarship Program, verifying eligibility, communicating with the student and, when required, the student’s parent or guardian, providing authorized student information to selected or approved recipients, preparing aggregate reports, improving the Program, and promoting the Scholarship Program only with any required consent for identifiable student publicity.

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Sponsor may use de-identified, anonymized, or aggregate information for reporting, analytics, Program improvement, school or partner reporting, and promotional and revenue generating purposes, provided such use does not identify a student unless the appropriate consent has been obtained.

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14. Representations, Accuracy, and Disqualification

By submitting or updating a Pathway Profile, the student represents that the information submitted is truthful and accurate to the best of the student’s knowledge and that the student is authorized to submit the information. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any submission or potential recipient if Sponsor determines, in its reasonable discretion, that the student or another person has submitted false, misleading, duplicate, fraudulent, automated, or inappropriate information; attempted to tamper with the Program; violated these Official Rules; acted in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner; or otherwise undermined the fairness or integrity of the Program.

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If there is a dispute regarding the identity of a student associated with an email address or phone number, Sponsor may treat the authorized account holder, student identified in the Pathway Profile, school verification information, parent/guardian documentation, or other reasonable verification information as determinative, subject to Sponsor’s discretion.

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15. Technology, Errors, and Program Administration

Sponsor is not responsible for technical failures, device issues, software or hardware malfunctions, internet or network failures, delayed or failed transmissions, lost or corrupted data, incorrect or inaccurate capture of information, errors in scholarship materials, typographical errors, administrative errors, or other issues that may affect application, selection, verification, notification, or award processing. If Sponsor determines that a technical, administrative, or other error has affected the Program, Sponsor may take reasonable steps to correct the error, including selecting alternate recipients, repeating a selection process, modifying deadlines, or adjusting Program administration in a fair and reasonable manner.

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16. Release and Limitations of Liability

By participating in the Scholarship Program, each participant, and each parent or legal guardian where applicable, agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its related companies, affiliates, owners, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, representatives, successors, and assigns from and against claims, costs, injuries, losses, damages, liabilities, or expenses arising out of or related to participation in the Program, acceptance or use of a scholarship award, optional publicity participation, technical failures, or Program administration, except to the extent such limitation is prohibited by applicable law.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, participants agree that any claims will be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with participating in the Program and will not include attorneys’ fees, punitive damages, incidental damages, consequential damages, or any other damages not permitted to be limited or excluded under applicable law.

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17. Dispute Resolution

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any dispute, claim, or cause of action arising out of or relating to the Scholarship Program, these Official Rules, or any scholarship award shall be resolved individually and not as part of a class, consolidated, representative, collective, or private attorney general action. Nothing in these Official Rules limits any non-waivable rights that a participant may have under applicable law.

These Official Rules are intended to be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with applicable law. If any provision of these Official Rules is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.

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18. Sponsor’s Right to Modify, Suspend, or Terminate

Sponsor reserves the right to modify, suspend, extend, postpone, cancel, or terminate the Scholarship Program, any award period, any award category, any deadline, or any selection process if Sponsor determines, in its discretion, that doing so is necessary or appropriate due to funding limitations, technical issues, fraud, school participation levels, legal or regulatory requirements, administrative needs, force majeure events, or any other event beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control or affecting the fairness, integrity, feasibility, or proper administration of the Program.

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19. General Conditions

Participation in the Program constitutes acceptance of these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Program, subject to applicable law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.

The Scholarship Program is subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

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20. Scholarship Recipient List

Sponsor may make a list of scholarship recipients available, at Sponsor’s discretion, after the applicable award period has been completed and after required verification and consent steps have been satisfied. Recipient information may be limited to protect student privacy and to comply with applicable consent requirements, school policies, and these Official Rules.

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21. Sponsor and Questions

The Scholarship Program is sponsored by 13th Year, LLC. Questions about the Scholarship Program may be directed to Sponsor through 13th-Year.com, unless Sponsor publishes a different scholarship contact address for a particular award period.