SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund & Loan Forgiveness Program FAQs

Memorial Scholarship Fund

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible for this award, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen enrolled in a full-time program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program in the United States.
If currently attending a four-year accredited university or college, you must have completed a minimum of 50 credit hours or
If currently attending a two-year accredited community college or vocational/technical program, you must have completed a minimum of 25 credit hours.

- Have a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
- Be pursuing studies leading to a career in the automotive aftermarket or related field.
- Remain enrolled as a full-time student for the first full semester following the award.

Note: If you are currently a high school senior, you are not eligible to apply.

When can I apply?

The online application will be available December 3, 2012 – April 5, 2013.

How do I get an application?

Go to https://aim.applyists.net/SEMA
You must create an account or log into your already existing account
Once you create or log into your account you will be taken to the application

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered and will not be returned.

What are the details of the award?

Scholarships will be awarded annually in increments of $1,000 to $4,000 for the following categories:

Graduate studies ($1,000 - $2,000 awards)
4-year studies ($1,000 - $2,000 awards)
Two-year vocational or technical program ($1,000 awards)
Member dependent or employee of SEMA or PWA ($1,000 - $2,000 awards)
Loan forgiveness ($1,000 awards)
Top student ($4,000 award)

- Students may reapply each year as long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria.
- The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required for course load.
- Institutions must be accredited two-year or four-year colleges/universities in the United States.
- A student may transfer from one institution to another and retain the award.

If I am awarded the Ohio Technical College award, am I eligible to win an additional scholarship?

No. If you are awarded the OTC scholarship, you are NOT eligible for an additional SEMA Scholarship.

What are the selection criteria?

An independent selection committee will evaluate the applications and select the winners based on:

Academic achievements and records,
Extracurricular and community involvement,
Work experience
Essay content, and
Recommendations

For the Ohio Technical College award, you must be planning on attending OTC as a full-time student in the fall.

Note: Decisions of the selection committee are final and are not subject to appeal.

How do I check the status of my application?

Return to https://aim.applyists.net
Log into your account to check your application status

How do I know if my application is complete?

- Allow five to seven business days after uploading documents for your online status to update.

- You may monitor your status of each required form and attachment on your home page at aim.applyists.net.

Not Started - the form has not been requested or started
Started - the form has not been submitted
Submitted - the form has been submitted
Not received - the attachment has not been received
Not verified - the attachment has been received and is being processed and verified
Verified - the attachment has been verified and accepted by ISTS
Complete - all required forms and attachments (if applicable) have been received and your application will be considered for the scholarship

How do I make changes to my application?

Return to https://aim.applyists.net/SEMA
Log into your account
Click on each tab and make changes to the necessary section(s), click "next page" to move forward or click on the next tab you would like to complete.
You do not need to resubmit your application

After the program deadline you will only be able to update your address. To update this information:

Return to https://aim.applyists.net
Log into your account
Click the Profile tab
Update any information you would like and it will update in your application

What are my responsibilities as a recipient?

You must enroll as a full-time student in the Fall of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.
You must continue in school the entire semester without interruption unless approved by scholarship sponsor.
You must have a valid email address as all correspondence will be sent electronically.

How and when are checks issued?

Checks will be sent directly to the institution and made payable to the institution only.
Checks are typically issued in August and September.

How and when will I receive notification?

Notifications are typically emailed in July and August.
Winner notifications will be sent by email.
Non-winner notifications will be sent by email.

Where and when should I send my completed application?

The online application will be available December 3, 2012; deadline to submit the online application is April 5, 2013.
You may upload any supporting documents online

Are scholarships taxable?

Tax laws vary by country. In the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or textbooks are normally not taxable. The scholarship recipient is responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against your scholarship award. We recommend consulting your tax advisor for more guidance.

Program Administration

To assure complete impartiality in selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism, the program is administered by International Scholarship & Tuition Services, Inc., a firm that specializes in managing sponsored scholarship programs.

Questions

For additional information regarding the scholarship program contact:

International Scholarship & Tuition Services, Inc.
Telephone: 1-855-670-ISTS
Email: contact.us@applyists.com
Subject Line: SEMA

Loan Forgiveness Program