This article explains how to claim the various scholarships that are offered through HSEL and Videogames and Esports Foundation by participating in competitions.
The High School Esports League (HSEL) partners with the Videogames and Esports Foundation (VEF) to provide scholarship disbursement of tournament winnings earned while playing in their events.
The VEF will reach out to your organization's administrator once a scholarship has been earned to collect your information. However, if you want to work ahead, COMPLETE THIS FORM.
Once your form is received, the Videogames and Esports Foundation will confirm your request with the High School Esports League and complete the process with the school.
How does this work?
- Compete and achieve the proper placement in an HSEL-sanctioned tournament for high school students as a roster or individual.
- Once achieved, you must complete the form above to start the process of getting your scholarship prizing disbursed.
- Even if you are an underclassman, you need to complete the above form immediately after each time you win a scholarship.
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If you are enrolled in a college or university, you will be notified once the VEF has sent money to your school student account in August each year.
- You must provide us with proof of enrollment, student ID number, and institution information to receive scholarship dollars.
- Email the VEF at contact@vef.gg as soon as possible if you enroll in college after you complete the above form.
- Payment cycles are ONLY in August of the year you enter college.
- If you are NOT enrolled in a college or university yet because you have not graduated, have not yet received your enrollment information, or are an underclassman, then the VEF will keep track of your tournament prizing. They will work with you to get your scholarship dollars disbursed WHEN you are enrolled in a college or university after you graduate high school.
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Scholarship dollars are required to be sent to a higher-education institution. The VEF will not disburse them to a PayPal account nor as cash or check to the player. The reasons for this are twofold: prize winnings are heavily taxed, and there are ethical and legal reasons why cash prizes should not be distributed to high school students.
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Please note that the completion time of this process depends heavily on the speed of the college or university.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
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Are Varsity Points from HSEL still being used?
- HSEL’s Varsity Points are no longer going to be used as a way to track or redeem scholarship prizing for tournaments.
- Your Varsity Points and winnings from tournaments with HSEL are converted into dollars that will sent to the college or university you attend in the future.
- Varsity Points are no longer needed to be calculated or used. HSEL and VEF are now simply handling prizing at the end of each season with no need to tall, convert, or redeem points.
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How do we split prizing among the players on the roster?
- Please email contact@vef.gg with your request.
If you have any questions, please email contact@vef.gg!
The Videogames and Esports Foundation (VEF) is designated by the IRS Tax Code as a 501(c)(3) public charity.
The Videogames and Esports Foundation is recognized as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.
EIN: 83-2788888
The Videogames and Esports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization established to offer financial assistance to schools and to provide a pipeline for students to reach their potential through esports. We strive to increase literacy around the esports industry’s positive impact on healthy lifestyles, mental health, community, and STEM.