Pokemon Scholarships

Players that end up as top finishers at the Pokémon Trading Card Game U.S National Championships and the Pokemon World Championships will obtain a scholarship though the Pokemon Company International. This scholarship program can be used to pay tuition, books, fees, supplies, and equipment required for courses at a qualified educational institution. Either the winner can choose to participate or he can delegate someone to take the scholarship reward in his or her place. This means if you have an older brother who wins the scholarship he can transfer it to his younger brother if he chooses.

The schools that qualify for this include:

• Elementary schools
• High schools
• Middle schools
• Colleges
• Community colleges
• Universities
• Graduate schools
• Technical schools
• Trade schools (or country equivalent) anywhere in the world at which the winner or his or her permitted transferee is a candidate for a degree.

The school's qualification is determined by Pokémon Company International and will require school or colleges to be accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency to be a "qualified educational institution".

The amount rewarded for scholarship programs is determined on a event by event basis so the maximum and minimum amount is to be determined by the Trading Card Game during that specific event.

You have a maximum of 10 years from when the scholarship is obtained to use it or up till your 28th birthday to use the amount awarded to you. After the time as passed above the Pokemon Trading Card game will donate the money to a charity that they choose and that donation will be made in the name of The Pokemon Company International and is not put in the name of the scholarship owner.

To transfer your scholarship to someone else you must contact The Pokemon Company International before the end of the scholarship expires and during the writing transfer instructions, including the name and contact information of the person to whom you are transferring your scholarship on the form we provide. To receive the scholarship, the transferee (or, if the transferee is under the age of legal majority, his/her parent or legal guardian) must complete a certificate agreeing to agree by the terms of the Pokemon Scholarship Program, allowing to the release of the transferee's personal information to third parties in connection with the scholarship, and certifying that the transferee has been admitted to a qualified educational institution and is a candidate for a degree and provide such other information and documentation as The Pokemon Company International reasonably require. The transferee must also provide Pokemon with a release from certain liability. 

You also need to contact The Pokemon Company International to receive your scholarship award and you or your guardian must do the following:

• Agreeing to abide by the terms of the Pokémon Scholarship Program

Certifying that:

• You intend to use the funds for qualified educational expenses at a qualified educational institution
• You have been admitted to a qualified educational institution
• You are a candidate for a degree    
• Consenting to the release of your personal information to third parties in connection with the scholarship
• Agreeing to provide such other information and documentation as we reasonably require. In addition, you must sign a document releasing Pokémon and related parties from liability and allowing Pokémon to use your likeness and deck composition in advertising, products, and promotions.

If you need to make a change of address you need to keep Pokemon informed of any contact information changes or changes of location. Everything must be in writing and you need to receive a confirmation from Pokemon before any changes are made final.

No interest is paid on scholarship awards so the value will not increase for the duration of the award period. The scholarship money is paid directly to you.

You can also get expenses paid by at least 45 days prior to the date and you must write Pokemon's Scholarship Administrator and include the following:

• A certificate from you (or, if you are under the age of legal majority, from you parent or legal guardian), certifying that you have been admitted to the named qualified educational institution and are a candidate for a degree, and that you will use the funds for qualified expenses at such qualified educational institution;
• The name, address, and telephone number of the qualified educational institution;
• Your consent (or, you are under the age of legal majority, the consent of your parent or legal guardian) to allow Pokémon or its authorized representative to contact the qualified educational institution to discuss your enrollment in the institution and to confirm your candidacy for a degree;
• Your consent (or, if you are under the age of legal majority, the consent of your parent or legal guardian) to provide personal information (such as your phone number, email address, and mailing address) to third parties who may assist Pokémon in the administration of your scholarship;
• The amount of the scholarship that you would then like to receive;
• Your social security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number;
• Such information as we are required to request in order to comply with any tax withholding or other laws;
• Proof of enrollment at the qualified educational institution in a form acceptable to Pokémon (such as a transcript or letter of enrollment);
• Information showing your tuition, if any, in a form acceptable to Pokémon (such as an invoice or tuition schedule);
• Such other information as we may request to administer the recipient's scholarship.

Then the Scholarship Administrator will issue you a check for any qualified expenses up to the full amount of the scholarship reward.

The scholarship amount is paid in U.S. dollars and you can obtain the forms needed from Pokemon.com or from below:

• The Pokémon Company International Scholarship Winner Checklist
• Play! Pokémon Scholarship Program: Terms and Conditions of the Program
• Form A: Contact Information Form and Agreement to Terms
• Form B: Fund Distribution Request Form and Agreement
• Form C: Scholarship Transfer Request Form
• Form D: Transferee Form and Agreement & FAQ
• Form W-9

You can contact them at:
Contact us at support or send a letter to:
Scholarship Administrator
The Pokémon Company International
333 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1900
Bellevue, WA, USA, 98004

Be sure to show this to your parents if they give you a hard time about participating in the championships so that you don't miss out on scholarships which can be used to pay your future college loans. The costs of colleges continue to increase so it is very wise to keep in mind that Pokemon can help pay these costs and allow you to obtain your college degree for free.