Tencent America Scholarship
For high school seniors pursuing a video game-related major.
Tencent America Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
As a global leader in the video game industry, Tencent is dedicated to making the industry more accessible to the next generation of aspiring innovators, storytellers, and creators. The scholarship aims to provide financial support for passionate high school seniors as they transition to college and take their first step toward a future in the video game industry.
The program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.
Background of Tencent:
Tencent is a leading global technology and entertainment company with a diverse portfolio of products and services—spanning communication networks, entertainment platforms, and enterprise solutions. Delivering on our mission “Value for Users” we create connections and experiences that matter for individuals, businesses, and communities worldwide.
At the heart of our ecosystem is WeChat and Weixin, connecting over one billion users to family, friends, brands, and merchants. Tencent Video and Tencent Music bring premium TV, cinema, sports, and music experiences to millions, while Tencent Games has created some of the world’s most popular and beloved video game franchises.
Driven by our mission to harness “Technology for Good,” we are committed to addressing global challenges and creating lasting value for our users, partners, and society.
Eligibility
Applicants to the Tencent Scholarship must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Be high school seniors (Class of 2025), including all students who have graduated from high school this year.
- Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school, in the United States, for the entire upcoming academic year
- Be pursuing a video game-related major and aspire to enter the video game industry. Common video game-related majors are:
- Game Development & Design:
- Game Development / Game Programming, Game Design, Interactive Media, Game Production / Digital Production, Real-Time Interactive Simulation (RTIS)
- Art, Animation & Storytelling:
- Music & Sound Design / Audio Engineering, Arts / Animation, Computer Graphics, Creative Writing / Narrative Design, 3D Modeling, Visual Effects (VFX), Graphic Design / Motion Design
- Technology & Data:
- Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science / Data Analytics, UX/UI Design, Quality Assurance (QA)
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)
- Must demonstrate Financial Need
Tencent employees and children are ineligible.
Awards
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award of at least $5,000, with up to 10 awards granted.
Awards are not renewable, but students may reapply to the program each year if they meet eligibility requirements.
Awards are for undergraduate study only.
Scholarship recipients can visit the Tencent careers website to browse available internship positions and request a referral. Additionally, recipients may be invited to visit the Tencent office for a tour.
Notification
All applicants will be notified in August.
Notifications are sent via email. When setting up your account, avoid using a school or work email. Instead, use an active, personal email address that you will continue to have access to.
Please make sure to add studentsupport@scholarshipamerica.org as well as the program email address as safe senders in your email contact list.
Payment of Scholarships
Scholarship America processes scholarship payments on behalf of Tencent. Payment is made in August.
Selection of Recipients
Scholarship applications are evaluated on the basis of:
- Financial Need
- Academic performance
- Demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities
- Work experience
- A statement outlining your educational/career goals and your interest in the video game industry (3,000 characters, approximately 500 words)
- Unusual personal or family circumstances
Applicants will also have the option to include additional materials for Tencent America to review: Resume, Letter of Recommendation, Portfolio, or a Video (link).
Preference may be given to applicants in Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Ventura County.
Applications will be evaluated by Scholarship America. Tencent America will select recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final.
Requirements
As part of your application, you must upload the following:
- A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display:
- Student name
- School name
- Grades
- Credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
- Copy of the first two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040 used for the Financial Information section of the application. Please black out all social security numbers and bank account information.
NOTE: If you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.
Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.
Additionally, as part of your application, you have the option to add the following:
- Resume
- Portfolio
- Video (link)
