FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION TOPICS

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

AWARD WINNER NOTIFICATION

CLAIM YOUR AWARDS

YOUR SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT WITHIN SCHOLARSHARE TRUST

QUALIFIED WITHDRAWALS

LOSS OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AND APPEALS PROCESS

EFFECT ON FINANCIAL AID

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

My friend goes to a different public high school or junior high school and got a lower score than I did on the STAR program's exams and she received a scholarship and I did not. Why am I not eligible for the Governor's Scholars Award?
The award is given to students who in 9th, 10th or 11th grade scored in the top 5% statewide in their grade level or in the top 10% in their grade level within each comprehensive public high school or junior high school. Test score eligibility for placement in the top 10% in each comprehensive public high school or junior high school will most likely be different for each public high school or junior high school. A comprehensive public high school or junior high school is a secondary school whose goal is to cater to the needs of all students by offering more than one course of specialization in its program. Comprehensive high schools or junior high schools usually have a college preparatory course and one or more scientific or vocational course.

I attended private school through 8th grade but now I am in 9th grade in a public high school or junior high school. Am I eligible?
No. Only students attending California public schools are eligible and you must have been enrolled in a California public school for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to taking an authorized exam.

I took the exam in May of 2001 and I was continuously enrolled in a public school beginning in May of 2000, but I had three months summer vacation. Will the vacation count against me in determining the 12 continuous months for eligibility?
No. Vacations and holidays do not count against you in making the determination. They are included as part of the 12 continuous months. You may be eligible if you obtain a qualifying score on an authorized exam after you have been enrolled in a California public school for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to taking the authorized exam.

I attend a private school and my sister attends a parochial school. Are we eligible for these scholarships?
No. Only students attending California public schools are eligible. But you may be eligible if you obtain a qualifying score on an authorized exam after you have been enrolled in a California public school for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to taking the authorized exam.

How do I calculate the score that the testing service will use to determine if I am in the top 5% statewide or the top 10% of my school for the Governor's Scholars Award?
Students will not be able to independently determine if they are potential recipients of a scholarship, since the number of award winners is based on the number of students tested. The top 5% statewide and the top 10% within 9th, 10th and 11th grade at each comprehensive high school or junior high school is determined by the testing service. Questions about qualifying exam scores should be directed to your school counselor.

Who should I contact if I have not received an award notification letter for the Governor's Scholars Award and I believe that I have achieved a high enough score to make me eligible?
You should contact your own school with all questions regarding scoring of authorized tests. If you attended a different school last year, you should contact that school and ask them whether your name is on their list of students with qualifying scores for a Governor's Scholars Award.

What is a comprehensive high school?
A comprehensive public high school is a secondary school whose goal is to address the needs of all students, offering more than one course of specialization in its program. Comprehensive high schools usually have a college preparatory course and one or more scientific or vocational courses.

For a Governor's Distinguished Math and Science Scholars Award, can I earn my science and math scores in different years?
Yes. Scores can be earned in different years. Qualifying scores can be earned in any order and in any year. For example, a student could earn a qualifying AP math score in 9th grade, a Governor's Scholars award in 10th grade, and a qualifying AP science score in 11th grade. Beginning on January 1, 2002 qualifying scores could have been earned prior to January 1, 2000.

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AWARD WINNER NOTIFICATION

How will I be notified that I won a scholarship?
For the Governor's Scholars Awards, individual award notification letters will be distributed to each public school that administered the STAR program exams. Schools will either mail or hand-deliver the award notification letters to the appropriate students. At that time students are also made aware that they may be eligible for a Governor's Math and Science Scholars Award. You must compare your individual test score to the qualifying test scores to determine if you are eligible to claim a Governor's Math and Science Award. After you successfully claim a Governor's Scholars Award and earn both math and science qualifying scores, you can claim eligibility for a Governor's Math and Science Award.

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CLAIM YOUR AWARDS

How do I claim my award?
Instructions for claiming the Governor's Scholars Award are on this web site and are provided in the award notification letters. Awards may be claimed through the ScholarShare Web site.

I have neither a Social Security number nor a Taxpayer Identification number. Do I need one to claim an award?
Yes. California law requires that scholarship money be invested in the ScholarShare Trust. All Accounts in the Trust require either a Social Security Number or a Taxpayer Identification Number for federal tax law purposes. You can call the Social Security Administration assistance line at 1-800-772-1213 or log onto their Web site www.ssa.gov/howto.htm for information about obtaining a Social Security number.

I lost my Personal Identification Number needed to claim the Governor's Scholars Award. What do I do?
You must contact the public school where you were enrolled when you took the qualifying STAR exam. The Personal identification number is only required to claim a Governor's Scholars Award. If you know the number, go on-line and claim your award as soon as possible.

Can I claim my Governor's Math and Science Award without first claiming my Governor's Scholars Award?
No. You must claim the Governor's Scholars Award first and then claim a Governor's Math and Science Award. Both awards can be claimed in the same Internet session.

I took the math and science AP exams while in 11th grade and claimed my Governor's Math and Science Award right away. In 12th grade, I took two other math and science AP exams and qualified again for the Governor's Math and Science Award. I went on the Internet to claim my award in 12th grade and I received a message that I could not claim the award. Why not?
You can only receive only one Governor's Math and Science Award.

My qualifying math AP exam was taken in 1999 and my qualifying science exam was taken in 2001. I qualified for my Scholars Award based on tests taken in 2000. I was told in September, 2001 that I could not qualify based on my math AP exam taken in 1999. What has changed?
The law governing the eligibility of exams has changed. Those students who qualified based on an eligible exam taken prior to January 1, 2000 can now claim their Governor's Math and Science Award.

How long do I have to claim my award? And how long do I have to use it?
You have until June 30th, five years after you took the authorized test to claim your award. Once the award is claimed, the award is available to pay for qualified higher education expenses until you are thirty years old. If the award is not successfully claimed by June 30 five years after you took the authorized test, or is not fully used by your thirtieth birthday, the portion of the award that is unclaimed or unused is forfeited.

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YOUR SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT WITHIN SCHOLARSHARE TRUST

Do I open different Accounts each time that I claim a Governor's Scholarship Award?
No. Once the first Governor's Scholars Award is claimed and a Student Scholarship Account is opened, all future awards, including future Governor's Scholars Awards or a Governor's Math and Science Award, will be deposited into that same Student Scholarship Account. You will receive an annual statement indicating the total value of your Student Scholarship Account so it is important to keep the ScholarShare Trust informed of any address changes. (See Changing Account Information.)

Since California is the owner of all scholarship assets until assets are withdrawn for qualified higher education expenses, will the State of California keep or withdraw any of my scholarship award money?
The State of California will not withdraw any money from your Student Scholarship Account (unless forfeited) nor will you be charged a fee. Your funds are maintained in a separate Student Scholarship Account designated for your use only.

I understand my scholarship award has been deposited into a Student Scholarship Account in the ScholarShare Trust in my name. How is my scholarship award invested and does it receive any earnings?
All scholarship awards are invested in a Funding Agreement issued to the ScholarShare Trust by TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company that guarantees to the Trust a return of principal and a minimum return of 3% per year with the opportunity for additional returns as may be periodically declared in advance. Your scholarship award plus earnings will remain invested in the Funding Agreement until you request a distribution to pay for your qualified higher education expenses.

After I claim my award, how long will it take until I receive a confirmation that my Student Scholarship Account has been opened?
As long as the information you provided on the Internet is complete, the information matches that provided by the testing service, and the self-certification Box is marked, you can expect a confirmation within twenty business days after claiming the award.

QUALIFIED WITHDRAWALS

When can I use my scholarships?
Scholarships can be used after a student is enrolled at an eligible educational institution.

I read that scholarships must be used at eligible higher educational institutions. How can I find out if the college I plan to attend is an eligible educational institution?
The easiest way is to contact the school. The school must be eligible to participate in the U.S Department of Education Federal Title IV financial aid programs. The U.S Department of Education maintains a website that provides a listing of eligible post-secondary institutions participating in federal Title IV student financial aid programs. This criterion is also used to determine if the Governor's Scholarship Programs' funds can be used at a specific institution.

To determine if an institution you are interested in is eligible, you may enter the name and location of the school on the following Web site: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw0203/fslookup.htm. (Use capitals and lower case as indicated in the address.)

How do I request a distribution of my scholarship money?
You should complete a Qualified Withdrawal Form available on this web site and mail it to the ScholarShare Trust at the address indicated on the form.

When will I receive my scholarship money?
Once the Qualified Withdrawal Form is received, scholarship money will be sent directly to the eligible educational institution designated by you for payment of your qualified higher education expenses.

How will I know my college received the withdrawal amount?
A confirmation statement will be mailed to you within seven business days of processing as long as it was complete and signed. You should contact your college directly to ensure that the funds have been received. During the late Summer and early Fall, withdrawal requests may take up to six weeks to process.

Which expenses can be paid with my scholarship award?
Qualified higher education expenses include tuition, fees, books, certain room and board expenses, and supplies or equipment required for enrollment or attendance at the eligible educational institution. However, any portion of the awards or earnings used as payment of room and board costs will be subject to federal and California income tax in the year that the funds are used to pay those costs. You must report such amounts to the Internal Revenue Service when filing your tax return. Similarly, any portion of a scholarship award used to pay for qualified higher education expenses at correspondence schools may not be eligible for federal tax-exempt treatment.

I can't use the funds; can my younger brother use them?
No. Scholarship awards and earnings cannot be transferred to anyone else or used by anyone other than you.

When must I use my scholarship money by?
You will have until your 30th birthday to use your scholarship(s) plus applicable earnings.

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LOSS OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AND APPEALS PROCESS

I have not been able to claim online and the phone center has told me that I need to send an appeal to the Scholarshare Investment Board. Why?
It is possible that the information the Program has in the official file contains different information than what you are entering during the claim process. If you continue to be unable to claim, you should send a letter to the address below. The letter should explain the problem you are having. You should include the Qualifying Score Notice (for the Governor's Scholars Program) and a copy of your birth certificate.

State of California
State Program Administrator
Scholarshare Investment Board
P.O Box 942809
Sacramento, California 94209

How long should it take before I hear from the Scholarshare Investment Board?
You will receive a written decision within 30 days of receipt of your appeal.

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EFFECT ON FINANCIAL AID

What is the effect of receiving these scholarships on financial aid?
The law enacting the Governor's Scholarship Programs states: "Notwithstanding any other provision of California State law, any funds awarded shall augment and not supplant student financial aid from other California public sources, inclusive of calculating eligibility for student financial aid."

"To the extent allowed under federal law, any Governor's Scholarship award will not be included in the federal needs analysis for student financial aid, as they are assets of the State of California until used for payment of qualified higher education expenses (and are not owned by the student)."

Your Governor's Scholarship Program award is designed to complement other financial aid from the State of California, such as a Cal Grant. Since these awards are assets of the state until withdrawn, they are not reported on the FAFSA as either an asset or income. Once the funds have been withdrawn, the funds represent a scholarship subject to IRS rules and may be considered taxable income for federal purposes in the tax year of receipt. If it is deemed taxable income, the student will report it on the appropriate subsequent FAFSA as income.

These awards can be used at any post-secondary institution that is eligible to participate in the U.S. Department of Education Federal Title IV financial aid programs; including schools outside the country. Download the Student Information Sheet for more detailed information regarding financial aid and the Governor's Scholarship Programs.

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