AIAS Foundation Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Sponsored by Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences

Description
**Who the scholarship supports**
The AIAS Foundation Scholarship supports students and early-career professionals who intend to pursue work in any area of game development. Eligible fields explicitly include art, animation, programming, engineering, game direction, game design, sound design, law, marketing, and business administration, but are not limited to those areas. The scholarship targets individuals with a demonstrated intent to build a career in the games industry.

Key takeaways:
- Intended for people pursuing careers in game development.
- Accepts a wide range of roles (creative, technical, legal, business, etc.).
- Applicants must demonstrate intent to work in the games industry.

Eligibility
**Who may apply**
Applicants must be either (a) full-time undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at an accredited college or university for the 2026–27 academic year, or (b) early professionals working in the United States within their first four years in the industry. This requirement defines the target pool of candidates and distinguishes between current students and recent entrants to the workforce.

Key takeaways:
- Open to full-time students (undergraduate or graduate) for 2026–27.
- Open to early professionals (within 4 years) working in the U.S.
- The student/early-professional distinction is a primary eligibility criterion.

Age & Participation
**Minimum age and on-site activity limitation**
Applicants must be 21 years or older by February 1, 2027. Applicants under 21 may still apply, but they must acknowledge that they will not be eligible to participate in on-site activities at the D.I.C.E. Summit—this includes the onsite mentor program and other age-restricted events.

Key takeaways:
- Minimum age to fully participate in D.I.C.E. activities: 21 by 2/1/2027.
- Applicants under 21 can apply but cannot attend certain on-site events.
- Under-21 applicants must acknowledge the participation limitations.

Academic Requirements
**Degree and academic performance**
There is no restriction on major—students from any academic field may apply. The scholarship requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. These academic criteria apply to student applicants and serve as a baseline for academic performance.

Key takeaways:
- Major: any field is accepted.
- Minimum GPA requirement: 3.3 / 4.0.
- Academic standards are applied uniformly to student applicants.

Citizenship & Compliance
**Non-U.S. applicants and legal compliance**
Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents to apply for the scholarship. However, in compliance with federal law, any non-U.S. citizen who receives a scholarship must not appear on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) terrorism watch list.

Key takeaways:
- Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply.
- Scholarship recipients who are non-U.S. citizens must not be on the SDN list.
- Federal compliance requirements affect recipient eligibility, not applicant eligibility.

Conflicts of Interest & Prior Recipients
**Ineligible applicants because of relationships or past awards**
Family members of AIAS Foundation board members, staff, and individual major donors (defined as contributors of at least $1,000) are ineligible to apply. Prior recipients of AIAS Foundation scholarships are also not eligible to reapply. These rules preserve fairness and avoid conflicts of interest.

Key takeaways:
- Family of board, staff, and major donors (≥ $1,000) cannot apply.
- Previous AIAS Foundation scholarship recipients are ineligible.
- Rules exist to prevent conflicts and protect selection integrity.

Accreditation
**Institutional accreditation requirements**
Academic institutions must be accredited by the recognized accrediting bodies customary for the country or countries in which they operate. If accreditation is unclear or disputed, the AIAS Foundation reserves sole discretion to determine whether students from a given institution qualify for scholarships.

Key takeaways:
- Applicants must attend institutions accredited by the standard accrediting bodies for their country.
- The Foundation has final authority on accreditation-related eligibility questions.
- Accreditation status affects student eligibility, not the scholarship’s scope.

Award Value
**Scholarship funding details**
Specific information about award amounts or the number of scholarships available is not provided here. For current award values, stipend amounts, or variations between student and early-professional awards, consult the AIAS Foundation’s official scholarship page or contact the Foundation directly.

Key takeaways:
- Award amounts and counts are not specified in this summary.
- Check the AIAS Foundation website or contact the Foundation for precise figures.
- Award details may change year to year.

Application Timeline
**Deadlines and important dates**
This summary does not include application opening dates, submission deadlines, or decision timelines. Applicants should refer to the AIAS Foundation’s official announcements for the 2026–27 application window and any related deadlines, including dates tied to D.I.C.E. Summit activities.

Key takeaways:
- No application dates provided here.
- Consult the Foundation’s official channels for deadlines and timeline.
- Timelines will include D.I.C.E.-related dates relevant to award activities.

History and Donor Acknowledgment
**Support and recent donor recognition**
The AIAS Foundation expresses sincere gratitude to Mark Cerny for his generous donation supporting the Foundation’s scholarships for this year. Donor support helps fund scholarship awards and related programming that connect recipients with industry opportunities.

Key takeaways:
- Mark Cerny is a notable donor to the 2026–27 scholarship fund.
- Donor contributions help sustain scholarship awards and programs.
- The Foundation publicly acknowledges major donors who enable its work.

For additional questions or the most current program details, visit the AIAS Foundation scholarship webpage or contact the Foundation directly.