Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to participate in the MassMutual Scholars program?
To participate in the competition, you must comply with the following eligibility criteria:

Be of African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Hispanic descent
Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
Will be entering sophomore, junior, senior or 5th-year senior year in pursuit of an undergraduate degree at an accredited two- or four-year college or university
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Plan to attend a degree-seeking program, full-time at a U.S. accredited institution in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam
Interested in pursuing a career in the insurance and financial services industry
Demonstrate leadership and participation in extra-curricular activities
Must apply for federal financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov

Is there a fee to apply?
No

When is the deadline for submitting applications?
The deadline to submit an online application is 5:00 p.m., central time, May 3, 2013.

Are there any documents required in order to complete my application?
Yes. The following documents must be received in our Iowa City office by the submission deadline:

Official transcript(s) for all college/university attended
Student Aid Report (SAR)
Copy of one of the following documents:
- Birth Certificate
- Valid U.S. Passport Book
- Valid U.S. Passport Card
- Certificate of Naturalization from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
- Certificate of Citizenship from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
- Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States that bears an embossed seal including the "United States of America" and "State Department." Acceptable Form numbers: FS–240, FS–545, or DS–1350.
- Legal Permanent Residency with a Permanent Resident Card (Permanent Legal Residency verification)
- Passport Stamped I-551 (not expired) (Permanent Legal Residency verification)

While creating my registration account, I was told that the account already exists. I have never tried to log in before; how can that be?
During registration you must create a unique User ID—something that no one else in the system has used before. If you complete a registration and receive a message that the account cannot be created because it already exists, it is likely that you have tried to register with a User ID that is already in use. You will have to try something different for the User ID. Be sure to write down what you have tried, prior to clicking the Submit button. Keep track of the User ID that works successfully, and save it until after the scholarship deadline has passed. Once you have registered successfully, a confirmation email will be sent with your login information.

How do I change my User ID or Password?

User ID: Your User ID cannot be changed. If you forget your User ID, go to the login page and click the Forgot User ID or Password button, then follow the online instructions.
Password:To change your password, log into your account and click the Change Password tab in the upper left corner. If you forgot your password, go to the login page and click the Forgot User ID and Password button to have it sent to your email. Follow the online instructions, which will include answering the security question you selected when you first registered. If you did not select a security question when you created the account, please Contact Us by email or call 877-231-4228.

Do I have to finish my application all at once, or can I save it and come back later?
You will be able to return to the application to update and edit as frequently as desired. After you have submitted the application, or after the appropriate award period deadline, the application will no longer be available. To return to your application:

Return to the MassMutual Scholars site.
Go to Step 3 and click the Return to Application button.
Enter your User ID and Password.
Click Login.
Click on each tab and make changes to the necessary section(s).
To save your updates, click the Save button and then log out.

How do I properly log out?
When you are ready to log out, be sure you have saved any updates that you were working on. Log out using the Logout tab in the left navigation menu.

I am locked out of my account. What do I do now?
After three failed attempts to log in, your account will be disabled automatically. Please return to the Contact Us form to request assistance.

I missed the deadline. Can I still apply?
No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

Are scholarships taxable?
Tax laws vary by country. In the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or textbooks are normally not taxable. The scholarship recipient is responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against your scholarship award. We recommend consulting your tax advisor for more guidance.

Program Administration
To ensure complete impartiality in the selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism, the program is administered by Scholarship and Recognition Services, a service of ACT, an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides assessment, research, information, and program management services in the broad areas of education and workforce development.

When are the winners notified? Are nonrecipients notified?
All applicants are notified of their award status in June.

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