Program Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: January 1st, 2026 Last Updated: February 3rd, 2026

If you have any questions about this scholarship program provided in collaboration with the Global Learning Foundation, you can reach us at events@theglobalyouthcongress.com.

1. Eligibility Criteria

Student Definition: An individual between ages 12 and 18 who is actively enrolled in an accredited secondary education institution in their country of residence.
Regional Scope: The scholarship is open to participating students in World AI Challenge Live Regional Competitions starting January 1, 2025.
Team Participation: Participation is team-based. Scholarships are awarded to individual student members of winning teams at the regional level.
Recipient Definition: A student member of a team that has achieved 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in the official regional competition rankings.
Restrictions: No regional or nationality restrictions apply.
Sanctions Compliance: The student warrants that they are not located in, or a national of, any country subject to sanctions by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that would prohibit the delivery of educational services.
Non-Transferable: The scholarship is strictly assigned to the named recipient (student member) and cannot be transferred to teammates, sold, or gifted to another individual.

Selection Criteria

The scholarship is awarded to every registered student member of the teams placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the Regional Live Competition.
Judging: Rankings are determined solely by Global Youth Congress academic staff and local industry judges, based on innovation, feasibility, business case quality, and live pitch performance.
Finality: The appointed judges' decision is absolute and irrevocable.

2. Scholarship Coverage

The scholarship applies to program tuition for the 2030 World AI Challenge in Orlando, or any other Global Youth Congress Travel Program.

Inclusions: If the standard tuition package for the Orlando event or travel program includes accommodation, housing, or room & board, the scholarship applies to the total cost of that package.

The scholarship does NOT cover:

Chaperone/Guardian Fees: The scholarship applies exclusively to the student's tuition. It cannot be applied to costs associated with accompanying adults, chaperones, or family members.
Sports or Athletic Programs: The scholarship cannot be applied to sports tournaments, athletic camps, or recreational non-academic programs.
Travel Costs: Taxes, airfare, and flights (to Orlando or otherwise) are never covered.
Personal Expenses: Visa fees, daily stipends, or any other additional expenses.
Add-ons: Any program add-ons (e.g., extra nights, room upgrades, merchandise) or required costs not included within the standard tuition package.

Scholarship Award Amount

$500 USD per student member for teams placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the Regional Live Competition.
Currency Conversion: For regional events where prizes might be communicated in local currency, the official scholarship value is fixed at $500 USD. When redeeming for a future program, this value is applied directly to the USD tuition cost.
Note: The scholarship is earned at a Regional Live event but can only be redeemed for tuition in the 2030 World AI Challenge (Orlando) or other approved GYC travel programs.
No Cash Value: The scholarship has no redeemable cash value or surrender value. It is strictly a tuition credit.

Payment & Application of Scholarship

New Registrations: Registration dues for the Orlando/Travel program must be paid upfront. The scholarship is applied immediately upon registration toward financed payments or the remaining tuition price (excluding registration fees).
Existing Registrations (Retroactive Application): If a recipient is already enrolled in the 2030 World AI Challenge (Orlando) at the time of the award:
- The scholarship amount will be applied to reduce any outstanding program dues.
- If the program has already been paid in full, no cash refunds will be provided. In this specific case, the scholarship credit must be reserved and used for a different future travel program.

3. Application & Usage Requirements

Award Frequency: The scholarship is granted to eligible team members at the conclusion of the Regional Live event.
Validity Period: The scholarship must be redeemed (via registration) within 6 calendar months of the date it was awarded.
- Example: If awarded on March 15th, 2026, the recipient must register for the Orlando event (or another travel program) by September 15th, 2026.
- The target event (e.g., Orlando 2030) may take place after this 6-month window, provided the registration and deposit are completed within the validity period.
Expiration: The scholarship expires if the recipient does not register within the required 6-month period.
Organizer Cancellation (Force Majeure): If the Global Youth Congress cancels the target event (e.g., Orlando) or if no eligible events are open for registration during the 6-month window, the validity period of the scholarship will be paused and extended.
Recipient Cancellation: If a recipient applies the scholarship to a registration and subsequently cancels their attendance for any reason, the scholarship is considered redeemed and forfeited. It cannot be reinstated.
Non-Combinable: Unless explicitly authorized in writing, this scholarship cannot be combined with other promotional offers, Early Bird discounts, group rates, or other financial aid packages. The scholarship will be applied to the standard full tuition rate.

4. Recipient Responsibilities & Conditions

To be eligible for the award and subsequent scholarship, student teams must:

Attend at least 80% of the regional event sessions.
Submit a complete Project / Business Case on time.
Participate in the Live Pitch session.
Allow the Global Youth Congress and Global Learning Foundation to publicly display and use media recorded and generated from their participation.

Conduct & Damages

Revocation: The Global Youth Congress reserves the right to revoke, suspend, or terminate the scholarship at any time ("Termination for Convenience") or if the recipient violates the Student Code of Conduct.
Property Liability: Recipients are financially liable for any damage they cause to hotel property or conference venues during the Regional or Future Live event. GYC reserves the right to deduct scholarship funds to cover verified property damages.

Visa & Travel Documentation

The recipient is solely responsible for obtaining necessary travel documents (Passports, Visas to the USA/Orlando, etc.).
If a recipient is unable to attend the travel program due to visa denial or entry refusal, the scholarship holds no cash value and provides no recourse for refund or extension.

Real Identity Policy

Registrations must correspond to actual, currently enrolled students. Names on accounts cannot be changed after registration without a formal administrative review.

Multiple Scholarships

Recipients may reapply for future scholarships by participating in subsequent competitions.
However, only one scholarship can be used per travel program at any given time (scholarships cannot be combined).

5. Liability & General Provisions

Parental Consent

Liability: The student and their legal guardian assume full responsibility for obtaining necessary consents to share personal data. The Global Youth Congress is not liable for data sharing initiated by minors without guardian approval.

Governing Law & Venue

Jurisdiction: These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Federal laws of the United States and the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
Venue: Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Delaware, USA.
Attorney's Fees: The prevailing party in any dispute is entitled to recover legal fees.

6. Funding & Sustainability

The Global Learning Foundation funds this scholarship program in partnership with local universities and organizations.

World AI Challenge Live – Scholarship Awards