University of Silicon Valley Launches Scholarships for Top Elden Ring, FF14 Players
If you’ve ever sunk hours into Elden Ring or Final Fantasy XIV and had someone tell you games are pointless—never building skills or meaning in your life—then you may finally have a comeback ready. The University of Silicon Valley has reportedly gone semi-viral online, and it’s now offering scholarships to competitive players who can demonstrate standout achievements across multiple games.
In its own phrasing, the program is designed to provide scholarships “through the completion of rare and demanding achievements in digital gaming environments.” The core idea is simple: if you can prove you’ve done the hard stuff in specific titles, you can apply for financial support.
What You Need to Know About These Gaming Scholarships
Your scholarship amount depends on the tier tied to the achievements you’ve completed. Each supported game uses two tiers: Legendary and Mastery, with Legendary being the higher bar.
If you secure a Legendary-tier scholarship, the award is listed as $5,000 per year for three years. If you land in the Mastery tier instead, the amount drops to $2,500 per year.
Elden Ring Scholarships: Legendary vs. Mastery
The program includes Elden Ring, though the scholarship tier you qualify for hinges on which achievements you can show. Legendary is the more demanding achievement category, while Mastery represents the lower threshold.
There’s also a quick bit of commentary around the game selection: Elden Ring Nightrein is described as both the most and least FromSoftware title ever—making it an unusual pick from a marketing standpoint.
Games Included in the Scholarship Program
The list of supported titles is meant to be broad, covering genres from MMOs to roguelikes and platformers. Examples mentioned include achievements in:
- Final Fantasy XIV, such as reaching level 100 for all combat, gatherer, and crafter jobs.
- Celeste, by collecting all Golden Strawberries.
- Dark Souls (all three mainline games), by earning all achievements across the set.
Don’t Panic If Your Favorite Isn’t a “Big Name” Title
The program isn’t limited to major releases. It also points to niche or more specialized games like Noita, Returnal, and Ghostrunner, so it’s not framed as a trend-chasing gimmick.
To be considered, you’re required to write an essay in addition to providing proof of your achievements. If you’re targeting the University of Silicon Valley, the potential payout mentioned is up to $15,000—assuming your gaming results line up with the scholarship criteria.
