Minecraft and Elden Ring can earn you up to $15,000 in scholarships at a US university: how gaming achievements became a path to college

What if the thousands of hours spent on your favorite games could pay for your education? It sounds like a dream — but for some gamers, it is already reality. University of Silicon Valley (USV) — a private university in the US — has launched the Max Achievement Scholarship, a program under which verified gaming achievements can bring students up to $15,000 per year. Here’s how it works and what it means for the gaming community.

What university is this and what is the idea behind it

USV describes itself as a “polymathic university” — a place where mastery is valued in any form. The administration says it directly: persistence, systems thinking, and a strategic mindset sharpened in a difficult game are the same qualities needed in science, technology, and business. That is why the university decided not to limit itself to grades and sports awards, but to look at what players achieve in virtual worlds too.

The program is called Max Achievement Scholarship. It is not a contest or a lottery — it is a structured scholarship system with clear criteria, achievement thresholds, and a verification process.

How the payout system works

The scholarship is split into two tiers:

• Legendary Tier — up to $5,000 per semester, with a maximum of three semesters per year. That adds up to $15,000 annually. This tier is meant for achievements completed by less than 1% of players worldwide and typically requiring 500+ hours of sustained mastery.
• Mastery Tier — up to $2,500 per semester, also for up to three semesters. This tier covers difficult completionist achievements earned by 1% to 5% of players.

For master’s and other graduate students, the amounts are 50% of those listed above and cannot be combined with certain other graduate grants.

To keep the scholarship, students must study full-time and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0.

What criteria are used to choose recipients

The application is evaluated based on three components:

• 60% — rarity and difficulty of the achievement
• 20% — a reflective essay (500–750 words) on what the journey toward that result taught the applicant
• 20% — academic potential and readiness for university study

So the achievement itself is not the only factor. The university wants to understand whether the applicant recognizes what this experience helped them develop.

What exactly counts in Minecraft and Elden Ring

These two games are mentioned in the news most often — and not by chance. But the requirements are quite specific.

Minecraft — Legendary Tier. Completing all 115+ in-game achievements (advancements) qualifies. The university describes this as “comprehensive systems mastery” — full command of all game systems. Proof required: screenshots of the achievements page showing the account name and progress.

Elden Ring — Mastery Tier. Earning the platinum trophy or all achievements on the platform qualifies. This is treated as “strategic open-world mastery” — strategic command of a complex open world. Proof required: a public PlayStation, Xbox, or Steam profile.

Important: achievements from modded, private, or emulated servers are not accepted.

What other games are included in the program

The list is much broader than the headlines suggest. USV accepts achievements from many categories:

• MMORPGs: RuneScape (Max Cape — all 23 skills to 99), Final Fantasy XIV, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Warframe
• Roguelike and roguelite: The Binding of Isaac: Repentance (“Dead God” — 100%), Slay the Spire (all 4 characters on Ascension 20), Hades, Returnal
• Souls-like: Dark Souls Trilogy (all achievements across all three games), Sekiro, Hollow Knight (112% + Pantheon of Hallownest), Celeste (all Golden Strawberries), Cuphead (S-rank on all bosses on Expert)
• Strategy and simulation: Civilization VI (Deity wins by every method), Factorio (“There Is No Spoon” — completion in under 8 hours), Chess.com (rating of 2000 or higher)
• Survival and sandbox: Terraria (100% achievements), Stardew Valley (“Perfection”), Valheim, Subnautica
• Precision: Geometry Dash (5 Demon completions, including one Extreme Demon), Beat Saber (all Expert+ tracks at S-rank)

If a game is not on the list, applicants can submit a Custom Achievement Petition — a special request describing the achievement, providing proof, and explaining what cognitive skills it develops.

How achievements are verified

USV insists on strict verification. Accepted proof includes:

• official public profiles (Steam, PSN, Xbox, Lodestone, RuneMetrics, etc.)
• API data
• screenshots showing the character name, account ID, and completion indicator

If automatic verification is not possible, the university may request a video recording or even live screen verification — that is, a real-time demonstration of the account.

Who can apply

The program is open to:

• first-year applicants,
• transfer students,
• applicants to master’s and other graduate programs.

The main requirement is being admitted to USV. The achievement must have been earned personally, without third-party services or cheats.

Why it matters

The gaming community’s response has been largely positive. For many gamers, the program became the first official recognition of something they had long known themselves: a serious approach to games builds real skills. Skeptics ask whether this devalues traditional academic merit. Supporters argue the job market has changed, and employers increasingly value exactly the competencies sharpened in complex gaming scenarios.

With this program, USV makes a simple statement: mastery is mastery — no matter where it shows up. And if hundreds of hours in Elden Ring or Minecraft can open the door to university, then society is starting to see in games what gamers have always known.

What do you think: should gaming achievements count in university admissions? Share your opinion in the comments — it is a conversation that should have started long ago.