2019 - Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.     Who is eligible to apply for the award?

A1.      Applicants must be children of active FCA employees in the NAFTA Region who are working full-time and have at least one year of service with the company by the application deadline. Children include natural or legally adopted children, stepchildren, and any other children for whom the employee has been appointed legal guardian. All children must have graduated by their 26th birthday.

Q2.     What graduations are eligible?

A2.      Applicants must have graduated from high school or college / university in 2018. Specifically, the program applies to all 2018 graduates as illustrated below:

Q3.     What is the award?

A3.      Award recipients will receive a monetary award.

Q4      Is there an applicant Grade Point Average minimum requirement.

A4.      Yes, applicants must have a minimum overall Grade Point Average of:

Q5.      Is there an applicant age requirement?

A5.      Yes, applicants must have graduated by their 26th birthday.

Q6.      Who will be selecting the award winners?

A6.      A panel comprised of both internal FCA and external judges will determine the final award winners.  The external judges may consist of College/University Professors, Teachers and Staff, as well as High School Principals/Superintendents.

Q7.      Are there restrictions on what the award should be spent on?

A7.      No, there are no restrictions.

Q8.      How does my child apply?

A8.      Visit smstudentachievementawards.com to review the Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions.  The child must register to be able to upload supporting documents.  The Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions may also be viewed from the Home page of Dashboard Anywhere.

Q9.      When is the deadline for applications?

A9.      Applications and supporting documents must be submitted by February 28, 2019.

Q10.      If I graduate in December, is there additional time to submit my transcripts?

A10.      The application period is the same for all applicants.  Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted by February 28, 2019.

Q11.      When will awards be distributed?

A11.      Recipients will be acknowledged and receive their monetary in the third quarter of 2019.

Q12.      Do applicants need official transcripts?

A12.      No, legible copies saved and uploaded as a .pdf document are acceptable but must include:

•         GPA

•         Date of Graduation

•         Degree/Diploma Received (University/College Applicants)    

·         All courses taken for completion of degree; partial transcripts will not be accepted.

Q13.      What form of identification is needed?

A13.      A copy of the applicant’s Birth Certificate and/or Legal Documentation to show proof of relationship to an FCA employee in the NAFTA region.  Please be sure that the eligible employee’s name is included on the Birth Certificate and/or Legal Documentation. 

Q14.      Is the monetary award subject to taxes?

A14.      The award received from this program is taxable income to the recipient. The recipient is responsible for all taxes related to this award. The taxable income will be reported to the award recipient and to the:

Q15.      Will every applicant receive an award?

A15.      No.  Applications that meet the program requirements will be thoroughly evaluated by a panel of internal and external judges.  Award recipients will be selected based on academic performance, essay, extracurricular activities, community service, volunteerism, work experience, excellence awards or special recognitions, memberships in student or professional organizations, and financial or personal hardships.

Q16.      What if a supporting document is not submitted?

A16.      Applications will be disqualified if there are missing, illegible, or incomplete documents.

Q17.      What companies are part of FCA?

A17.      FCA companies include:  FCA US LLC, FCA Canada, Inc., FCA Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Autodie LLC, Comau LLC, CpK Interior Products, Inc., FCA Services, Maserati USA, and Teksid.

Q18.     What might cause an applicant or an application to be disqualified? 

A18.     Among other reasons, applicants and applications may be disqualified because: 

                   A.  Parent relationship to the applicant is not supported by legal documentation.

                   B.  Parent does not meet the employee eligibility requirements.

                   C.  Parent is terminated for cause at any time during the program.

                   D.  Applicant did not earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 (unweighted).

            E.  Applicant did not graduate with a high school, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree within the specified program time period.

                   F.  Applicant does not meet the application deadline.

                   G.  Applicant submits incomplete documentation.

                   H.  Applicant is an employee.

Q19.       Are there any special requirements for the written essay?

A19.        Yes.  Essays should be approximately 1000 to 1200 words in length, using a minimum of 12 point font, and double-spaced.  Please include your name and page numbers on your submission.  The essay should detail the candidate’s academic accomplishments and the motivation for achieving these accomplishments. It should also include a detailed description of extracurricular and/or work activities, service/community activities, hardships and any special circumstances associated with your studies. 

Q20.      How should documents be uploaded to the contest website?  Can I upload multiple documents in a single category?

A20.       All documents should be saved in pdf format.  You may only upload one document per category, therefore, it is recommended that multiple pages be scanned together into one pdf document, if necessary.  For example, a copy of a diploma may be scanned along with award certificates or letters of recognition to be uploaded to the Achievements and Awards section. 

Q21.       I graduated from high school within the current program timeframe and am currently a freshman in college.   Which transcript and GPA should I submit?

A21.        You should submit the complete high school transcript, including your overall GPA and date of graduation.

Q22.       The “Employee Company ID” is requested under parent information.  What is this?

A22.        For FCA US, Mexico, and Canada employees, the company id requested is the “C-ID”.  This number can be found on the front of the employee’s security badge, the employee’s pay stub, or on “My Profile” from Dashboard Anywhere.   For Comau employees, please input your Clock Number.

Q23.       I have more than one child graduating in the specified program timeframe.  Can both children apply?

A23.       Yes, as long as all the eligibility requirements are met, both may apply.  Each child should register for their own account; do not upload entries for multiple children within one account.

Q24.      What is my id and password for the program website:  www.smstudentachievementawards.com?

A24.       The applicant (child) will be able to create their own login id and password when they initially register for their account. 

Q25.      Who can I contact if I have a question about the Student Achievement Awards or my submission?

A25.       Questions can be directed to the Sergio Marchionne Student Achievement Awards Program Team by sending an e-mail to smstudentachievementawards@fcagroup.com.

Q26.       I am a Canadian citizen.  I graduated from a school in Canada and my family lives in Canada, but my parent works in the United States.   Should apply on the Canada site or the United States site?

A26.       The application should be submitted on the site that matches the permanent work location of the eligible FCA employee.  For example, if the employee is working in, and paid from the United States, the application should be submitted on the United States site.