MICROSOFT D2S SWEEPSTAKES (DIRECT TO STUDENT) SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

1. SPONSOR

These Official Rules (“Rules”) govern the operation of the Microsoft D2S Sweepstakes (Direct to Student) Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”). Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA, is the Sweepstakes sponsor (“Sponsor”).

2. DEFINITIONS

In these Rules, "Microsoft", "we", "our", and "us" refer to Sponsor and “you” and "yourself" refers to a Sweepstakes participant, or the parent/legal guardian of any Sweepstakes entrant who has not reached the age of majority to contractually obligate themselves in their legal place of residence. By entering you (your parent/legal guardian if you are not the age of majority in your legal place of residence) agree to be bound by these Rules.

3. ENTRY PERIOD

The Sweepstakes starts at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on February 1, 2023, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on May 31, 2023 (“Entry Period”).

The Entry Period consists of 4 monthly Prize Periods, each beginning at 12:01 a.m. PT on the first day and ending at 11:59 p.m. PT on the last day during each month of the Entry Period. Entries will be eligible for the monthly drawing in which they are received and will not carryover to subsequent monthly drawings. You must enter each monthly drawing separately.

4. ELIGIBILITY

This is a trade Sweepstakes open only to students actively enrolled at an accredited academic institution who are legal residents of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia), and who are 18 years of age or older. If you are 18 years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, then you must have consent of a parent/legal guardian.

Employees and directors of Microsoft Corporation and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising agencies, and Sweepstakes Parties are not eligible, nor are persons involved in the execution or administration of this promotion, or the family members of each above (parents, children, siblings, spouse/domestic partners, or individuals residing in the same household). Void where prohibited.

If you are participating in your capacity as an employee, it is your sole responsibility to comply with your employer’s gift policies. Microsoft will not be party to any disputes or actions related to this matter. Microsoft is committed to complying with government gift and ethics rules and therefore government and public sector employees are not eligible to enter.

5. HOW TO ENTER

No Purchase Necessary.

You will automatically receive one entry by visiting Cloud Ready Skills and passing one of the eight (8) eligible Fundamentals Certification exams.

PLEASE NOTE: Passing a Fundamentals Certification exam will automatically enter you into this Sweepstakes. If you would like to opt-out of participation in this Sweepstakes, please send an email to: studentsweepstakes@microsoft.com and include the words “Opt Out” in the subject line.

There is a maximum of eight (8) entries per person overall (one per eligible passed exam).

Any attempt by you to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different accounts, identities, registrations, logins, or any other methods will void your entries and you may be disqualified. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited.

We are not responsible for exams completed before or after the Entry Period dates listed above. If disputed, entries will be deemed submitted by the “authorized account holder” of the email address, social media account, or other method used to enter. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned to an email address by an internet or online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses.

6. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

Pending confirmation of eligibility, ten (10) potential prize winners will be selected by Microsoft or their Agent in a random drawing from among all eligible entries within 7 days following each monthly Prize Period during the Entry Period.

Winners will be notified via the contact information provided during entry no more than 7 days following the drawing with prize claim instructions, including submission deadlines. If a selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return any Forms within 14 days of initial notification, the selected winner will forfeit their prize and an alternate winner will be contacted and will have one week to claim their prize, after which unclaimed prizes will remain unawarded. If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older but have not reached the age of majority in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent/legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf.

7. PRIZES

The following prizes will be awarded:

Forty (40) Grand Prizes (Ten winners per month). Each winner will receive a $50 credit to use at Snappy Gifts (https://web.snappygifts.com).

The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes: $2,000

There is a limit of one (1) prize per person per monthly Prize Period. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. No substitution, transfer, or assignment of prize permitted, except that Microsoft reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event the offered prize is unavailable. Except for applicable manufacturer’s limited warranties and any rights you may have under your local laws, prizes are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied (including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose); you assume the entire risk of quality and performance, and should the prizes prove defective, you assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing or repair. Microsoft’s limited warranty terms can be found at https://support.microsoft.com/warranty, and specifically the U.S. warranty is [here](url. Prize claim instructions will be sent via email and winners will have 14 days to visit https://web.snapygifts.com to redeem their credit. Unused credits will expire 14 days after initial notification. Prize winners may be required to complete and return prize claim and / or tax forms (“Forms”) within the deadline stated in the winner notification. Taxes on the prize, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner, who is advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. By accepting a prize, you agree that Microsoft may use your entry, name, image and hometown online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Sweepstakes without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

8. ODDS

The odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received.

9. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

To the extent allowed by law, by entering you agree to release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, partners, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss, or damage of any kind arising in connection with this Sweepstakes or any prize won.

All local laws apply. The decisions of Microsoft are final and binding.

We reserve the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Sweepstakes for any reason, including cheating, technology failure, catastrophe, war, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that affects the integrity of this Sweepstakes, whether human or mechanical. If the integrity of the Sweepstakes cannot be restored, we may select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Sweepstakes.

If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in any way, we may seek damages from you to the full extent of the law and you may be banned from participation in future Microsoft promotions. 

10. USE OF YOUR ENTRY

Personal data you provide while entering this Sweepstakes will be used by Microsoft and/or its agents and prize fulfillers acting on Microsoft’s behalf only for the administration and operation of this Sweepstakes and in accordance with the [Microsoft Privacy Statement](url.

11. GOVERNING LAW

This Sweepstakes will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Sweepstakes.

12. WINNERS LIST

A list of monthly winners will be posted here: https://aka.ms/studentsweepstakeswinners.