How-To Run a University Campus-Wide Financial Literacy Challenge
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Campus-Wide Financial Literacy Challenge Best Practices & Tips
For 30 years, Stock-Trak has helped universities teach markets through a campus investing challenge. The Financial Literacy Challenge is the companion program for the skills every graduate needs in daily life: a budget, a bank account, a credit card, an emergency fund, and a consistent investing habit.
Students spend 12 virtual months living on a paycheck. They pay bills, absorb surprise expenses, protect a credit score, and practice paying themselves first. A simplified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds opens after the first week, funded the way real saving works: $1,000 to start, then $500 credited each week. Schools often run the whole experience as a one-month or two-month session.
What to expect before, during, and after launch
Before launch: your school designates a campus coordinator, confirms the session dates, and pre-registers with your Stock-Trak account manager. Pre-registration is how we set up the program and plan any prize support.
During the challenge: students play the Personal Budgeting Game. They begin as full-time students with a part-time job, then move into full-time work. Each student has a checking account, a savings account, and a credit card. Lessons and short quizzes appear inside the game, covering taxes, insurance, student loans, debt, and retirement. The Game Score rewards staying on budget, managing debt responsibly, improving their credit score, building an emergency fund, and growing their net worth. Let us know if you need help setting up your challenge when completing the form below.
After the session: students who finish the Budget Game, build a basic portfolio, and complete the lessons earn the Financial Literacy Certification. Badges show budgeting and investing decisions on the ranking pages. An Investing 101 mini-course is included for students who have never taken a business class.
Challenge details: prize support is currently offered for eligible Site License and Branded Site clients for a limited time. To qualify, events must be pre-registered by completing the form below and meet participation requirements. Availability and prize amounts can vary and are limited to 1 event per calendar year.
Stock-Trak also provides setup guidance on request, including kickoff best practices so residence life, student clubs, and faculty can promote the program across departments.
Download How-To Guide
Maximize Participation With Two Key Events
A kickoff session shows students how to get started in the Personal Budgeting Game and the Stock Market Simulation. A closing ceremony recognizes certifications, badges, and top scores. We can share best practices for both events so students in every major feel comfortable joining.
Why Professors Offer a Financial Literacy Challenge
- Prepare every graduate with practice in bills, credit, debt, and emergency savings, the same way a campus runs other wellness programs.
- Reach every major. The lesson path and Investing 101 mini-course are built for students who have never taken economics or finance.
- Score financial habits. Points come from staying on budget, managing debt, improving a credit score, funding an emergency account, and growing net worth.
- Award a certification students can list on a resume, LinkedIn, or keep as a printed record.
- Keep oversight light. Lessons and quizzes sit inside the simulation, and administrators can track progress with built-in reporting.
- Run it on a short calendar. St. Clair College’s Money Matters program uses one-month and two-month sessions with 9 professors and 700 students.
- Use a repeatable format your school can offer each semester as a campus program or a general elective.
FAQ
How is this different from the Campus-Wide Investing Challenge?
The Investing Challenge is a virtual brokerage competition. Students trade a large simulated account and are ranked on portfolio performance. The Financial Literacy Challenge is a personal-finance simulation. Students manage a monthly budget, a credit card, and surprise expenses for 12 virtual months. Investing is included as a beginner portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, funded with a weekly contribution.
How much faculty time does this require?
Lessons are self-paced and many checks are built into the game. Faculty lead the kickoff and the closing recognition. Administrators monitor progress through the reporting tools.
What support is available during the challenge?
Our support team and helpdesk are available during business hours (9:30AM to 5:30PM E.T.), and we maintain a 24/7 ticketing system so students can submit questions at any time during the session.
What should we confirm before launch?
Session length, who is covered (a club, a freshman class, or the full campus), certification requirements, and any prize support. Your account manager confirms those details after you submit the form.
If You Have a Stock-Trak License Already Here are the Terms & Conditions for Receiving Prize Support
By submitting this registration form, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms for Campus-Wide Financial Literacy Challenge prize support:
- Offer scope: $250-$500 in Amazon Gift Cards is available only to eligible Site License and Branded Site clients (for a limited time). Maximum of 1 event per calendar year.
- Advance registration required: Challenges must be pre-registered through this form before launch. Prize support requests submitted after a challenge starts may not be eligible.
- Participation minimums: To qualify, the challenge must include at least 20 student participants, and each participant must play at least one month of the Budget Game and place at least one trade during the event period.
- Eligible event type: Prize support applies to campus-wide challenges only and is not available for a standard Budget Game, investing, or finance class assignment.
- Prize planning: If you want Stock-Trak prize support included, you must indicate that request in this form so our team can confirm eligibility and add your event to our planning queue in advance.
- Once the university selects the final winners: send the names, email address and prize amounts for each winner to your account manager. Alternatively, the certificates can all be sent to the event organizer.
- Final confirmation: All campaign details, including eligibility, participation thresholds, timing, prize amounts, and approved winner structure, are subject to review and confirmation by your Stock-Trak account manager.
Ready to Register Your Campus Challenge?
Already have a Stock-Trak site license?
Submit this form to let your account manager know you want to register a Campus-Wide Financial Literacy Challenge.
Don’t have a license yet?
Email sales at sales@StockTrak.com, or submit the same form, and our team will contact you to walk through setup options.