Snapp Central API v4.0

This documentation provides background information and technical detail related to the Scholar Snapp Central API.

History 

The Scholar Snapp solution was developed in 2008 by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and a workgroup initially formed under the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) with members who represented many perspectives from the scholarship industry.

In 2015, the Scholar Snapp solution was expanded to include a centralized website (“Scholar Snapp Central”) which allows applicants to reuse a large amount of their Snapp Profile data from application to application, decreasing the time it takes to complete a scholarship application. In 2016, the ScholarSnapp data standard was revised from version 1.0 to version 2.0, and has been updated annually thereafter.

To enable applicants to reuse their scholarship application data securely, Scholar Snapp Central (www.ScholarSnapp.org) has introduced an OAuth 2-based API. This API allows applicants to authorize scholarship providers to reuse their Scholar Snapp profile data by logging into the Scholar Snapp website directly from a scholarship provider’s online application.

Backward Compatibility

The Snapp Central API generally maintains backward compatibility with previous versions of the Snapp Data Standard for at least a complete cycle, and this is true today. All new developers should develop for the Scholar Snapp Profile v4.0 XML, but the API continues to accept v2.0 and v3.0 XML.

Audience

This document is written for software developers to describe the development activities required to implement the Scholar Snapp API.