What Is a Graduation Vault?
A Graduation Vault is a donation-based, time-locked wallet created for a single student at a partner microschool. Funds can be contributed at any time, but cannot be withdrawn until the student reaches their graduation date, except in documented hardship cases approved by the school’s oversight team. [oai_citation:1‡White Paper 11:29:25.pdf](sediment://file_00000000eeb0720c838fa4376ff3ab6f)
Who Controls Each Vault?
Each vault is governed by a 3-of-4 multi-signature SAFE account. Four signers are appointed:
- Parent or Guardian — mandatory signer for all withdrawals.
- School Representative — typically an administrator or principal.
- Teacher, Staff, or Counselor — directly involved with the student.
- Independent Trustee or Community Oversight — neutral, non-school check and balance.
A withdrawal requires the Parent or Guardian plus two oversight signatures (3 signatures total), enforcing shared accountability around how and when funds are used. [oai_citation:2‡White Paper 11:29:25.pdf](sediment://file_00000000eeb0720c838fa4376ff3ab6f)
3-of-4 Threshold
No single person can move funds. Parent or Guardian must sign, and at least two of the three oversight parties must agree before any transaction is executed.
Self-Defi’s Role
Self-Defi and SD Advisory Group never hold keys, never custody assets, and never initiate withdrawals. We provide the infrastructure, templates, and dashboards only. [oai_citation:3‡White Paper 11:29:25.pdf](sediment://file_00000000eeb0720c838fa4376ff3ab6f)
How Are Funds Locked and Unlocked?
- Timelock: Each vault has a graduation unlock date configured at setup.
- Pre-graduation: Funds are locked; only view access is available to families and donors.
- Graduation unlock: Parent/Guardian plus two oversight signers authorize how funds are used.
- Hardship cases: Early withdrawals may be considered only under documented, school-approved exceptions.
Where Can Families and Donors See the Vault?
The public dashboard shows masked student identities, on-chain balances, and the signer policy for each vault. Anyone can verify that:
- Funds are held in a dedicated student vault (not a pooled account).
- Balances and contributions are fully transparent on-chain.
- The vault is governed by the 3-of-4 multi-signature policy described above.
What This Is Not
- No yield products, interest, or investment promises.
- No pooled investment fund, trust company, or advisory account.
- No custody by Self-Defi — keys remain with families and school-appointed signers.
Want to Learn More?
For schools, donors, or families who want a deeper walkthrough of the architecture, signer setup, or SAFE integration, you can book a short consultation below.