We present a method to study asymptotically linear degenerate problems with sublinear unbounded non-lineari ties. The method is based on the uniform convergence to zero of projections of non-linearity increments onto some finite-dimensional spaces. Such convergence was used for the analysis of resonant equations with bounded non-linearities by many authors. The unboundedness of nonlinear terms complicates essentially the analysis of most problems: existence results, approximate methods, systems with parameters, stability, dissipativity, etc. In this paper we present statements on projection convergence for unbounded non-linearities and apply them to various resonant asymptotically linear problems: existence of forced periodic oscillations and unbounded sequences of such oscillations, existence of unbounded solutions, sharp analysis of integral equations with simple degeneration of the linear part (a scalar two-point boundary value problem is considered as an example), existence of non-trivial cycles for higher order autonomous ordinary differential equations, and Hopf bifurcations at infinity.