Scam category
Fake scholarship scams
Fake scholarship scams prey on students and parents who are under real financial pressure. Scammers advertise guaranteed scholarships or grants, then charge application fees, processing fees, or require sensitive financial information. Legitimate scholarships never require upfront payment to apply.
Category activity
“scholarship fraud”
↑ 65.9%Watch for
- You are asked to pay an application or processing fee to receive a scholarship.
- You won a scholarship you never applied for.
- The organization pressures you to act immediately or lose the award.
Common searches
OpenScam News Feed
application fee scholarship scam
A scholarship opportunity requires an upfront application or processing fee, which legitimate scholarships never charge, and the scholarship itself does not exist.
Never pay to apply for a scholarship — legitimate scholarships do not charge application fees.
High school students
U.S.
guaranteed scholarship scam
A service guarantees you will win a scholarship or promises your money back, but delivers nothing and makes refunds nearly impossible to obtain.
Understand that no one can guarantee you will win a scholarship — selection is always competitive.
High school students
U.S.
scholarship seminar fee scam
A company invites students to a free scholarship seminar that turns into a high-pressure sales pitch for expensive financial aid consulting services.
Never sign up for paid services under pressure at a seminar — take materials home and research the company first.
High school students
U.S.
financial aid workshop scam
A fake financial aid workshop charges students or parents for FAFSA assistance and scholarship applications that are freely available through schools and government resources.
Complete the FAFSA for free at studentaid.gov — it is the only official site and never charges a fee.
Parents
U.S.
FAFSA impersonator scam
A website or email impersonates the Federal Student Aid office, tricking students into entering personal and financial information on a fraudulent portal.
Always navigate directly to studentaid.gov — never click links in emails claiming to be from Federal Student Aid.
High school students
U.S.
scholarship search service scam
A service charges a fee to search for scholarships on your behalf, but provides only a generic list of publicly available opportunities you could find for free.
Use free scholarship search engines like Fastweb, Scholarships.com, College Board BigFuture, or your school's financial aid portal.
High school students
U.S.
essay contest scam
A fake essay contest promises a large scholarship prize but collects entry fees or steals submitted essays for resale, with no real winner ever selected.
Research the contest sponsor before entering — legitimate contests are sponsored by known organizations and have verifiable past winners.
High school students
U.S.
athletic scholarship scam
A recruiting service claims a college scout noticed your child and charges thousands for a recruiting package that produces no actual scholarship offers.
Contact college coaches directly or use the NCAA Eligibility Center — legitimate recruiting does not require upfront fees from families.
High school students
U.S.
international student scholarship scam
A fake scholarship targets international students with promises of full-tuition awards, requiring application fees and personal documents that are used for identity theft.
Verify scholarships through the university's official international student office — never through third-party websites alone.
International students
U.S.
merit award notification scam
An unsolicited email or letter congratulates you on winning a merit-based scholarship you never applied for, then asks for a disbursement fee or tax payment to release the funds.
Remember that you cannot win a scholarship you never applied for — treat unsolicited awards as scams.
High school students
U.S.
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