How to check whether a scholarship is legitimate
An unexpected message says you've been selected for a scholarship. The logo looks familiar, but there's a fee to claim it and a deadline tonight. Pause before replying.
You don't need to decide from the message's appearance. You can check the sponsor through a separate route and ask whether the offer exists.
Treat pressure and payment demands seriously
The Federal Trade Commission's scholarship scam guidance warns about upfront scholarship fees, requests for bank or card information to establish eligibility, and claims that you're a finalist for an award you never entered. A claim that a service can guarantee you a scholarship is another warning sign.
The FTC also distinguishes paid search services from scholarship awards. Paying someone to search is not proof that you'll receive funding. Don't confuse a service's invoice with an official requirement to apply for or release an award.
A deadline can be real and still deserve verification. If the sender insists you cannot check with the organization, that is a reason to slow down, not a reason to comply.
Find the organization without using the message's link
Open a new browser tab and find the sponsor's official website independently. Look for the scholarship from the site's own navigation or search. Compare the program name, eligibility, application method and contact information.
Don't rely only on a familiar logo or a sender display name. Read the full website address. A small spelling change or an unrelated domain can be easy to miss on a phone.
If you find the organization but not the award, contact it using the number or email published on its official site. Ask whether the scholarship and message are theirs. Do not use the suspicious message's reply address as your only verification method.
Ask questions that produce checkable answers
A professional-looking answer is not the same as independent confirmation. Follow the links from the actual sponsor's site and compare the details. If the answer sends you back to the same unverified form, the original question is still unresolved.
Keep a short record of what you checked. The goal is to establish who is asking for your information and what process you're entering, not to collect as many reassuring statements as possible.
- What organization funds and administers this award?
- Where are the eligibility and selection rules published?
- Which application did this notice refer to?
- How and when are funds paid?
- What information is required, and why?
- Where can I confirm this offer through the sponsor's official website?
Share information only through a verified process
Before uploading a transcript or financial document, confirm that the form belongs to the provider and that the document is actually required at this stage. A general contact form and an official application portal are not interchangeable.
Never give another person access to your StudentAid.gov account. The FTC specifically warns against sharing your FSA ID. If someone claims they need your login to obtain a scholarship, use the official support channels instead.
When you need help checking a form, ask a counselor or trusted adult to look at the page with you. You can discuss the request without forwarding copies of every sensitive document.
If you've already responded
Save the message, website address and any payment or submission records. Stop using the unverified contact while you investigate. If you shared a password, change it through the real service's website and follow that service's account recovery guidance.
The FTC accepts reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If money or financial account details were involved, contact the relevant bank or payment provider through its official channel. Use the facts you saved to explain what happened.
Return to your scholarship search through a verified provider page. Our search guide shows how to keep the official source beside each opportunity so you don't have to reconstruct it later.