How to spot a scholarship scam

Scammers know that students want funding badly, and they use that to take money and personal information. Here's how to recognise them.

Seven warning signs

1. They ask you to pay to apply or to "secure" an award. Official government scholarships like Chevening, DAAD, MEXT and Türkiye Bursları are free to apply for.
2. They guarantee you'll win. No genuine agent, page or consultant can guarantee a scholarship, admission or visa.
3. You "won" something you never applied for. Real scholarships don't select people at random.
4. The email comes from a free address. Messages from Gmail or Yahoo accounts claiming to be a government or university are a red flag.
5. The website address looks slightly wrong. Compare it carefully with the official site linked from our listings.
6. They pressure you to act today. Scammers create urgency so you don't stop to check.
7. They ask for your bank PIN, passwords or card details. No scholarship provider needs these.

How to check an offer

• Find the scholarship's official website yourself, not through the link in the message.
• Contact the university or embassy directly using details from their official website.
• Search the scholarship name together with the word "scam" to see if others have reported it.

If someone claims to be Scholar Fahad

We will never ask you for money to apply for a scholarship. If anyone messages you claiming to be from Scholar Fahad and asks for payment, report the account and let us know through our contact page.