How to spot scholarship scams?

I’m heading to grad school and applied to hundreds of scholarships during undergrad. I graduated nearly debt-free, so I thought I’d share some tips to help students avoid falling for scholarship scams. Let me use getupgetactive.org as an example. I came across their site today, and the red flags were clear. It’s a phishing scam. Here are some common signs to look out for:

  1. The site isn’t secure. Always check for a secure connection (HTTPS). If it’s not secure, that’s a major red flag.
  2. .ORG doesn’t mean it’s legit. Many people trust sites with .org domains, but anyone can register one. It doesn’t guarantee credibility.
  3. Outdated design. Scam sites often have designs that look like they’re from the early 2000s. Be cautious if it looks poorly maintained.
  4. Old copyright dates. While not always definitive, if the copyright date at the bottom of the site is more than two years old, it’s worth questioning.
  5. No reliable contact info. If the site doesn’t have valid contact information or you can’t reach them, that’s another warning sign.
  6. Application fees. Legitimate scholarships won’t ask you to pay to apply.
  7. Unsolicited offers. Be wary of emails saying you’ve won a scholarship you didn’t apply for or guarantees of success. These are almost always scams and often result from your information being shared by other scam sites.

I hope this helps someone stay safe while applying for scholarships.

This post was so helpful. I’m just starting the process of applying for online colleges to get a bachelor’s in psychology. Your advice reminded me to trust my gut when something feels off. Thanks for sharing these tips!

Thank you for the tips. I’ll keep these in mind. I’ve found that Going Merry has some good options, though not the best.

What about scholarships from law firms? I’ve found several with identical submission forms but different essay prompts. Does that seem sketchy?

Blaze said:
What about scholarships from law firms? I’ve found several with identical submission forms but different essay prompts. Does that seem sketchy?

Yes, that’s a big red flag. Many of those are interconnected.

What are some trustworthy scholarship sites you’ve used?

GrantGuruGabby said:
What are some trustworthy scholarship sites you’ve used?

Petersons.com and CareerOneStop.org are excellent. CareerOneStop is backed by the U.S. Department of Labor, and Peterson’s has good filtering options. CollegeBoard is another great resource, especially for recent high school graduates. The Grant app on iOS is worth exploring, too. It lists grant opportunities from U.S. agencies. Lastly, check your state’s department of education website for local scholarships, especially if you’re from a low-income household. Your state’s delegate might also have resources, so don’t hesitate to ask them.

For easy scholarships, Cappex, Niche, and Unigo are decent. Be cautious with Fastweb and Chegg as their filters aren’t great. The getupgetactive scam was listed on both, so use them carefully.

Not all fees are scams. Local scholarships might ask for official transcripts or test score reports, which can cost money. Some legit platforms like Scholly also charge fees.

Scout said:
Not all fees are scams. Local scholarships might ask for official transcripts or test score reports, which can cost money. Some legit platforms like Scholly also charge fees.

That’s a good point, but I wasn’t referring to transcript fees. Those aren’t charged directly by scholarship providers. Sometimes, you can even get transcripts for free if you know where to look.

Thanks for the info. I just found this forum today, and this was the first post I read. Super helpful!

Appreciate the advice!

I’ve posted before about GetupGetActive being a scam. Also, many law firm scholarships are scams, especially when their sites are identical. That said, not all basic HTML sites are scams. For example, the Akash Kuruvilla scholarship has a basic design but is legit.

@Ellis
If the law firm scholarships are scams, can’t the lawyer be reported to the State Bar?

@Ellis
Thanks for mentioning the Akash Kuruvilla scholarship. I was unsure if it was real, but now I’ll recommend it to some friends.

Vin said:
@Ellis
Thanks for mentioning the Akash Kuruvilla scholarship. I was unsure if it was real, but now I’ll recommend it to some friends.

You’re welcome!

@Ellis
I agree about the Akash Kuruvilla scholarship. The issue with GetupGetActive is that they’re still using outdated XHTML, which is suspicious. Legit organizations would have updated their platforms.

@Hollis
That’s true. I haven’t seen XHTML in ages!