Hi everyone. A few days ago, I had an interview for some scholarships I applied for, and today I received an email saying I won a scholarship. The email also included the names of other participants. However, a few things stood out. First, my name was listed under a scholarship I don’t remember applying for. I tried searching for the scholarship online but couldn’t find anything about it. The most concerning part is that the email asks for a $300 processing fee to confirm my participation. This feels like a scam to me, but I’d like to hear your thoughts. My friends’ names were also listed. Could this be legit?
This is 100% a scam.
Definitely a scam. No legitimate scholarship program will charge you a processing fee. I’ve been in college advising for 40 years, and this is a clear scam.
It’s obviously a scam.
This is absolutely a scam.
This is a scam. You should never have to pay anything for a scholarship.
Amory said:
This is a scam. You should never have to pay anything for a scholarship.
You’re right that scholarships shouldn’t require upfront payment. But, keep in mind, if you receive scholarship money and use it for something other than tuition, required fees, books, or course materials, you may owe taxes on it later. The tax will depend on your parents’ tax bracket if you’re under 24 and could be considered their dependent. The amount could exceed $1,000, plus penalties for underpayment. This doesn’t apply to this situation, but it’s something students should plan for when using scholarship funds.