As the oldest and most popular free online scholarship matching service, we’re asked a lot of questions about scholarships. One of the more frequently asked questions that students want answered is:
So, how do you know when a scholarship is legitimate or not? There are some specific red flags that often indicate you’re about to be taken advantage of. Check out the list below for some of the common warning signs that a scholarship may not be legitimate.
• They want your personal information, like your social security number.
• They want your financial information, like your bank account number.
Good news: You can always find legit scholarships on Fastweb! Why is Fastweb the best place to find legitimate college scholarships? Because you never have to worry about whether a scholarship on Fastweb is legitimate. We have a full scholarship research team that verifies and investigates each and every scholarship included within Fastweb’s extensive scholarship database. That’s why you can always trust that the scholarships you match to on Fastweb are 100% legitimate.
• How Can I Qualify for a Scholarship?
• Can You Use Scholarship Money for Anything?
• What are the Requirements for a Scholarship?
Where Can I Find Legit Scholarships?
One of the easiest ways to find great college scholarships is through an online scholarship search database, like Fastweb. Fastweb is your one-stop spot to access more than 1.5 million scholarships for students of all ages! We ensure that all opportunities are legitimate and up-to-date. But, unfortunately, not all scholarships or scholarship providers are legitimate. It’s a fact that many students are desperate to make ends meet in order to pay tuition. Regrettably, some people see this as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and use the guise of a scholarship opportunity to lure students into sharing their personal information, finances or whatever else they can access in order to benefit them.• They want your personal information, like your social security number.
• They want your financial information, like your bank account number.
• They want you to pay them an application fee in order to apply. (Scholarships exist to pay YOU, not the other way around!)
• You cannot verify the organization.
• They don’t provide direct contact information on their website.
• They guarantee you will win.
Good news: You can always find legit scholarships on Fastweb! Why is Fastweb the best place to find legitimate college scholarships? Because you never have to worry about whether a scholarship on Fastweb is legitimate. We have a full scholarship research team that verifies and investigates each and every scholarship included within Fastweb’s extensive scholarship database. That’s why you can always trust that the scholarships you match to on Fastweb are 100% legitimate.
We repeat: As a leading scholarship database that’s been around for more than 20 years, Fastweb screens all of the scholarships available on the site and will never charge anything for our services, ever.
How does Fastweb make sure the scholarships on our website are legitimate? All scholarships on Fastweb meet an extensive list of scholarship provider guidelines in order to be included within Fastweb’s scholarship database. All scholarships listed within the Fastweb scholarship database must meet certain requirements in order to be included, such as no fees, no personal information (student’s social security number), etc. is required to apply for the provider’s scholarship. Fastweb is a resource that matches students like you to scholarships based on content within a student’s member profile. After you sign up to be a Fastweb member, you create a profile and we search millions of scholarships within our database. When we match you to scholarships, we let you know. AND, all services on Fastweb are 100% free. Once we match you to a scholarship or you find a scholarship you’d like to learn a little more about, check out the scholarship details page provided. On a scholarship’s detail page, you can click to see the specific scholarship’s details, like the award amount, application criteria and scholarship deadline. From there, you’re able to click through to be redirected to the scholarship provider’s web site. On each scholarship provider’s site you can get further instructions on the application process, as every scholarship provider’s scholarship application process is different. Once you find a college scholarship you’re interested in applying for, we’ll provide you with all of the application and qualification details. Remember, it's up to you whether you follow up and apply with the scholarship provider. In addition to being the top spot to find legitimate college scholarships, Fastweb is a top resource for students to find legitimate internships and legitimate local part-time jobs, too! Plus, Fastweb offers great tips on everything from financial aid to student life. Fastweb members of all ages should make sure to utilize all of the great, free resources available to you! Where else can you find legitimate scholarships? Legitimate scholarships can be found in many different places, such as:• Scholarship databases, like Fastweb • College financial aid offices • High school counselor offices • Federal agencies • Your state’s grant agency • Your local library’s reference section • Foundations • Religious organizations • Community organizations • Local businesses • Professional associations • Organizations related to your field of study/major • Organizations related to your unique circumstances (Unique circumstances include examples like being adopted, affected by a disability, military children – even being left-handed or a twin!) • Organizations related to your unique hobbies and/or interests • Race, ethnicity & gender-based organizations • Your Employer • Parents’ Employers • Scholarship web sites
When using these or any college scholarship resources, it’s important to remember that, unfortunately, not all scholarships or scholarship providers are legitimate. Make sure to do your due diligence and:• Research the scholarship provider or organization. • Verify that the organization or provider has previous scholarship winners. • Contact the organization directly. • Verify that the scholarship organization or scholarship provide has nothing to gain from you applying to their scholarship. • A good test: If a scholarship provider has altruistic intentions, as a legitimate scholarship provider should, they invest in you – not the other way around. • Protect (never share) personal information you shouldn’t, like your social security number. • Never pay to apply for a scholarship opportunity.
Being skeptical isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it can protect you. At the end of the day, if it seems way to good to be true, it probably is. Just make sure to do your research rather than to assume a scholarship is “too good to be true” simply because it’s a great opportunity. Those do exist. It’s a balance and you don’t want to miss out on college scholarships altogether. Instead, you just want to safeguard yourself against illegitimate scholarships and/or student scams. We have resources to help you gain a better understanding about scholarship scam red flags. Check out our information articles on the topic, such as:• Scholarship Scam Red Flags • Beware! Student Scams
Have more scholarship questions? Find answers to these frequently asked scholarship questions and more on Fastweb:• How Can I Qualify for a Scholarship?
• Can You Use Scholarship Money for Anything?
• What are the Requirements for a Scholarship?
