Check if a scholarship or offer is real
Spot the warning signs and confirm an opportunity on the sponsor's own page.
Lessons are in English only for now. Español is not ready yet, so we do not offer it here.
What you will be able to do
By the end, you can check an opportunity on the sponsor's own page and spot the signs that it is not real.
About 5 minutes.
Learn
Never pay to apply for a scholarship or to hold an award. A real scholarship does not charge you to receive it.
Be careful with anyone who promises a result or says you are sure to win. Nobody can promise that.
Find the opportunity on the sponsor's own website. Check the deadline and the requirements there, and keep a copy of what you send.
A message that should make you stop
- "Congratulations! You won a $5,000 scholarship. Pay a $35 processing fee today to claim it."
- You never applied, it asks for money, and it says to act today. Those are three warning signs.
Practice
Skip and show the answer
It is a warning sign. Do not pay. Never pay to apply for a scholarship or to hold an award.
Now do it for real
Check an opportunity before I apply
- Find it on the sponsor's own website
- Check the deadline and requirements there
- Never pay a fee to apply or to hold an award
Takeaway
- Never pay to apply or to hold an award.
- Nobody can promise you will win.
- Check the sponsor's own website.
- Check the deadline and requirements there.
- Keep a copy of what you send.
From Do Not Lose Hope, donotlosehope.com. Lesson, version 1. Not a certificate.
Your progress
Not saved. Your progress stays in this browser tab.
Saved progress stays only in this browser. Anyone who uses this device can see it. Finishing a lesson is not a certificate.
Where this comes from
- Where to find scholarships that do not require citizenship (checked October 21, 2026)
- Warning signs of an immigration scam (checked October 21, 2026)
What changed in this lesson
- Version 1, October 26, 2026: First draft.