Fake Scholarship Application Fee Scams on Facebook
How fake scholarship programs advertise through Facebook posts and groups, charging students an application or processing fee for awards that were never real.
Part of: Fake Scholarship Application Fee Scam
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026
Facebook groups for students, parents, and school communities are a common place for genuine scholarship opportunities to be shared, which makes them equally attractive to scammers running fake scholarship programs. A post or ad describes an exclusive scholarship with a generous award amount and a simple application, but requires an application, processing, or 'guarantee' fee before the student can be considered.
Facebook's group and page structure lets a fake scholarship post spread quickly through shares by well-meaning parents and school staff who assume something posted in a trusted community group has already been vetted. Because the fee is often kept small, tens rather than hundreds of dollars, it can seem like a reasonable cost of applying rather than a warning sign, even though genuine scholarships essentially never charge students to apply.
How this scam works on Facebook
A Facebook post or ad describes a scholarship program with an appealing award amount, minimal eligibility requirements, and a link to an application form requesting a processing or administration fee before submission is accepted. The post may be shared into school parent groups or community pages, gaining credibility from repeated shares rather than any actual verification of the scholarship's existence. After payment, students either hear nothing further, receive a generic rejection, or are told they 'almost won' and offered a second paid opportunity to improve their chances. Legitimate scholarships, whether from a school, a nonprofit, or an established foundation, do not charge students an application fee.
Common red flags
- A scholarship post or ad requires an application, processing, or 'guarantee' fee before consideration
- The scholarship appeared in a Facebook group or page with no link to a verifiable, established organization
- Eligibility requirements are vague or extremely broad compared to real scholarships in the same field
- The post has been shared many times but the underlying organization cannot be independently verified
- You are told you 'almost won' and offered a second paid step to improve your chances
- The application asks for banking details upfront, before any award has been confirmed
How to protect yourself
- Never pay a fee to apply for a scholarship, legitimate ones do not charge students to apply
- Verify the sponsoring organization independently through its own official website, not just the Facebook post
- Check the scholarship against your school's guidance office or an established scholarship database
- Be skeptical of scholarships with vague eligibility criteria and unusually easy application steps
- Search the scholarship's exact name along with 'scam' or 'complaint' before applying
- Report suspicious scholarship posts to the Facebook group's administrators so others are warned
How to report it
- Report the post or page to Facebook using its in-app reporting tools
- Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Notify your school's guidance counselor or financial aid office so they can warn other students
- Dispute any charge with your card issuer if a fee was already paid
Frequently asked questions
Do any legitimate scholarships ever charge an application fee?
Essentially no, established scholarships from schools, nonprofits, and foundations do not charge students to apply. Treat any required fee as a strong sign the scholarship is not genuine.
How can I verify a scholarship I saw shared in a Facebook group?
Look up the sponsoring organization independently through its own official website and check with your school's guidance office or financial aid office, since a post being shared widely in a group is not proof of legitimacy.
I paid a fee and never heard back, what should I do?
Dispute the charge with your card issuer as soon as possible and report the scholarship to the FTC. Recovery may depend on the payment method used and how quickly you report it.
Why do these scams keep the fee amount small?
A smaller fee feels like a reasonable cost of applying rather than a clear warning sign, making students and parents less likely to question it before paying, even though genuine scholarships do not charge at all.
Is a scholarship real just because a school parent group shared it?
No, group members typically share posts in good faith without verifying the underlying organization. Confirm independently through the sponsoring organization's own official website before applying or paying anything.