Last updated: 10 October 2026 · Applies to every scholarship, in any country
Every scholarship season, thousands of young Nigerians and Ghanaians lose money to people selling “guaranteed” scholarships, fake admission letters and “processing fees” for awards that do not exist. The scammers are clever. They copy real logos, use real scholarship names like Chevening or Erasmus Mundus, and create fake urgency so you pay before you think.
This guide shows you the 12 red flags that give scammers away, what the real scholarship bodies officially say about fees, a sample scam message with every trick marked, a simple way to check any offer in ten minutes, and exactly where to report in Nigeria and Ghana. Read it once, and share it with your younger ones.
The one rule to rememberReal scholarships do not sell places. If anyone asks you to pay money to “secure”, “process”, “release” or “guarantee” a scholarship, stop. Check the official website yourself before you do anything else.
In this guide
What real scholarship bodies officially say
Do not take our word for it. Here is what official bodies say, checked on 10 October 2026:
| Official source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (UK) | “The CSC does not charge to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships.” |
| European Commission (EACEA), Erasmus+ | It has been informed of “numerous attempted frauds”, and warns: be wary of messages asking you to pay a fee to be selected; “EU scholarships are not granted for a fee.” |
| Mastercard Foundation | The Foundation “never solicits funding, issues credit cards, or requests payments from individuals.” Note: some partner universities charge an admission fee, which they refund if you are selected. |
| Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary) | Tells applicants not to apply through agencies unknown to the host universities. Applying is free. |
| UK Home Office (visas) | It “will never ask for payment by email, at a visa application centre or into a personal bank account.” Real UK government websites end in “.gov.uk”, and a request to reply to a free email account such as Gmail is a warning sign. |
| US Federal Trade Commission | Lists warning phrases such as “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back”, “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship” and “We’ll do all the work. You just pay a processing fee.” |
| British Council Nigeria | Warns about fake offers that pressure you to pay upfront or respond quickly, and messages from Gmail or Yahoo addresses instead of an official domain. |
12 red flags of a scholarship scam
- They ask you to pay to apply, to be selected or to “process” your award. The real Commonwealth, Erasmus Mundus and Stipendium Hungaricum programmes are free to apply.
- They guarantee you will win. No honest person can guarantee a competitive scholarship.
- You “won” a scholarship you never applied for.
- They ask for your bank details, card number, BVN or ATM PIN “to pay your stipend” or “to hold your place”.
- The email comes from Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook, not from the scholarship’s official domain (for example @chevening.org, @fcdo.gov.uk, @daad.de).
- They rush you. “Pay within 24 hours or you lose your slot.” Real programmes publish deadlines months in advance.
- They want payment into a personal account, mobile money number or crypto wallet.
- The website is not the official one: a strange domain, a Facebook page or a free website builder, instead of the university or government site.
- They claim “insider” or “direct” access to the selection committee or the embassy.
- The offer letter has errors: wrong logos, bad grammar, wrong university name, no reference number, or a programme that does not exist on the university’s website.
- They ask you to keep it secret or not to contact the university or embassy directly.
- The amounts look too good: “$5,000 monthly stipend plus free flight for your family” when the official page says something very different.
De Auditor’s tip
Before you pay anybody for anything connected to a scholarship, close the message, open Google yourself, and go to the official website of the scholarship or university. If the offer is not there, it does not exist. You can also check our Scholarship Calendar for genuine, up-to-date scholarships.
A sample scam message, explained
Here is a typical scam message, the kind that circulates on WhatsApp and email. It is invented, but it uses the real tricks we see every season.
From: UK Scholarship Board <ukscholarshipboard.office@gmail.com>
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have been selected for the 2027 UK Government Fully Funded Scholarship worth £45,000 including monthly stipend of £3,500, free flight and visa for you and your family.
To secure your slot, pay a refundable processing fee of ₦150,000 into our Lagos office account (Access Bank, account name: Grace O.) within 24 hours. Send your passport data page, BVN and ATM card details for stipend setup.
Do not discuss this offer with anyone until your visa is approved. Slots are limited.
Dr. James Wilson, Scholarship Director
| What it says | Why it is a scam |
|---|---|
| Sent from a Gmail address | Real UK government and scholarship emails come from official domains. The UK Home Office says a request to reply to a free email account is a warning sign. |
| “You have been selected” without applying | You cannot win a scholarship you never applied for. |
| £3,500 a month for you and your family | Real UK scholarships pay much less and usually do not fund family. For example, the Commonwealth Master’s stipend is £1,712 a month (£2,000 in London). |
| “Refundable processing fee” of ₦150,000 (about GH₵1,330) | Real programmes do not charge to apply or to be selected. |
| Payment into a personal account | The UK Home Office says it never asks for payment into a personal bank account. |
| BVN and ATM card details | No scholarship needs your BVN, card number or PIN to pay a stipend. |
| “Within 24 hours” and “do not discuss” | Urgency and secrecy are classic pressure tactics. |
The most common tricks in Nigeria and Ghana
1. The “agent” who guarantees admission and scholarship
Some agents charge hundreds of thousands of naira or thousands of cedis and promise a “sure” scholarship. Real scholarships such as Chevening, Commonwealth, DAAD and Erasmus Mundus are decided by their own panels. No agent can buy you a place. Some genuine education agents help with university admission, but none can guarantee a competitive scholarship.
2. The fake portal
Scammers build websites that look like a real scholarship page, sometimes with a similar name. They collect “application fees” and your personal data. Always reach the portal from the official website, never from a link someone sent you.
3. The visa or “clearance” fee
After a fake award, they ask for money for “visa processing”, “embassy clearance” or “travel insurance”. Real visa fees are paid only on official government systems, never to an individual.
4. The paid WhatsApp or Telegram group
Groups that charge you to receive “hidden” scholarship lists. Everything genuine is published free on official websites. Our own Telegram channel is free, and we always link to the official source.
5. Impersonating a real person
Scammers use the names of real embassy staff, lecturers or scholarship officers. If someone claims to be from an embassy or scholarship body, find the official contact on the official website and confirm.
How to check any offer in 10 minutes
- Find the official website yourself. Search for the scholarship name, and open the page on the provider’s own domain (university, government or foundation). Do not use links from the message.
- Check the facts. Is the scholarship real? Is it open now? Are you eligible? Do the amounts match?
- Check the sender. Does the email come from the official domain? Is the phone number on the official contact page?
- Look for any fee. If the official page says applying is free and someone is charging you, that is your answer.
- Ask the provider directly. Use the email address on the official website to ask, “Did you send this?”
- Search the exact wording of the message online, with the word “scam”. Many scams have already been reported.
We apply this same method to every scholarship we publish. You can read how in our Editorial and Corrections Policy.
Where to report a scholarship scam
| Where you are | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) e-reporting portal: nccc.npf.gov.ng. The EFCC also publishes scam alerts and reporting channels on its official website. |
| Ghana | The Cyber Security Authority: call or SMS 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, email report@csa.gov.gh, or use the online incident form. |
| UK visa or UK government scams | Report through the UK government’s visa and immigration scams page. |
| Chevening | Chevening’s anti-fraud policy gives HOPM@chevening.org for reporting fraud. See also its online safety advice. |
| British Council | fraud@britishcouncil.org (British Council Nigeria warning). |
What to do if you already paid
- Stop all contact and do not send any more money, even if they promise a refund.
- Call your bank immediately if you shared card details, BVN or PIN. Block the card and ask about reversing the transfer.
- Change your passwords, especially your email, if you shared login details.
- Keep all evidence: screenshots, account numbers, phone numbers, emails, receipts.
- Report to the authorities listed above, and to the real scholarship body whose name was used.
- Warn others in your groups, without sharing your personal details.
De Auditor’s note
James Christian Unya, founder of Scholarship Auditor
My people, I wan beg una one thing: if anybody tell you say “pay small money make we secure your scholarship”, run. I don see too many brilliant boys and girls wey lose their hard-earned money because dem dey rush. Real scholarship no dey sell slot. Chevening no dey sell, Commonwealth no dey sell, Erasmus no dey sell.
Before you pay anybody one kobo or one pesewa, go the official website by yourself, no click their link. And if you don already fall mugu, no shame am; report am quick quick to your country authority, for Nigeria, report to EFCC, so dem go catch them and bring them to justice before another person become their victim.
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Related guides: Scholarship calendar 2026–2027 · Chevening Scholarship 2027/28 · Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027/28
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Frequently asked questions
Do real scholarships charge application fees?
The big international scholarships, such as Chevening, Commonwealth, Erasmus Mundus and Stipendium Hungaricum, are free to apply. Some universities charge their own admission application fee. That fee is paid on the university’s official portal, never to an individual or agent.
How do I know if a scholarship email is fake?
Check the sender’s address. Real emails come from the provider’s official domain, not Gmail or Yahoo. Then check the offer on the official website yourself, and never pay or share bank details because of an email.
Can an agent get me a fully funded scholarship?
No agent can guarantee a competitive scholarship. Selection is done by the scholarship’s own panel. You can apply directly and for free.
Is it a scam if they ask for my BVN or ATM card details?
Yes. No scholarship needs your BVN, card number or PIN. Stop contact and call your bank.
Where do I report a scholarship scam in Nigeria?
Use the Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Centre portal (nccc.npf.gov.ng) and check the EFCC’s official channels. Also tell the real scholarship body whose name was used.
Where do I report a scholarship scam in Ghana?
The Cyber Security Authority: call or SMS 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, or email report@csa.gov.gh.
Sources and verification
Official statements in this guide were checked on 10 October 2026: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, European Commission EACEA, Mastercard Foundation FAQ, Stipendium Hungaricum, UK Home Office (frauds, tricks and scams), US Federal Trade Commission, British Council Nigeria, Chevening anti-fraud policy, NPF National Cybercrime Centre, EFCC and the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana. The sample scam message is invented for teaching. Naira to cedi conversion at about ₦113 to GH₵1 (9 October 2026).
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Yes, It is me. I’m the De Auditor
James, known as the De Auditor, is the founder and editor of Scholarship Auditor and the Founder and Group CEO of De Auditor Group Ltd, based in Benin City, Nigeria. He checks every scholarship against the provider’s official website before it is published, and corrects posts when providers change their rules. Contact: info@scholarshipauditor.com