The Advanced Level results for ZIMSEC were released last Friday. Many parents and students are rejoicing in their well-deserved accomplishments. The majority of those kids will be or are already seeking university or college admissions positions. The reality is that university tuition is pretty costly. Before you include extra expenses like food and lodging, the typical tuition for a state institution in Zimbabwe is roughly US$600 each semester. Private universities, such as Africa University, typically charge twice what state universities do.

With the current circumstances in Zimbabwe, many students would be eager to leave and gain admission to international colleges. Fees in South Africa, a popular option, typically range between US$3 000 and US$4 000 every semester. Again, food and lodging are not included. Tuition at colleges in industrialised countries can cost tens of thousands of dollars. As a result, most Zimbabweans seek scholarships.

Scholarships are a terrific method for students to help pay for their education, but there are many bogus scholarships and frauds out there. These fraudulent scholarships might be difficult to detect, but there are a few warning indications that can help you avoid them. We’ll go through some of the most typical indicators of a phoney scholarship and how to avoid them in this post.

  1. Requiring payment upfront: A legitimate scholarship will never require you to pay money upfront. If a scholarship is asking for payment, it’s likely a scam.
  2. Requesting personal information: Legitimate scholarships will not ask for your personal information, such as your ID number or bank account information until you have been awarded the scholarship. If a scholarship is asking for this information upfront, it’s a red flag.
  3. Guaranteed acceptance: No legitimate scholarship program can guarantee acceptance. If a scholarship is promising you will be accepted without an application, it’s likely a scam.
  4. High-pressure sales tactics: A legitimate scholarship program will never use high-pressure sales tactics to try and convince you to apply. If a scholarship is pressuring you to apply or sign up, it’s likely a scam.
  5. No clear criteria or requirements: Legitimate scholarships will have clear criteria and requirements for applicants, such as a certain number of Advanced Level passes or fields of study for example medicine. If a scholarship doesn’t have clear criteria or requirements, it’s likely a scam.
  6. No information on the organization or sponsor: Legitimate scholarships will have information available on the organization or sponsor offering the scholarship. If a scholarship doesn’t have any information on the organization or sponsor, it’s likely a scam.
  7. No contact information: Legitimate scholarships will have contact information available, such as a phone number or email address, for applicants to get in touch with the organization or sponsor. If a scholarship doesn’t have any contact information, it’s likely a scam.
  8. No deadline for applications: Legitimate scholarships will have a deadline for applications. If a scholarship doesn’t have a deadline, it’s likely a scam.

To prevent falling victim to false scholarships and scams, thoroughly investigate any scholarship for which you wish to apply. Look for information on the organisation or sponsor, clear criteria and requirements, and be sceptical of any scholarships that seek cash or personal information upfront.