In Sierra Leone today, many students are afraid to click or apply for scholarship links. Almost everybody has heard a story like: “den scam me… den take me money… the scholarship nor real.” Because of this, students now believe that every scholarship online is fake.
But the truth is simple:
👉 Not all scholarship links are scams.
👉 There are many real, free, and life-changing opportunities out there.
This blog post will help open your eyes and show you why the fear exists and why you should not allow it to stop you from applying for real opportunities.
Why Students Fear Scholarship Links
1. Too Many Scam Experiences
Let’s be honest: Sierra Leoneans have suffered from fake “agents” and fake websites. Scammers promise a scholarship, ask for “small registration fee,” and then disappear. Because of this:
- Students develop trust issues
- People warn each other to avoid all scholarship links
- Fear replaces opportunity
But this fear is based on past experiences, not on the true nature of real scholarships.
2. Lack of Knowledge About How Real Scholarships Work
Many students don’t know that:
- Real scholarships never ask for payment
- You don’t need an agent
- Most scholarship websites look simple, not fancy
- Legit scholarships come from universities, governments, or NGOs
Because students don’t understand the system, they assume everything online is dangerous.
3. Rumours and Social Media Fear
When one student gets scammed, the story spreads like wildfire on WhatsApp and Facebook:
“Bɔbɔ nor try am o, na scam!”
“If you click dat link, den go hack your phone!”
Fear spreads faster than the truth. So even when a real opportunity comes, people reject it.
4. Lack of Digital Confidence
Some students are not used to:
- Filling online forms
- Uploading documents
- Sending emails
- Checking website authenticity
So instead of learning, they avoid scholarship websites completely.
Why Students SHOULD NOT Fear Scholarship Links
1. Because Real Scholarships DO Exist
There are thousands of legit scholarships specifically for Africans and international students, including:
- Chevening
- Mastercard Foundation
- Commonwealth Scholarships
- DAAD (Germany)
- Erasmus Mundus
- Chinese Government Scholarships (CSC)
- African Development Bank Scholarships
These opportunities have changed lives—and they can change yours too.
2. Applying Is 100% Free
A real scholarship never asks you to pay:
❌ application fee
❌ processing fee
❌ “slot fee”
❌ “agent fee”
❌ “registration fee”
If someone asks you to pay, na scam straight!
This means there is no risk in trying.
The only thing you lose is a few minutes of your time.
3. Applying Helps You Learn New Skills
Even if you don’t win immediately, every application improves your:
- Writing skills
- Confidence
- CV quality
- Understanding of online forms
- Email communication
This is valuable for jobs, internships, and future opportunities.
4. Someone Must Win—Why Not You?
Every year, thousands of students—many from West Africa—win scholarships.
Some come from small schools.
Some come from villages.
Some didn’t even believe they could win.
But they applied.
Sometimes, serious opportunity dae hide na small link. You just need courage to click it.
How to Know a Scholarship Link Is Real
Here are quick checks:
✔️ 1. It is hosted on a university or government website
Example: .edu or .gov domains.
✔️ 2. They do NOT ask for money
Real scholarships are always free.
✔️ 3. They have official email addresses
No Gmail or Yahoo unless clearly connected to an organization.
✔️ 4. They ask for academic documents
Scammers rarely ask for transcripts or recommendation letters.
✔️ 5. You can find the scholarship on multiple trusted platforms
Like: afronics, afronicsblog, Scholarship for Africans, etc.
Final Advice: Don’t Let Fear Block Your Future
Fear is normal. But fear should not stop you from moving forward.
Thousands of Sierra Leonean students are missing life-changing chances every year simply because they are scared of online applications.
Truth is: if you never try, you will never win.
Scholarship is a numbers game—the more you apply, the higher your chances.
Or as we say in Krio:
“If you nor try, you nor go know.”
Conclusion
Yes, scams are real. But opportunity is also real.
The key is to learn how to identify fake links and apply boldly to the real ones.
Don’t let fear decide your future.
Let knowledge, courage, and hope guide you.
Join our Social media handles we will bring legit scholarship direct to you from reliable source:
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