Is Scholarship Owl Legit?

Scholarship Owl is an online platform designed to help students streamline the process of finding and applying for scholarships. Since its launch in 2015, the platform has aimed to simplify the scholarship application process by allowing users to complete a single profile that is then matched with multiple scholarships. With more than $200 billion in scholarships awarded annually in the U.S. alone, services like Scholarship Owl have grown increasingly popular as students look for easier ways to access financial aid for higher education. However, with numerous similar services available, the question arises: 

Is Scholarship Owl legit? 

In this review, we will explore Scholarship Owl’s business model, user feedback, transparency, and overall trustworthiness to help you make an informed decision about using the platform for your scholarship search.

What is Scholarship Owl?

Scholarship Owl is an online platform designed to help students find and apply for scholarships more efficiently. Launched in 2015, the service streamlines the scholarship application process by allowing students to fill out one comprehensive profile. Once the profile is complete, Scholarship Owl matches users with relevant scholarship opportunities based on their personal information, such as academic background, interests, and goals.

Key Features of Scholarship Owl

• Personalized Matching: After filling out a detailed profile, students are automatically matched with scholarships that align with their qualifications.
• Time-Saving Application Process: Instead of filling out multiple applications for different scholarships, students can apply to several scholarships using a single application form through Scholarship Owl.
• Deadline Alerts: The platform provides reminders about scholarship deadlines, ensuring that students never miss an opportunity.
• Scholarship Tracking: Users can track their applications and manage their progress through the platform’s dashboard.

Business Model

Free and Paid Options: While the platform offers a free service, students can also subscribe to a premium membership that unlocks additional features such as unlimited scholarship applications and personalized essay assistance. The premium version costs around $10 per month.

How Does Scholarship Owl Work?

Scholarship Owl operates as an online platform designed to simplify the process of finding and applying for scholarships. The platform centralizes scholarship applications and allows students to apply to multiple opportunities with a single profile. 

A step-by-step breakdown of how Scholarship Owl works is added below:

Creating a Profile

The first step for users is to create a profile on Scholarship Owl. This profile includes essential information like:

• Personal details (name, contact information)
• Academic background (GPA, school, field of study)
• Extracurricular activities (sports, volunteer work)
• Demographic information (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)

This information helps Scholarship Owl match users with the most relevant scholarships based on their qualifications and preferences.

Scholarship Matching

Once the profile is completed, the platform uses the data provided by the student to automatically match them with scholarships that align with their personal qualifications. This personalized matching feature ensures that students aren’t wasting time applying for scholarships they aren’t eligible for.

The platform connects students with thousands of scholarship opportunities from various sources like universities, private organizations, foundations, and government programs.

Scholarship Application

After receiving scholarship matches, students can choose to apply directly through Scholarship Owl. The platform provides an easy-to-use interface that allows students to:

• Apply for multiple scholarships at once using a single application.
• Fill out one application form, which is used for multiple scholarship applications, saving time and effort.

While Scholarship Owl aims to streamline the process, students may still need to answer specific questions or provide additional documentation for certain scholarships.

Premium Features

While Scholarship Owl offers a free version, students can opt for a premium membership to unlock more features, such as:

• Unlimited applications: The free version may have restrictions on the number of applications, while the premium version allows students to apply to unlimited scholarships.
• Essay Assistance: Premium members often receive guidance or feedback on their scholarship essays to improve their chances of winning.
• Priority Customer Support: Premium subscribers may get access to quicker support if they face issues or have questions about their applications.

Tracking Applications and Deadlines

One of the key features of Scholarship Owl is its tracking system. Students can track the status of their applications, check upcoming deadlines, and stay organized throughout the scholarship process.

• Deadline Alerts: The platform sends students timely notifications about upcoming deadlines, ensuring they never miss an application window.
• Progress Monitoring: Students can view the status of their applications (whether they’ve been submitted, under review, etc.).

Payment for Premium Membership

While the platform offers basic services for free, students can unlock additional tools and benefits by subscribing to a premium membership, which costs around $10 per month. This includes:

• Unlimited access to scholarship applications
• Enhanced tracking and matching
• Essay feedback and writing tips

Is Scholarship Owl Legit?

Scholarship Owl is an online platform designed to streamline the process of finding and applying for scholarships. It has gained attention due to its promises of saving time and increasing the chances of winning scholarships by allowing students to apply for multiple opportunities using a single application. But, with the growing number of similar online services, many students wonder if Scholarship Owl is a legitimate and trustworthy platform.

Company Overview and Business Model

Scholarship Owl was founded in 2015 and operates primarily as an online scholarship search engine. The platform allows users to create a single profile with personal and academic information, which is then used to match students with relevant scholarships. Once matched, users can apply to multiple scholarships with one application form, which is designed to save time and improve efficiency.

How Scholarship Owl Makes Money

• Free vs. Paid Services: Scholarship Owl offers both free and premium services. While the free version allows access to basic features, students must subscribe to the premium service to unlock additional tools such as unlimited scholarship applications, essay assistance, and more.
• Subscription Fee: The premium subscription costs around $10 per month, giving users access to advanced features. The free version, while limited, still provides some level of scholarship matching and application services.

Transparency and Pricing Structure

One of the key factors in evaluating a platform’s legitimacy is pricing transparency.

Clear Pricing Model

• Upfront Fees: Scholarship Owl is clear about its premium subscription cost, and users are aware of the fee structure from the beginning. The free version is limited, but the premium service is priced at approximately $10 per month, and students are not subject to hidden or surprise charges.
• No Hidden Costs: The platform does not charge additional fees for applying to scholarships. Users pay for the premium membership, which unlocks extra features, but the core scholarship search and application process remains free.

Refund and Cancellation

Cancellation Policy: If students are unsatisfied with the service, they can cancel the premium membership. However, users should ensure they cancel before the next billing cycle to avoid recurring charges.

Data Privacy and Security

Scholarship Owl collects personal information to match students with relevant scholarships. As with any platform that handles sensitive data, it’s important to evaluate the site’s security and privacy practices.

• Secure Payments: Scholarship Owl uses secure payment methods such as credit/debit cards and PayPal to process transactions, ensuring a safe payment experience.
• SSL Encryption: The website employs SSL encryption, which protects users' personal and financial data during the application and payment process.
• Privacy Policy: Scholarship Owl’s privacy policy is clearly outlined, detailing how personal data is used and protected. However, students should review this policy carefully to ensure they are comfortable with how their information is handled.

Comparison with Other Scholarship Platforms

When compared to other scholarship platforms like Fastweb or Scholarships.com, Scholarship Owl offers a unique approach by allowing students to apply to multiple scholarships with a single application. However, many free platforms provide similar services, and some students find the additional premium features of Scholarship Owl insufficient to justify the ongoing cost.

Free Alternatives: Other scholarship websites, such as Fastweb and Scholarships.com, offer free access to scholarship opportunities without requiring a premium membership. While Scholarship Owl offers some unique features, users should carefully assess whether the premium subscription offers enough value to justify the cost.

Overall Legitimacy

Scholarship Owl is a legitimate platform that provides a valuable service to students looking to apply for multiple scholarships. The company’s business model is transparent, and the pricing for the premium subscription is clearly outlined. While most users appreciate the time-saving and convenient features, the premium membership does not always meet the expectations of every customer, especially when similar services are available for free elsewhere.

The platform’s data security practices are in line with industry standards, and customer feedback is generally positive, with occasional concerns about the premium costs and limited free features. Ultimately, Scholarship Owl is a reliable tool for scholarship seekers, but users should carefully evaluate whether the premium version fits their needs before subscribing.

Scholarship Owl Customer Feedback and Reviews

Scholarship Owl is an online platform designed to streamline the scholarship search and application process for students. To assess its credibility and user satisfaction, we examined recent customer feedback and reviews from Trustpilot.

Trustpilot Rating

As of January 2025, Scholarship Owl holds an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, based on over 1,000 reviews. This high rating indicates a generally positive customer experience.

Positive Feedback

• Time-Saving: Many users appreciate the platform's ability to save time by allowing them to apply for multiple scholarships with a single application. 

One reviewer mentioned, "I have already applied for 13 scholarships through the website, so it was only fair they keep $20.

• Ease of Use: The user-friendly interface and efficient matching system are frequently highlighted. 

A customer shared, "ScholarshipOwl has been a great help in finding scholarships that fit my profile. I recommend it to anyone looking for scholarships!"

Negative Feedback

• Premium Service Value: Some users feel that the premium membership does not offer enough additional value to justify the monthly cost. 

One user noted, "I was able to find scholarships that I never would have found on my own. It saved me so much time and effort."

• Limited Free Features: The free version of Scholarship Owl has been criticized for being too limited. A reviewer mentioned,

"The platform's user-friendly interface and efficient matching system are frequently highlighted by satisfied users who find the scholarship search process more manageable and less overwhelming.”

Conclusion: Is Scholarship Owl Legit?

Scholarship Owl is a legitimate platform designed to simplify the scholarship application process by helping students apply for multiple scholarships using a single profile. With an average rating of 4.5 stars on Trustpilot based on hundreds of user reviews, it’s clear that the platform is generally well-regarded for its ability to save time and streamline the application process.

While the free version provides basic services, the premium membership offers additional features such as unlimited applications and personalized scholarship matches. However, some users feel that the premium service does not offer enough value to justify the cost, especially given the availability of free scholarship search tools elsewhere.

Overall, Scholarship Owl is a trustworthy and legitimate service for students looking to find and apply for scholarships, but potential users should carefully consider whether the premium features meet their needs before subscribing. Always review the terms of service and customer feedback to ensure the platform aligns with your expectations and goals.