<p>Some of the scholarship I am applying for ask for SSN. I know these scholarship organizations are real, but I don't feel like sharing my SSN with so many organizations. So is there a specific reason they ask for this number? Why exactly do they need to know this information?</p>
<p>Bump…?</p>
<p>i always assumed it was to ensure your citizenship or something. idk lol maybe they have a way of checking youre an american citizen using your SS#? haha idk :)</p>
<p>I don’t know if that’s it… because I don’t have citizenship for US… and I still have social security number…
but I had to go through several steps to obtain it.</p>
<p>Tell them you would be happy to give them your SS# if they award you a scholarship. Otherwise, it is none of their business.</p>
<p>Often the SSN is used as a file number. You can imagine what a nightmare it is for their staff if there are 25 students named “boraxandglue” and 25 more named “borax&glue”, “thoraxandblue”, “glorax&blue”, etc. Your SSN belongs to you and only you. It can’t be re-used next year by a different person. It is a unique filing number for you for this year, next year, and as long as you would receive funding from these folks. (Not to mention that if you do receive funding, they will need it for their tax reporting.) Back in the last century, many colleges and universities used student’s SSN as their school ID numbers. And, only recently have some states finally stopped using them for Driver’s License numbers.</p>
<p>If you are worried about giving them your SSN now, contact them and ask them why they need it. If it is just to keep your files straight, ask if you can be assigned a filing number of their choice, and then USE that number every single time you communicate with them. If they need it to investigate your legal status in the US, or your financial history, you may not have an option about giving it to them.</p>
<p>I suppose some of them might be scams, just to get SS#s… so you should check them out. Have they awarded prizes in previous years?</p>
<p>IF they are LEGIT</p>
<p>and by LEGIT I mean they have a history and fame for giving scholarships then it shouldn’t be a problem…</p>
<p>I don’t think organizations like ROTARY international would be doing scams</p>
<p>but as other people say, it’s used mainly to file and ensure someone named John Smith is the correct John Smith in case he wins.</p>
<p>I don’t think scholarships organizations have the authorization to check every SSN and see your history</p>