Information accurate as of 8th August 2021
Axie Infinity is growing, and with that, the number of scholarship requests and scholarship related posts have blown up increased.
In the words of the movie of the same name:
"There are good people in the world. There are bad people in the world. but also - and not to be underestimated - there are ugly people."
The Good
You can earn money from playing a game without needing to be a Pro. That about sums it up really.
In all seriousness, scholarships have been life changing for many, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic when many have lost their jobs and are stuck at home. The game has helped people put food on the table, purchase life saving medication, and (I love this the most) help the community around them, whether its through food banks, community markets etc. A wonderful mini-documentary also highlights the stories of many who were blessed with the opportunity to #PlaytoEarn. This video was also featured on National News in the Philippines and around the world, which also drew many people to the game and drove incredible parabolic growth. Its also helped me and my family financially, and introduced me to this INCREDIBLE community.
Absolutely wonderful managers and scholarship providers seeking to help scholars (Yield Guild Games, Lootsquad GG, etc. Special shoutout to The Lambda Clan who introduced me to Axie Infinity and granted me a scholarship!)
The Bad.
Hi manager, I want scholarship and can grind 24/7/365
Still hoping
Patiently waiting (if you have to write that maybe that's not so patient after all)
The hundreds of DMs. The copy and paste resumes on every post/tweet/vid of those even just mentioning Axie Infinity (not cool guys, not cool). The begging, guilt tripping, personal stories (whether real or fake is another matter). An astonishing amount of personal information is also being given in these posts, which is a MAJOR security risk (Please don't forget that the internet is forever guys!).
SLP slavery Unfair manager/player splits (some of them are frankly beyond ludicrous)
This was a FB post offering a RM0.10 per SLP, which at current prices, is about 15% to the scholar. The post is now (thankfully) gone.
The Ugly
The reports of scum of the earth coming out of the woodwork, seeking to sexually exploit aspiring scholars.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: If you encounter ANY sort of sexual harassment or exploitation, please report it in the 'Support Requests' channel of the Axie Infinity Discord. You can find the channel sandwiched between the International channel and the Voice Chat channel.
'Managers' who steal SLP from scholars who put in the work by ghosting them just before payout. If this has happened to you, you have been scammed and can email the team at hello@axieinfinity.com with any proof you may have (conversations with the manager etc.) Lay them out in a clear manner so that action can be taken.
Catfish who pretend to be aspiring scholars to multi-account and abuse the economy.
Scammers who steal the hard earned Axies and SLP of other players (please stay safe out there guys, I write about some tips on staying safe here and here).
A message to all of the above:
Where can I apply for a Scholarship?/ How can I get a scholarship?
There is an absolutely incredible effort by Coingecko to list down as many of the Axie Infinity scholarships they can find (and their profit sharing model, split and estimated earnings, all in all a fantastic list!). They also link the respective social media of the scholarship so that you can apply right at the side.
Such a wonderful list! Links are right here so that you can check out how to apply direct from the scholarship itself :)
There are also videos on tips on how to get a scholarship (such as here and here).
Right now most scholarships seem to open applications when they have the space for more scholars, which means that it is not guaranteed. HOWEVER, there is one scholarship that you can always apply for:
Bryce's Watch 2 Earn Twitch Streams:
Watch and interact with the Twitch streams to earn channel points. Redeeming enough channel points (currently 20K) guarantees you a scholarship with LootSquadGG.
What if I want to start my own Scholarship?
Wow! Congratulations! First of all, don't be a dick selfish person and do a fair split with your scholars (I recommend 70 for the scholar and 30 for the manager which is the standard that was set by the first scholarship providers). Don't forget that they are the ones putting in the time and effort to grind those Smooth Love Potions. Also you literally have a chance to positively impact someone (and their family). Be the change you want to see in the world, okay?
There are some excellent tips and guides already out there! A really great comprehensive one by BitPinas can be found here.
If you're a more visual person, DAVE vs AXIE has a great guide on setting up accounts (which is usually the most complicated part of starting scholarships here.
If you're just starting out, maybe first start off by giving scholarships to those that you know in real life first, so that you can get used to the intricacies of it (new QR codes, paying scholars etc.) and iron out any potential issues that may occur before adding on the complexity of providing a scholarship to someone who may not be fluent in the languages you speak.
No matter where you are in your Axie Infinity Journey, do be kind. Lets be the change that we want to see in the world and make Lunacia an incredible nation :)
Stay safe, and see you all in Lunacia!