School News runs community spaces across several platforms, including our Facebook group, WhatsApp channel and LinkedIn page. These spaces exist to help people discover international opportunities, share experiences, ask questions and support each other on their journeys to study or work abroad.
To keep these spaces useful and welcoming for everyone, we ask all members to follow the guidelines below. They apply across all our community platforms.
Be respectful
Our community includes people from over 100 countries, speaking different languages, at different stages of their journeys and with different levels of experience. Treat everyone with respect, even when you disagree.
Personal attacks, insults, name-calling, bullying and harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes targeting someone based on their nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, language, disability or any other personal characteristic.
If you disagree with someone, respond to their point, not their person.
Keep it relevant
Our community spaces are focused on international opportunities including scholarships, study abroad, work abroad, fellowships, grants, internships, courses and related topics. Posts and discussions should stay within this scope.
Off-topic content, including political debates, religious discussions, unrelated news and personal matters not connected to education or career opportunities, may be removed to keep the space focused and useful for everyone.
Share accurate information
If you share an opportunity, deadline, tip or piece of advice, make sure it is accurate and ideally backed by a source. Sharing incorrect or outdated information, even with good intentions, can lead someone down the wrong path.
If you are unsure about something, frame it as a question rather than a statement. And if someone corrects you, take it in good faith. We are all here to learn.
No spam or self-promotion
Our community spaces are not advertising platforms. The following are not permitted:
Posting links to your own website, YouTube channel, blog or social media for the purpose of driving traffic or gaining followers.
Promoting paid services such as visa assistance, application writing, admission consultancy or coaching without prior approval from the admin team.
Posting affiliate links or referral codes.
Repeatedly posting the same content, link or message.
Sending unsolicited direct messages to other members for the purpose of selling products or services.
If you offer a service that is genuinely relevant to the community and you would like to share it, contact the admin team first. We are open to it when done properly, but self-promotion without approval will be removed.
No misleading or fraudulent content
Do not post opportunities, links or information that is fraudulent, misleading or designed to deceive. This includes:
Fake scholarship listings or fabricated deadlines. Phishing links or links to unsafe websites. Pyramid schemes, get-rich-quick promotions or scam recruitment posts. Impersonation of universities, embassies, programme providers or public figures.
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. We remove this type of content immediately and ban the accounts responsible.
Protect your own privacy and the privacy of others
Do not share other people’s personal information in public posts or comments without their consent. This includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, application details, admission letters or any other private information.
Be mindful of your own privacy as well. If you need to share sensitive details, do so in private messages rather than in public threads.
No buying, selling or trading
Our community spaces are not marketplaces. Posting items for sale, offering to buy documents, admission letters or visa slots, or trading any goods or services is not permitted.
Ask questions freely
There are no stupid questions. If you are new to the process of applying for scholarships, navigating visa applications or planning a move abroad, ask away. Our community is at its best when experienced members help newcomers and knowledge is shared freely.
That said, before posting a question, check whether it has already been answered. Many common questions are covered in our published guides on School News, and a quick search in the group may save you time.
Report problems
If you see a post that breaks these guidelines, a scam, harassment, spam or anything else that does not belong, report it to the admin team rather than engaging with it publicly. On Facebook, use the report function. On WhatsApp, send a message to the channel admin. On LinkedIn, flag the post or comment.
We review reports as quickly as we can and appreciate members who help us keep these spaces safe.
How we moderate
Our admin team reviews posts and comments regularly. We also rely on community reports to catch issues we may miss. When a post or comment violates these guidelines, we may take one or more of the following actions:
Remove the content without notice. Issue a warning to the member. Temporarily mute or suspend the member. Permanently ban the member from the community.
The action taken depends on the severity of the violation and whether the member has a history of previous breaches. Serious violations such as scams, harassment or fraudulent content result in immediate bans without warning.
A note on admin decisions
Moderation decisions are made at the discretion of the School News admin team. We do our best to be fair and consistent, but we are not obligated to explain or justify every individual moderation action. If you believe a decision was made in error, you are welcome to contact us at [contact@schoolnews.info] and we will review it.
Changes to these guidelines
We may update these guidelines from time to time as our community grows and evolves. Changes will be communicated through our community platforms and published on this page.
Thank you
Our community works because its members show up with good intentions. The vast majority of interactions in our spaces are helpful, generous and respectful. These guidelines exist to protect that culture and to make sure everyone feels welcome, whether they joined yesterday or have been with us from the start.
If you have suggestions for improving our community or these guidelines, we are always happy to hear them at [contact@schoolnews.info].