What a fake degree can cost

In Queensland, forging a document or uttering (using) a forged document with intent to defraud is a crime under section 488 of the Criminal Code.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌⁠

Giving the Department of Home Affairs bogus documents or false information can lead to visa refusal or cancellation, restrictions on future applications and prosecution.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌⁠

In 2023 the Brisbane District Court sentenced a woman who bought a fake QUT degree online and used it to work as an early childhood teacher to two years' jail, wholly suspended for four years, and ordered her to finish repaying her employer.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌⁠

In 2013 the County Court of Victoria jailed Gary Zhou for four years and seven months for a migration-fraud operation that supplied fake Australian university degrees and false English test results to visa applicants.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌⁠

Knowingly using a forged document as if it were genuine is a criminal offence in Canada.

Misrepresenting or withholding material facts in an immigration matter makes a person inadmissible to Canada for five years, during which they cannot apply for permanent residence.

In 2017 an Ontario man who bought a law degree online from an unaccredited 'University of Renfrew' and worked at a Toronto law office was convicted of two counts of fraud and one of uttering forged documents and sentenced to three years in prison.

Canada's Public Service Commission found that a candidate committed fraud by submitting bachelor's and master's degrees bought online; the appointment did not go ahead and for three years they must notify the Commission before accepting any federal public service job.

Buying or using forged or altered certificates or documents of state bodies, enterprises or public institutions is punishable under China's Public Security Administration Punishments Law.

Foreigners who obtain Chinese visas or residence permits by fraud face fines or detention, and serious violators can be deported and barred from entering China for 10 years.

In 2021 the Beijing Pinggu District People's Court ordered an executive who used a fake overseas degree and invented work history to repay 300,000 yuan in salary to his employer, and the ruling was upheld on appeal.

Under Hong Kong's Theft Ordinance, dishonestly obtaining services by deception is an offence, and it is the charge used in recent cases where students won university places with false degree certificates.

Making a false statement to an Immigration officer is an offence, and a student visa or residence status obtained by fraud is declared invalid, with the holder liable to removal to their place of origin.

In September 2026 a Mainland student who paid an agent RMB500,000 and used a false overseas university certificate to get a master's place and a study permit was jailed for two months by Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts.

In April 2026 Eastern Magistrates' Courts jailed a Mainland woman for four months for using a forged UCLA bachelor's degree to secure a University of Hong Kong master's place and a student visa.

Under India's Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, fraudulently or dishonestly using a document you know or have reason to believe is forged is punished as if you had forged it.

India's University Grants Commission says degrees from institutions not empowered under the UGC Act are neither recognised nor valid for higher education or employment, and it publishes a list of fake universities.

Under Indonesia's National Education System Law, anyone who uses a diploma, competency certificate or academic degree that is proven fake can be jailed or fined.

In July 2026 the Pelalawan District Court in Riau sentenced a local legislator to four years in prison for using a cancelled high-school equivalency (Paket C) diploma to register as a candidate in the 2019 and 2024 elections; he said he would appeal.

Counterfeiting a document certifying facts with another person's seal or signature, and uttering (using) such a document, are crimes under Japan's Penal Code.

Japan can revoke a foreign resident's status of residence if it was obtained by deception, including lying about their background, or by submitting false documents, and revocation for deception leads straight to deportation proceedings.

In 2023 Kuwait's Court of Cassation sentenced a former Kuwait Airways director to seven years in prison and a KD320,000 fine for using a falsified university certificate to win promotion.

In 2022 a Kuwaiti Ministry of Health employee was sentenced to seven years in prison with hard labour after the forged Egyptian university degree he used to get his job was discovered.

In 2022 a Kuwaiti criminal court sentenced a member of the ruling family to three years in prison and a KD150,000 fine, equal to the salary she had received, for forging a university degree to raise her pay.

In Malaysia, fraudulently or dishonestly using a document as genuine when you know or have reason to believe it is forged is punished as if you had forged it.

In 2023 a Kuantan Sessions Court fined a former private-college chief executive RM15,000, with 12 months' jail if unpaid, over a fake certificate and transcript issued in return for RM5,000, under section 471 of the Penal Code.

In 2018 the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission detained three suspected middlemen in a syndicate selling fake diploma and degree certificates for RM2,000 to RM16,000.

Oman's Ministry of Higher Education says certificates from outside Oman are not accepted for jobs unless it has attested them, and forged-certificate cases are referred to the Manpower and Civil Service ministries for action.

In 2012 the Royal Oman Police arrested a five-member gang in Muscat for forging and selling education certificates, medical test certificates and visas.

In the Philippines, a private individual who falsifies a document, or knowingly uses a falsified document to someone's damage, commits a crime under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code.

In 2017 a Doha Criminal Court sentenced a Jordanian man to three years in jail followed by deportation for counterfeiting PhD degree documents that he submitted for attestation at the Foreign Ministry.

In 2015 a Qatari criminal court sentenced a Yemeni woman in absentia to three years in jail, confiscation of the document and deportation for forging an academic degree using a counterfeit Foreign Ministry attestation stamp.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said foreigners found using or selling fake degrees will be jailed, then deported, and will not be allowed to re-enter the Kingdom.

In 2024 a court in Mecca sentenced an Arab expatriate to one year in prison and a fine for forging a civil engineering degree to obtain a professional licence, and ordered his deportation after the sentence.

A foreign worker who submits a statement or document about their qualifications to the Ministry of Manpower that they know, or ought reasonably to know, is false commits an offence.

Foreigners who submit fake qualifications have their work passes revoked and are permanently barred from working in Singapore; MOM said it barred an average of 660 foreigners a year for this over five years.

In 2021 two Indian nationals were jailed for one and four weeks for submitting false qualifications in work pass applications, after MOM investigated 23 foreigners who declared degrees from India's Manav Bharti University; 19 others were permanently barred.

In January 2020 a Filipino woman was sentenced in Singapore to seven weeks' jail for false statements in permanent residence applications, which included a diploma and transcript from a Manila university she never attended, according to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

In South Korea, counterfeiting another person's document certifying a fact in order to use it, and uttering (using) such a document, are crimes under the Criminal Act.

In 2008 a Seoul appeals court upheld an 18-month prison sentence for Shin Jeong-ah, who fabricated diplomas including a Yale PhD to become a university professor and Gwangju Biennale director (she was also convicted of embezzlement).

Forging, or putting into circulation, a certificate concerning a person's capacity or other qualification is a crime under Articles 212 and 216 of Taiwan's Criminal Code.

In 2024 the Keelung District Court sentenced a man to six months in prison for forging a Caltech master's degree certificate, which he used to get teaching jobs at four Taipei schools over two years.

Thai police say using a forged document is punished the same as forging it under the Criminal Code (Section 268 with Sections 264 and 265), with heavier penalties when the document is an official one.

In 2008 Thailand's Criminal Court convicted a contract teacher in Suphan Buri who used a fake degree under Sections 265 and 268, imposing two years' jail and a 20,000 baht fine suspended for four years, and the Teachers' Council revoked the teaching licence.

Dubai Police say forging an official document is punishable under Article 252 of the UAE Crimes and Penalties Law, and forging or knowingly using a forged copy of an official document under Article 253.

A Dubai court sentenced an employee and his accomplices to six months in jail followed by deportation for forging a university certificate so he could be promoted from clerk to general manager, and the appeal court upheld the verdict.

In September 2026 the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said courts had handed down prison terms of up to three years and fines of up to Dh30,000 in forged academic qualification cases.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, dishonestly making a false representation, such as claiming a degree you do not have, to make a gain or cause a loss is the crime of fraud.

UK visa applications must be refused where the applicant used deception, including false documents, and anyone found to have used deception faces a 10-year period in which further entry applications must be refused.

In July 2026 Maidstone Crown Court jailed Amran Hussain for four years after he falsely claimed MSc degrees from Oxford and Birkbeck (supplying a certificate for one) to obtain 13 NHS jobs, costing the NHS £168,072.

In January 2020 Oxford Crown Court gave Peter Knight, a former hospital trust director who got his job by falsely stating he had a degree, a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years plus 200 hours of unpaid work.

In Texas it is a crime to use or claim a degree you know is fraudulent, substandard, fictitious or revoked to get a job, licence, promotion, pay rise, school place or government post, or to promote a business.

In Oregon you may not claim an academic degree unless it was awarded by an accredited or state-approved school, and the disclaimer allowed for some unaccredited schools can never be used for a diploma-mill degree.

In Washington State it is a crime to knowingly use a false academic credential, or falsely claim an accredited one, to get a job, licence, promotion, school place or government post, or to promote a business.

Under federal law, knowingly making a materially false statement or using a false document in any matter within the jurisdiction of the US government, such as paperwork given to a federal agency, is a crime.

In 2023 the Ben Tre Provincial People's Court jailed a health-station chief for five years and three months for making and using forged documents after he bought 61 fake degrees and certificates for 48 people, and the 25 defendants who only used them received 9 months to 2 years of non-custodial reform.