Famous name, fake university: how to know if a college is real

Read this once, at advert speed

Standford University

Now read it again, slowly. There is a "d" that has no business being there.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​⁠

It is easy to miss. A skimming brain reads what it expects, and a name you half know arrives already trusted. A lookalike name is built for exactly that glance.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​⁠

Standford sits on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's list of institutions whose degrees are illegal to use in Texas, under a note that ends: "Not to be confused with the legitimate Stanford University in California."

Six more names, at advert speed

The Texas list has an unusual column: "Not to be confused with". Give each name below one glance. Would it make you trust the college? Then open it.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​⁠

University of Berkley

One letter short of the University of California, Berkeley, and identical when spoken.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​⁠

The official word: Texas gives its location as Pennsylvania, noting "No accreditation from THECB-recognized accreditor."

Oxford International University

The University of Oxford's city, with a grander word attached.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​⁠

The official word: Texas notes "No degree-granting authority from the United Kingdom. Not to be confused with the legitimate Oxford University in England."

Houston University of Texas

The University of Houston's words, reshuffled, with the state tacked on.

The official word: Texas notes "No accreditation from a CB recognized accreditor. No degree-granting authority from THECB."

Central State University (listed in Canada)

Shares a name with the genuine Central State University in Ohio, and "State" hints at public funding.

The official word: "Not a state-supported university as implied by the name. Not to be confused with the legitimate CSU in Wilberforce, Ohio."

United Nations University, Delhi

The real United Nations University's name, plus a city. UNU calls itself "A global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization headquartered in Japan".

The official word: India's University Grants Commission names "United Nations University, Delhi" on its state-wise list of Fake Universities.

West Coast University (listed in Panama)

Not an echo at all: an exact namesake of an accredited school.

The official word: "This name is used by multiple unaccredited entities." Texas adds: "Not to be confused with the accredited Health Sciences school by the same name in California and Texas."

Before you opened them, how many would you have trusted? Even one means a glance isn't enough. Notice what did the work: the famous part of the name. For West Coast, the whole name.

Each echo has its check:

Why a name can't clear a college, or condemn one

West Coast University is the one to remember. A name can match an accredited school letter for letter, so a perfect spelling proves nothing.

It cuts both ways. A college with a famous name can be perfectly genuine: Texas warns against confusing one entry with "the various legitimate institutions using the term 'Concordia.'" It also notes listed institutions "may be authorized in other states or countries".

So how do you know if a college is real? Only a register can settle it.

Some countries protect the words themselves. In England, the Office for Students says "the use of the word 'university' is protected in law and cannot be used without approval".

Why a UK address can count against a college

Under section 214 of the Education Reform Act 1988, it is an offence in England, Wales and Scotland to offer, as a business, a degree that could reasonably be taken for a UK institution's, unless it is a recognised award.

That is why a UK address is no badge of quality. If an unrecognised college puts one on its offer or certificate, the law presumes its degree could pass for a UK one, unless it took reasonable steps to say otherwise.

How to know if a college is real: read it slowly

1. Find the original first

Look up the famous original on its own country's register: the OfS Register for England, the lists linked from GOV.UK's guide for the rest of the UK, DAPIP for the US, TEQSA's National Register for Australia.

Anywhere else, use our four-lap check's country table. Note the original's exact name, town and web address.

2. Put the two side by side

Any difference in name, town or web address means you are dealing with someone other than the original: perhaps a genuine campus or partner, perhaps not. Step 3 decides which.

The opening name, read slowly:

Now read your own college slowly. Copy this card into your notes:

The advert says / The register says
Name: ______ / ______
Town: ______ / ______
Web address: ______ / ______
Who awards the degree: ______ / ______

The website X-ray flags lookalike web addresses.

3. Ask who awards the degree

This is where "campus", "partner" and "affiliate" claims live. GOV.UK puts it plainly for UK degrees: "Your degree might be awarded by a higher education institution that's different from the place you're studying."

Real partnerships exist; only the awarding university can confirm one.

The email to the famous university

When the college claims a link to the famous name, first search the university's own website for its list of partners (try "partners" or "collaborative provision").

Not there? Write to the university's registry or partnerships office, not admissions, with contact details from its own website:

Subject: Is [college name] one of your partners?

Hello. I have been offered a place on [programme] by [college name], at [its address or web address].

It says it is [a campus of / a partner of / affiliated with] your university, and that my degree would be awarded by you.

Could you confirm whether this arrangement exists, and the exact name and address of the partner you work with? Would students on this programme receive a degree from your university?

Thank you, [your name]

• A good reply comes from the university's own web domain and names the college and the programme.
• A warning reply is vague, comes from the college, or sends you back to the college's website. "Never heard of them" is a warning. No reply yet? Do not pay until you have one.

Private college? Find the name on the certificate

Some private colleges teach a famous university's degree; others only borrow its name. Whoever is printed on the certificate needs to be on a register.

Private doesn't mean doubtful, but it should never mean unlisted. To check if a private college is registered:

Teaching another university's degree? Then that university needs its own register entry. In England, the OfS says a college missing from its Register has neither university title nor the power to award degrees.

If the famous name was the bait

Could not find the college on its register? Do not pay a deposit.

Search the official warning lists too; is your college on the list? explains what a clean result can't tell you.

Already paid? Keep every receipt, then see what to do next.

Finally, look up the real university behind the name. It may run a part-time or online route of its own.

Skim the advert if you must. Read the register slowly.

Sources

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Fraudulent and Substandard Institutions, and its spreadsheet list
• University Grants Commission (India): Fake Universities, and its lists of universities
• United Nations University: About UNU
• Office for Students: University title, and the status of a university or a course
• Education Reform Act 1988, section 214: unrecognised degrees, and the UK address rule
• GOV.UK: Check if your university or college can award a degree: each UK nation's lists, and awarding bodies
• TEQSA: National Register of Higher Education Providers, kept under Part 11 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011

#FakeColleges #LookalikeNames #DiplomaMills #CheckBeforeYouEnrol