How to stop admissions fraud (AUS & NZ)

Philip Dupont • February 25, 2026

For admissions teams across Australia and New Zealand, the landscape of international student recruitment is constantly evolving. As universities strive to welcome genuine talent from around the globe, they face an increasingly complex challenge: the rise of advanced admissions fraud.

Understanding these complexities is not about casting doubt on international applicants. Rather, it is about ensuring a level playing field. By identifying and addressing fraudulent applications effectively, institutions can protect the integrity of their admissions process and ensure that genuine students, who have worked hard for their credentials, are not disadvantaged.

Drawing on data from 2024 and 2025, this article explores the shifting trends in admissions fraud and offers insights into how institutions can better verify student credentials.

The Shifting Landscape of Verification Trends

Data analysis reveals that the rates of application discrepancies are fluctuating significantly across major international markets.

For instance, verification data indicates that discrepancy rates for qualifications from China increased from 0.82% in 2024 to 5.57% in 2025. Similarly, rates in Vietnam rose from 3.73% to 6.1%, and Nigeria saw an increase from 12.88% to just under 15%.

However, trends are not uniform. In a positive development, fraud rates associated with applications from India have more than halved, dropping from 7.27% in 2024 to just over 3% in 2025.

What the data shows us – the most common types of advanced admissions fraud.

For admissions managers, staying ahead requires understanding that fraud is no longer limited to crudely forged certificates. “Advanced” admissions fraud often involves sophisticated methods that can bypass standard visual inspections.

Based on verification data, the most common categories affecting institutions can be broken down as follows:

1. Forged Documents (40.8%)

This remains the most prevalent issue. Historically, physical degrees with wax seals, embossing, or gold leaf provided a level of security. Today, admissions teams often rely on digital copies, which are vulnerable to manipulation. Modern software allows for the convincing alteration of names, dates, or results on these digital files. Without checking the primary source, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between a high-quality fake and a genuine digital scan.

2. No Student Records (34.1%)

This category involves applicants claiming to have studied at an institution where a direct check of the university’s records returns no evidence of their attendance. This goes beyond a lost file. It often indicates that the entire educational history at that institution has been fabricated. Verification in these instances often involves cross-referencing countrywide databases or direct student record systems which simply return no match for the applicant’s details.

3. Degree Not Issued (11%)

In these cases, verification confirms that while the student may have some record at the institution, the specific degree claimed was never officially awarded. This can occur when a student has attended the university but failed to meet the graduation requirements, yet presents a certificate claiming they have graduated.

4. Mismatched Data (5.5%)

This discrepancy arises when the details on the applicant’s documents do not align with the official records held by the university. This can range from discrepancies in dates of attendance and graduation years to inconsistencies in the spelling of names or dates of birth. While sometimes administrative, these mismatches can also indicate an attempt to alter a genuine document to fit a specific application profile.

5. Incomplete Studies (5.3%)

In these instances, an applicant may have completed part of a course, perhaps two or three years, but did not complete the final year or graduate. They then present documents claiming to have obtained the full degree to apply for postgraduate studies. The fraud here lies in misrepresenting the completion status rather than fabricating the attendance entirely.

6. Incorrect Grade (3.3%)

A growing challenge is “grade embellishment.” In these cases, the applicant has genuinely attended the university and graduated. However, they falsify the transcript to reflect higher marks or weighted averages to meet specific entry requirements. Because the student has a genuine record at the institution, a superficial check might confirm their attendance but miss the discrepancy in the grades themselves.

How does admissions fraud impact genuine international applicants?

The primary goal of robust verification is to support genuine applicants. High rates of fraud from a specific region can inadvertently lead to stricter scrutiny and higher visa refusal rates for all applicants from that area.

How does Qualification Check mitigate against admissions fraud?

As fraud techniques become more sophisticated, visual inspection of digital documents, regardless of the reviewer’s expertise, is becoming less reliable. The most effective way to mitigate these risks is through primary source verification.

Qualification Check assists universities worldwide by verifying credentials directly with the awarding body, rather than relying on the documents provided by the applicant. With access to over 55,000 sources in more than 195 countries, this method utilises official university databases and student record systems to confirm authenticity.

To support admissions teams, solutions such as Admissions Plus bundle essential checks to ensure compliance with national student migration rules. These include:

Academic qualification verification
Digital identity checks (to prevent impersonation)
Secure English language checks
Academic reference checks

By leveraging global infrastructure, including API integrations, automated official links, and in-country teams capable of physical verification when digital records are unavailable, universities can obtain written confirmation of authenticity directly from the source.

Conclusion

As we look toward the future of higher education in Australia and New Zealand, the integrity of the admissions process remains paramount. By understanding the nuances of advanced fraud and adopting robust verification strategies, institutions can navigate these challenges effectively. Ultimately, this transparency protects the reputation of the university and, most importantly, champions the success of genuine students.