This section is no longer in use, please click on the links below to view news and sport from:
Universities expel fraudsters
Oct 29 2004
By Shahid Naqvi, Birmingham Post
Midland universities are being targeted by fraudsters who falsify application forms to get foreign students on to courses in return for cash.
At least seven overseas students have already been expelled so far this term in the region after their applications were found to claim they had qualifications they did not possess.
Nationally 1,000 students have been caught during 2004 using false addresses, names and faked qualifications to get into prestigious British universities - twice the normal rate, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.
Yesterday, it was reported that an agent for Chinese students had claimed to have fixed places for hundreds of unqualified students over the past three years at universities including Birmingham.
Candidates were reported to be paying thousands of pounds to agents operating in China and Pakistan to cheat their way to a highly-prized UK university education.
Birmingham University last night said it had expelled one student, but admitted there could be others.
And Aston University revealed it had discovered six Chinese students with false applications at the start of term.
Aston's secretary-registrar David Packham said: "We discovered them during the registration period. They had actually got through but the checks we do proved to be successful.
"It is still a very small number but appears to be a growing problem."
Birmingham University warned candidates trying to con their way on to courses they would be caught.
Sue Primmer, communications director, said: "We are pretty confident our systems are robust.
"If you are found out you will be required to leave immediately. You are wasting your money."
Warwick University described people who tried to falsify qualifications to get in "idiots".
"There is a demand for British higher education around the world. It is one of the things we do well. In a sense it is the jewel in our crown," said Peter Dunn, head of communications.
"We occasionally get idiots who try to forge qualifications but 99 per cent of the time they are easy to spot."
