Recently, news broke that the UK government had shut down 32 fake universities and was investigating 30 more.
Earlier, in June, a report said that Western Kentucky University (WKU), a genuine university in the US, forced 25 Indian first-year students of computer science to leave, because they did not meet admission requirements.
Several months ago, Air India offloaded 19 students from a flight in Hyderabad, as they were headed to US universities that were under suspicion.
Unfortunately, such cases are becoming increasingly common. Regardless of whether the perpetrator of fraud is a fake university or an unscrupulous recruitment agent, the students involved pay a heavy price.
Deportation is a permanent blot on your record, and could irreparably damage your chances of getting into another school, and of getting any visa in the future.
The best person to protect you from fraud is yourself.
If you’re planning to study abroad, be sure to avoid these five common mistakes that could lead to serious trouble:
- Letting someone else steer your application process
- Not understanding the basics
- Relying on a shady agent
- Fudging your credentials (or letting an agent fudge them)
- Having a goal other than studying
Source: India Today