Singapore universities Crack Down on Fraudulent Agencies Promising Guaranteed Postgraduate Admissions
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Singapore’s leading universities are issuing stern warnings to prospective students about deceptive study-abroad agencies operating on Chinese social media, offering paid services that falsely guarantee admission to highly competitive postgraduate programs.
Teh National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have both released advisories cautioning applicants against these agencies, which employ fraudulent tactics such as fabricating academic credentials.The universities emphasize that admission is based solely on merit and stipulated qualifying criteria, with no shortcuts available.
Agencies Under Scrutiny
Hongsheng International, reportedly offers assistance in gaining entry to NUS, NTU, and other top universities globally, with fees starting at 300,000 yuan (approximately S$55,000). The agency’s website claims it was established in 2017 and serves over 1,000 customers annually. Another account,Flying Career,allegedly provides applicants with recommendation letters from university professors and assistance in passing background checks. Both agencies have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the legitimacy of their services.
Universities Strengthen Verification Processes
NUS has stated it will revoke the candidature of any student found to have gained admission through fraudulent means and is actively enhancing its credential verification systems. NTU will pursue disciplinary action against students who violate its code of conduct, including instances of falsification or academic dishonesty. While the universities report that the number of fraudulent applications remains relatively low, they are taking proactive steps to safeguard the integrity of the admissions process.
Both institutions unequivocally stated they do not collaborate with any study-abroad agencies for admissions purposes. NTU noted a significant increase in applications for its coursework-based postgraduate programs – popular among international students – with a roughly 30% annual rise since 2023, receiving approximately 48,000 applications for 2025 enrollment. NUS also acknowledged “increasingly intense competition” for its postgraduate programs.
Global Trend of Academic Fraud
The issue extends beyond Singapore, with a recent admissions scandal at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) highlighting the growing problem of academic fraud. In 2024, more than 30 master’s students at HKU’s business school were discovered to have forged academic qualifications. HKU has as committed to tackling fraud and is reporting suspected cases to the police, according to the Hong Kong Standard.
“Universities need to go beyond simply rejecting fraudulent applications,” said Dr. Jason Tan, an associate professor at the National Institute of Education. “A strong message of deterrence must be sent to both prospective applicants and those perpetrating these schemes.” He emphasized that academic fraud undermines the value of legitimate credentials,damages the reputation of universities,and threatens Singapore’s position as a leading international academic hub.
Dr. Tan also pointed to a recent case in Singapore where a woman was jailed for eight months in December 2023 after forging an NTU engineering degree and using it to secure employment with multiple companies, including Walt Disney. The fraud was uncovered when Disney independently verified her credentials.
Lucrative market & Collaborative Solutions
singapore Management University associate professor of law, Eugene Tan, noted that foreign students represent a significant market for graduate programs at Singapore’s autonomous universities, where tuition fees and admission numbers are less strictly regulated than for undergraduate studies. He believes the prestigious reputations of these universities create a temptation for some applicants to engage in unethical or illegal practices to enhance their applications.
“The question is not whether attempts at academic fraud will occur, but how to effectively manage them to preserve the integrity of the admissions process,” Professor Tan stated. He advocated for increased collaboration with overseas institutions to verify applicants’ academic credentials.
Both NUS and NTU are reinforcing their verification procedures. NUS conducts checks with awarding institutions and is implementing secure authentication software. Upon arrival in Singapore,international applicants are required to present original identification and academic documents for verification,with the university reserving the right to expel students who fail to comply. NTU requires overseas applicants to obtain official verification reports from approved agencies, including china Qualifications Verification and the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center.
