Shiksha Opinion: Beware of Bogus Universities Abroad

In 2011, the de-listing of bogus universities in the UK was all over the news. A lot of privately owned "schools" were stripped of their licenses and many students working illegally on student visa were deported as well. The UK government has since made many diplomatic moves to clamp down on bogus colleges and "fake" students. This problem is not limited to the UK, but the USA, as well as Canada, have also faced similar problems over the years. The worst part of this scenario is that almost 80% of the students enrolled at such universities were Indian.

These universities accept students which do not plan to study or attend classes; they only want an entry portal into the country so they can work full-time. This type of university may offer courses with tuition fee below the average amount so it can attract a lot of students. Most of the time, these universities don’t even have enough classrooms to teach them or there are no teachers. This creates anger in the local population and the government as these illegal students deprive national citizens of the rightful employment opportunities. As a result, the government clamps down on universities and visa rules. Because of this reactionary move, many genuine students miss getting their visa application approved.

A student visa is considered easier to get as compared to work visa or legal immigration. Since there are many mediators in India who claim to provide easy admission to foreign colleges, it is easy for students to fall into such traps. Every year more than two lakh students travel to foreign countries to study abroad, out of those many become prey to bogus universities. Those students not only lose a chance to earn a reputable degree and a job afterwards, but they also risk deportation and the prospect of criminal cases against them.

Vigilance is the best way to avoid such a situation. Here are a few ways in which students can assure they don’t get duped by scrupulous mediators and universities.

Check University’s Accreditation

Bogus universities most of the times falsely state that they have been accredited by an accreditation agency. Carefully check any claims about links with public universities, as bogus universities claim to have a "special relationship" or "partnership" with a public university or even "accreditation" by the university, but this may be false or over-stated.

Beware of the Mediators

What students often don’t realize is that agents or consultants accept incentives from some universities—many of which are low-rated, or even fake—to get students to enrol. Their job is to ‘consult’ confused student and direct them towards getting admitted to these bogus universities. In India, almost more than 90% of students use agents to shortlist universities. It is advisable for students to research on their own before finalizing a university, and not follow the advice of the consultant blindly.

Don’t fall for the low tuition fees traps

 If you find a course which appears to be much cheaper at a particular university than at other places, you should try to understand why this is so. The most likely reasons could be that teachers are not qualified enough or the facilities and infrastructure are in poor condition. If your purpose of going abroad is to get the best education, it makes sense to spend more money on going to a good college than those offering the cheapest alternative.

Talk to alumni or current students

On social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, you can connect with students studying at the college or those who have passed out. Their reviews and reflections will help you form an unbiased opinion about the quality of education provided there. If it is a fake university, you will have a hard time finding genuine students who have honest answers to your questions. Or you can talk to friends and family members who have studied in the country of your choice; they will have a better understanding of the reputation certain universities have. They may stop you from getting admission at such a place.

Related reads:

• 8 Myths Indians Have About Foreign Education
• Questions to ask your Study Abroad Consultant

In order to save yourself from the disappointment, you might face due to the bogus universities abroad, you can always take help from the industry experts. Check out more on taking expert help:

• Can students apply for studying abroad on their own?
• Self Apply v/s Outside Agents
• Paid vs Free Overseas Education Consultants