What is the risk in case of graduation fraud?

Verified 21 March 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

If you cheat during a one-time evaluation (continuous monitoring) or a final examination of the baccalaureate, you commit fraud. You risk disciplinary and criminal sanctions.

Point-in-Time Evaluation

Cheating during an exam is a fraud. You are committing fraud if you do one of the following:

  • To be replaced by another person during an ordeal
  • Use a device to exchange or consult information (smartphone, smartwatch for example)
  • Use a device to listen to audio files
  • Communicate with other candidates during the test
  • Using a calculator without permission
  • Use paper or documents other than those provided by the administration
  • Commit a plagiarism

Warning  

the non-compliance with certain instructions during the examination may also constitute an attempt to commit fraud.

Fraud can also be committed outside the scope of tests or evaluations. This relates in particular to cases of fraud in the scoring tools which may lead to a modification of the average score under examination.

Example :

If you use a teacher’s credentials on the feedback app and edit one or more notes in your ongoing monitoring, you are committing fraud.

The procedure differs depending on whether the fraud or attempted fraud is committed during the evaluation or outside the evaluation.

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Fraud committed in connection with the evaluation

If you are caught in the act of committing fraud or attempting to commit fraud, the room supervisor must intervene.

It does not prevent you from continuing the test, but seizes the documents or materials that will establish the reality of the facts (paper documents...).

He shall draw up a report describing the behavior observed.

He makes you sign the document. The other supervisors also sign it. If you refuse to sign, the supervisor will indicate it in the minutes.

Please note

The head of the examination center can decide to expel you immediately if you disrupt the assessment. If you're replaced by someone else to do the assessment, the head of the examination center can also decide to deport that person.

The minutes shall be forwarded to the Rector, who shall take one of the following decisions:

  • Drop the charges
  • Refer the matter to the Board of Discipline of the Bac
  • Summon you himself when he is considering sanctioning you with a reprimand or deprivation of any mention of the diploma

The Rector or Disciplinary Committee shall at least summon you 10 days in advance, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

The summons shall indicate the facts alleged, the opportunity to submit observations (written or oral) and to be assisted or represented.

The hearing is not public and takes place even if you are absent.

Until the rector or the commission decides, you can't get the results of your review. You cannot enroll in a public higher education institution either.

Fraud committed outside the framework of the evaluation

The school head prepares an incident report describing the facts found.

He makes you sign the document. If you refuse to sign, the head of the institution will indicate this in the incident report.

The incident report shall be forwarded to the rector. He may decide to drop the charges or refer the matter to the board of discipline of the baccalaureate.

Until the board makes a decision, you can't get the results of your review. You cannot enroll in a public higher education institution either.

You're summoned at least 10 days before the meeting of the commission, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

The summons shall indicate the facts alleged, the opportunity to submit observations (written or oral) and to be assisted or represented.

The hearing is not public and takes place even if you are absent.

Disciplinary sanctions

You may face disciplinary action.

The rector can punish you himself by a reprimand or a deprivation of any mention to the diploma.

When the matter is referred to it by the rector, the Academic Disciplinary Committee may, depending on the case, impose one of the following sanctions:

  • Blame
  • Deprivation of any mention to the diploma
  • Prohibition to participate in any National Education examination for up to 5 years (baccalaureate or post baccalaureate)
  • Prohibition of enrollment in a public higher education institution for up to 5 years

The penalty is accompanied by the cancelation of the test during which the fraud took place (you will then have the score of 0 at the test concerned). Depending on the case, the commission may also declare the entire examination void. You will then have to go through all the tests again if you want to obtain your baccalaureate.

The penalty also entails the cancelation of any points added by the jury.

All sanctions can be entered in your school booklet.

FYI  

You can appeal the decision by contacting the administrative tribunal within two months of the decision of the academic commission.

Criminal sanctions

High school fraud is also a offense. It can lead to criminal sanctions.

You and your accomplices risk up to €9,000 fine and 3 years imprisonment.

Final test

Cheating during an exam is a fraud. You are committing fraud if you do one of the following:

  • To be replaced by another person during an ordeal
  • Use a device to exchange or consult information (smartphone, smartwatch for example)
  • Use a device to listen to audio files
  • Communicate with other candidates during the test
  • Using a calculator without permission
  • Use paper or documents other than those provided by the administration
  • Commit a plagiarism

Warning  

the non-compliance with certain instructions during the examination may also constitute an attempt to commit fraud.

Fraud can also be committed outside the scope of tests or evaluations. This relates in particular to cases of fraud in the scoring tools which may lead to a modification of the average score under examination.

Example :

If you use a teacher’s credentials on the feedback app and edit one or more notes in your ongoing monitoring, you are committing fraud.

The procedure differs depending on whether the fraud or attempted fraud is committed during the test or outside the test.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Fraud committed during the test

If you are caught in the act of committing fraud or attempting to commit fraud, the room supervisor must intervene.

It does not prevent you from continuing the test, but seizes the documents or materials that will establish the reality of the facts (paper documents...).

He shall draw up a report describing the behavior observed.

He makes you sign the document. The other supervisors also sign it. If you refuse to sign, the supervisor will indicate it in the minutes.

Please note

The head of the examination center can decide to expel you immediately if you disturb the ordeal. If you're replaced by another person to take the test, the head of the test center can also decide to deport that person.

The minutes shall be forwarded to the Rector. He may decide to drop the charges or refer the matter to the board of discipline of the baccalaureate.

Until the board makes a decision, you can't get the results of your review. You cannot enroll in a public higher education institution either.

You're summoned at least 10 days before the meeting of the commission, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

The summons shall indicate the facts alleged, the opportunity to submit observations (written or oral) and to be assisted or represented.

The hearing is not public and takes place even if you are absent.

Fraud committed outside the framework of the event

The school head prepares an incident report describing the facts found.

He makes you sign the document. If you refuse to sign, the head of the institution will indicate this in the incident report.

The incident report shall be forwarded to the rector. He may decide to drop the charges or refer the matter to the board of discipline of the baccalaureate.

Until the board makes a decision, you can't get the results of your review. You cannot enroll in a public higher education institution either.

You're summoned at least 10 days before the meeting of the commission, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

The summons shall indicate the facts alleged, the opportunity to submit observations (written or oral) and to be assisted or represented.

The hearing is not public and takes place even if you are absent.

Disciplinary sanctions

You may face disciplinary action.

The Academic Disciplinary Committee may, depending on the case, impose one of the following sanctions:

  • Blame
  • Deprivation of any mention to the diploma
  • Prohibition to participate in any National Education examination for up to 5 years (baccalaureate or post baccalaureate)
  • Prohibition of enrollment in a public higher education institution for up to 5 years

The penalty is accompanied by the cancelation of the test during which the fraud took place (you will then have the score of 0 at the test concerned). Depending on the case, the commission may also declare the entire examination void. You will then have to go through all the tests again if you want to obtain your baccalaureate.

The penalty also entails the cancelation of any points added by the jury.

All sanctions can be entered in your school booklet.

FYI  

you can appeal the decision by contacting the administrative tribunal within two months of the decision of the academic commission.

Criminal sanctions

High school fraud is also a offense. It can lead to criminal sanctions.

You and your accomplices risk up to €9,000 fine and 3 years imprisonment.