Contract cheating is defined as the "outsourcing of assessments to a third party, whether that is a commercial provider, or a non-commercial provider such as a current or former student, family member, or acquaintance" (University of South Australia, 2023, p. 2).

All work that you submit for assessment must be done by you.  Paying for or getting another person or organisation to do an assessment and submitting as your own work is serious academic misconduct.  It is also a criminal offence for any person to provide or advertise this service to others in Australia.

While there are legitimate services out there like Studiosity which provide educational and ethical academic study support, many are illegal cheating services which engage in contract cheating and at times, blackmail. It is important for your academic, social, financial and emotional well-being that you are aware of these illegal services and report them if they contact you. Visit this TEQSA page to learn more: https://www.teqsa.gov.au/students/understanding-academic-integrity/identifying-avoiding-and-reporting-illegal-cheating-services.  Visit the eSafetyCommissioner page about online scams to find out how to protect yourself.

What should Hannah do?

Hannah is having trouble with an assignment, and the deadline is in two days. She has seen a post on social media for a service that does assignments for a small fee. Should she use the service? Watch the video to hear what other UniSA students think and the advice they'd give Hannah.

(Video length: 1 minute, 30 seconds)