DHS Unveils Site To Help Schools Detect Foreign Student Visa Fraud
India-West Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON, DC-The Department of Homeland Security has launched a new training website aimed at helping U.S. schools identify and prevent student visa fraud, according to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
The resource, housed within SEVP’s newly created Fraud Hub on the Study in the States platform, provides guidance for designated school officials on evaluating student applicants and spotting indicators of fraudulent activity. The initiative was developed in coordination with ICE Homeland Security Investigations, which probes student visa and document fraud.
The training outlines several red flags institutions should monitor, including inconsistent academic histories, unverifiable schools or dates, and duplicated or altered financial records. Other concerns include applicants avoiding orientation sessions or video calls, suspicious housing arrangements, or unusual conduct—such as taking research materials off campus, declining to sign nondisclosure agreements, or repeatedly modifying personal information or academic plans without explanation.
To help schools navigate these concerns, the training emphasizes three key areas. First, it urges designated officials to conduct thorough document reviews, examining academic and financial submissions for formatting inconsistencies, errors, or any signs of tampering.
Second, the program underscores the importance of information verification, advising schools to confirm the authenticity of applicant claims by contacting academic institutions, banks, and other organizations directly, and by reviewing submitted statements and essays for internal consistency.
Finally, the training encourages the use of trusted resources, highlighting tools such as the World Education Services guide for evaluating international academic credentials and the International Association of Universities’ World Higher Education Database for validating foreign education systems.
The new training materials are available at StudyintheStates.dhs.gov/FraudHub.
