1600 dollars for six courses: a student had to pay to avoid being expelled from the university

In Odesa, law enforcement uncovered a corruption scheme at one of the higher education institutions where, according to the investigation, they may have been making money from student exam sessions. This was reported on 6 May 2026 by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the investigation, the curator of the 4th year demanded an illicit payment from a student for passing 6 subjects, among them English. It concerned not only grades but also the “closing” of the entire exam session and resolving the issue of not being expelled from the institution.

The Primorsky District Prosecutor’s Office accuses the suspect of abuse of influence. For 1,600 US dollars the university representative, according to law enforcement, promised to influence officials of the institution, including lecturers of various disciplines. The student was to hand over the money in a car. After receiving the illicit payment, the educator was detained by law enforcement. During a search of the car, 11 envelopes with money totaling more than 4,000 US dollars were found. On the envelopes, according to the prosecutor’s office, different surnames of students and lecturers were written. In addition, during a search of the suspect’s residence law enforcement found and seized 18,000 euros and 12,000 US dollars.

The investigation must establish the full circle of persons who may have been involved in this scheme, and also determine whether such “paid sessions” were a systemic practice at the institution.

Previously we reported:

• Bribe of $1,000 for admission: searches carried out at NUK named after Makarov
• Over 52 million in losses: large-scale embezzlement schemes uncovered in the Mykolaiv region
• Education scheme: how the rectorate of a Zaporizhzhia university became a “university for draft dodgers”
• “Singing rector” Poplavsky embroiled in a major scandal: a student spoke about harassment