The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) welcomes today’s decision of the Federal Court of Australia in proceedings brought by TEQSA against Chegg Inc. The Court found that Chegg contravened academic cheating laws on three occasions through its ‘Expert Q&A’ service, and ordered it to pay penalties of $500,000 and costs of $150,000. This decision marks a significant outcome for the integrity of higher education sector and is an Australian-first for contraventions of Australia’s academic cheating laws. 

This case, the first of its kind in Australia, considered new laws introduced in 2020, amending the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act) to prohibit the provision of academic cheating services.

The Court found that on 3 occasions, Chegg contravened subsection 114A(3) of the TEQSA Act, which prohibits providing, offering to provide, or arranging for a third party to provide, an academic cheating service to a higher education student.

TEQSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mary Russell said the decision sends a clear signal that services which undermine academic integrity and put learning outcomes at risk have no place in Australia’s higher education system. 

The Court’s decision provides an important milestone for the sector’s response to emerging threats to academic integrity. 

We note and appreciate that providers played a critical role in collecting regulatory intelligence, in proactively raising concerns about Chegg. Bringing concerns to TEQSA’s attention early supports timely, risk-based regulatory action.

TEQSA will continue to work closely with providers, government and international partners to uphold academic standards and protect the reputation of the higher education sector, and student experiences and outcomes. 

Quotes attributable to TEQSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mary Russell

“Academic integrity is fundamental to the quality and reputation of Australia’s higher education sector and the academic success and experiences of students.“

“This outcome reinforces the importance of academic integrity to Australian higher education. TEQSA will act decisively to address allegations of academic cheating services being provided or offered to Australian higher education students.”

“TEQSA welcomes reports from students, providers, academic staff and the wider public about suspected academic cheating services. Reports can be made via our website at teqsa.gov.au.”

For more information about the legal proceedings against Chegg

Please refer to TEQSA’s October 2024 statement on legal action against Chegg, which outlined TEQSA’s allegations and what TEQSA was seeking: TEQSA commences legal proceedings against Chegg.

The publicly available details about the Chegg matter can be found on the Federal Court’s website.

In March, TEQSA senior staff visited Quezon City, the Philippines, to share information and exchange learnings with colleagues from the Philippines’ Commission of Higher Education.

The exchange is part of a 3-year program, supported by the Australian Government’s Southeast Asia and Australia Governance Partnerships program (SEAG2G). SEAG2G seeks to develop deeper institutional partnerships between Australia and Southeast Asia. It aims to increase awareness and understanding of the common opportunities and challenges faced by Australia and our Southeast Asian neighbours and share institutional knowledge and expertise. The program also seeks to support the establishment of high quality transnational education in the Philippines and other South East Asian nations.

Further, this sharing of knowledge and expertise looks to support the development and delivery of effective responses to critical economic development opportunities and challenges – such as higher education and transnational education.

During the exchange, TEQSA staff shared their knowledge and experience on topics such as balancing regulation and education, quality in transnational education, and institutional quality assurance.

TEQSA would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for sponsoring the SEAG2G initiative, and our Commission of Higher Education colleagues for their warm hospitality and hosting this valuable event.

More information

• Southeast Asia and Australia Government to Government Partnerships Program | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
   

Providers are reminded of the importance of maintaining up-to-date primary contact details with TEQSA.

All providers should regularly review their contact details to ensure the information is current.

Where a change requires an update to the National Register, you must contact us. This includes notifying TEQSA for any change to the:

• principal contact officer of the provider
• details of the provider’s head office and/or website address
• chief executive officer of the provider, or equivalent

Keeping primary contact details up to date supports a direct and efficient channel between TEQSA and individual providers.

More information about making a notification and providers' obligations under the Threshold Standards can be found on this website.

We’re expanding the student voices we engage, beyond elected student representatives. Students currently enrolled with an Australian higher education provider are encouraged to express their interest in joining TEQSA’s first Student Advisory Panel.

More information about the panel’s purpose and mission, including the terms of reference, are available at teqsa.gov.au/studentpanel.

Student Advisory Panel members will be appointed for a one-year term and invited to express interest in extending their term for a second year at the conclusion of the first year. Panel members will meet 4 times a year (both online and in person) and will be paid an honorarium for their time.

The Expression of Interest (EOI) is open until Thursday 30 April 2026. Submitting an EOI is free and can be done online.

TEQSA strongly encourages students with diverse backgrounds, diverse experiences and from a range of higher education institutions to express interest in becoming panel members, including those who identify with one or more of these perspectives:

• students from regional and remote areas, or who are using a University Study Hub to undertake their studies
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• international students
• first in family students
• students with lived experience of disability, mental health and/or neurodivergence
• LGBTQI+ students
• students over the age of 21 or students who have returned to study after a break of 7 years or more
• part-time students
• students undertaking coursework or research.

For all other information about the EOI process, including descriptions of the panel roles and how to express interest in becoming a member, visit elliottgray.com.au/TEQSA.