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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want to pay someone to do my uni work

203 replies

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 09:31

I know deep down it’s a bad idea but it feels like the best option.

OP posts:
AllTheChaos · 31/01/2026 11:06

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:49

What is that makes them stand out from essays written by students please?

“How do I avoid the red flags so that I don’t get caught cheating, please?”

Auroraloves · 31/01/2026 11:03

You sound like you’re overwhelmed. How supportive are your course tutors?

Im sure you realise that what you’re suggesting is wrong, what course are you doing? Would you have the support of your parents if you quit the course?

Strawberrryfields · 31/01/2026 11:02

What are you studying? In some professions e.g. Law if you were found to have cheated it would seriously damage your prospects. Also would it not make your degree feel a bit meaningless if you’ve not actually achieved it through your own efforts?
You’re almost there just a few months to go. If you’re struggling speak to your tutors.

Notmyreality · 31/01/2026 11:00

LeafyMcLeafFace · 31/01/2026 09:58

OP people are being really harsh with you, when I think what you’re saying is that you’re massively overwhelmed and struggling but know it’s not the right thing to do or you wouldn’t have put it on here.

What are you struggling with and what are your other options?

Where does she say she’s struggling or overwhelmed. So far she just sounds like she wants to do because her perception is everyone else is.

Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:59

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:49

What is that makes them stand out from essays written by students please?

The case I'm talking about was not an essay based subject, however, as others have said, where I have personally seen cases in written work, it's because it just does not sound like the student. With Ai it's pretty obvious and it will imagine fake sources and get technical things wrong. But your academic writing will be completely different from your previous work if someone else does it for you.

Say you do it.... You'll be anxiously waiting to see if you get caught. It'll be horrible waiting and it'll be months until you get your degree finalised. Say you do actually get away with it and you walk up to smile and collect your degree and listen to plaudits from your VC on all the achievements of the graduating cohort, won't you feel awful?

And ... Actually it doesn't end there. If they discover it later....say someone who hasn't cheated tells someone and they know what you've done...your degree can be rescinded.

Owly11 · 31/01/2026 10:58

Academic misconduct is a serious matter. You can always tell when a paper has been written by someone else because 1. It doesn't quite align with the program and 2. It is miles better and completely different from other papers the student has written. There is also often an electronic trail to the original author if you are not careful. Going through an academic misconduct panel is stressful even if the panel can't definitively prove the misconduct and it impacts how the program team see you. They certainly won't be giving you offers of work or glowing references because they will know what you did and hold you in low regard. If you are entering a field that is relatively small your reputation will follow you around because people talk to each other. Cheating on a home based exam is a lot easier to get away with so don't be misled into thinking that because people have cheated on home based exams you will get away with submitting a paper written by someone else. Also it's something that will follow you around for the rest of your life. What is even the point of life if you don't fully engage in it. If you are doing something you don't want to do it's better to change things up, not get someone else to do it for you.

Notmyreality · 31/01/2026 10:57

Lemonfrost · 31/01/2026 10:00

I am a student and I have never used AI.

I think this response was written by AI..🤔

OttersMayHaveShifted · 31/01/2026 10:57

LeafyMcLeafFace · 31/01/2026 09:58

OP people are being really harsh with you, when I think what you’re saying is that you’re massively overwhelmed and struggling but know it’s not the right thing to do or you wouldn’t have put it on here.

What are you struggling with and what are your other options?

Has the OP actually said she's 'overwhelmed and struggling' though? We have no reason to believe she's not just thinking it would be easier to cheat. Could be just laziness or a lack of academic ability. If she's overwhelmed for genuine reasons, she needs to seek support from her uni. If she just cba or thinks she'd get a better mark by cheating, then she should be ashamed of herself for even considering it.

Anxietyspiral · 31/01/2026 10:55

Depends what you are studying. If its medicine then no, that would be awful. Art history? Go for it.

HappyFace2025 · 31/01/2026 10:52

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:49

What is that makes them stand out from essays written by students please?

Why do you want to know? And why won't you state what you are studying?

Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:51

I think it's sad you've obviously witnessed exam cheating and it's now undermining your confidence in the system and leading you to feel like you're being a mug for struggling under your own efforts. Please talk to tutors. They should provide support and also flag these issues in their exam system. Though I can't believe they're unaware of it now. Surely they have taken steps to prevent this.

There were issues in our uni during the pandemic because exams had to operate from home and quickly but lessons have been learnt as they say.

CousinBette · 31/01/2026 10:51

So you’re in third year? It’s nearly over then. See it through to the end honestly.

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:49

Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:48

No, she was plagiarising but very cleverly and it was quite complicated with the subject she studied.

But I know our Academic Integrity Tutors are catching people all the time using these essay mills. They're pretty clued up on how they lure students in and it's just not worth it if (and it's quite likely) you get caught. I was in a conversation just this week about it. They're very switched on and share what to look for with tutors.

What is that makes them stand out from essays written by students please?

OP posts:
HappyFace2025 · 31/01/2026 10:49

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:47

Well I didn’t cheat.

I didn't suggest you did cheat but your post stated that others did and weren't found out. What are you studying?

Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:48

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:44

was she paying someone to do her work?

No, she was plagiarising but very cleverly and it was quite complicated with the subject she studied.

But I know our Academic Integrity Tutors are catching people all the time using these essay mills. They're pretty clued up on how they lure students in and it's just not worth it if (and it's quite likely) you get caught. I was in a conversation just this week about it. They're very switched on and share what to look for with tutors.

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:47

HappyFace2025 · 31/01/2026 10:45

Online at home exams just shouts out for cheating. Your uni is being very irresponsible for facilitating cheating and not picking up on it. What is your course?

Well I didn’t cheat.

OP posts:
HappyFace2025 · 31/01/2026 10:45

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:43

Online exam we were home. It was in first year we are now in third year if they were going to be caught they would have been.

Online at home exams just shouts out for cheating. Your uni is being very irresponsible for facilitating cheating and not picking up on it. What is your course?

Gall10 · 31/01/2026 10:44

Come on… give us a clue…
what are you studying and what do you want someone else to do for you?
I can’t be the only one wondering!

Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:44

Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:42

Please don't be tempted @Paid30307

I was in the unfortunate position of catching a final year student cheating a few years ago. It was so bad and widespread that she was kicked out without her degree but with all of the debt. So sad she could have done it. She was intelligent and capable. I think she'd just got away with it earlier and then kept going.

Book a meeting with your personal tutor. They can help.

was she paying someone to do her work?

OP posts:
Paid30307 · 31/01/2026 10:43

sweeneytoddsrazor · 31/01/2026 10:19

I have never sat a uni exam where phones have not had to be left in a bag. Anyone caught with a phone on them removed from the exam so I seriously doubt anyone is using chat gpt in an exam. If you are struggling see your tutor or SU advisor

Online exam we were home. It was in first year we are now in third year if they were going to be caught they would have been.

OP posts:
Mumteedum · 31/01/2026 10:42

Please don't be tempted @Paid30307

I was in the unfortunate position of catching a final year student cheating a few years ago. It was so bad and widespread that she was kicked out without her degree but with all of the debt. So sad she could have done it. She was intelligent and capable. I think she'd just got away with it earlier and then kept going.

Book a meeting with your personal tutor. They can help.

Parsleyforme · 31/01/2026 10:40

I know someone who paid someone else to do her coursework and take her exam. I don’t know the logistics as I wasn’t interested enough to ask, but she became an ex friend pretty quickly as I realised it was a sign of her wider morals/character.
I found uni work pretty boring and didn’t want to do it half the time. But what would it have taught me to cheat? That I didn’t have to try hard, learn or do things I didn’t want to do. Unfortunately that’s not the real world and I would’ve got a shock when I started a job. Additionally, I use AI for my current job. But I need to be able to do the work without AI in order to know whether the output is actually any good. (And sometimes using ChatGPT takes longer than me doing the work myself).
It’s much better in the long run to build good character, self esteem and resilience, even if others are cheating around you. But if you really hate uni, then changing degrees or looking for a job might be a better option.

ChurchWindows · 31/01/2026 10:37

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 31/01/2026 10:36

But surely doing the work is how you learn? And learning is what you’re there for and presumably paying for?

You'd have thought.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 31/01/2026 10:36

But surely doing the work is how you learn? And learning is what you’re there for and presumably paying for?

Azandme · 31/01/2026 10:34

This year, so far, I have sat on six academic misconduct panels for AI use. Turnitin picks it up.

And, it may surprise you, but we humans can also tell when someone else wrote your work. Including AI. Your academic voice is as identifiable as your speaking voice to a tutor who knows you.

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