University cheats face jail and huge fines

Cheats who take exams or write essays on behalf of university students could be jailed for two years if the Morrison government wins the next election.

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan is also threatening university cheats with fines of up to $210,000.

Mr Tehan does not want hardworking students to have to compete with swindlers and frauds.

"It's simply not good enough," he told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

"It's not fair for those students who are doing the hard yards, for those students who are doing all the work, for those students who put hours into studying."

The minister is especially wary of highly sophisticated cheating services based offshore.

"If you're a cheating service, understand now you are going to face the full force of the law if you provide those services to students here in Australia," he said.

"For those services based overseas, we are going to use blocking to make sure that they cannot provide those services.

"For those who are here and operating in Australia, understand that we will come after you."