Writing a Degree Without a Diploma: Prestige or Legal Risk?

By Arif Kurniawan

11 Mar 2026 21:47 WIB 11 March 2026 21:47 WIB 6 minutes reading time: 6 minutes 10 read

The use of academic titles without a diploma can have legal consequences. Consider the legal basis and criminal risks according to the Criminal Code and the Law on Higher Education.

Sekelompok besar mahasiswa yang bahagia merayakan hari kelulusan mereka di luar ruangan sambil melemparkan topi mereka ke udara. (Source: istockphot.com)

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The problem is, the use of titles without a diploma does not stop at the realm of academic ethics alone. In Indonesian positive law, this action can also be categorized as an act that violates the law. This is reflected in Article 93 of Law Number 12 of 2012 concerning Higher Education, which states: Individuals, organizations, or organizers of Higher Education who violate Article 28 paragraph (6) or paragraph (7), Article 42 paragraph (4), Article 43 paragraph (3), Article 44 paragraph (4), Article 60 paragraph (2), and Article 90 paragraph (4) shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of 10 (ten) years and/or a fine of a maximum of Rp1,000,000,000.00 (one billion rupiah). This provision shows that the state places academic integrity as important. An academic degree is not just a symbol of prestige, but an academic identity protected by law.

In addition, the use of fake diplomas or degrees may also be subject to criminal provisions in the Criminal Code (KUHP). This is regulated in Article 272 of the Criminal Code, which states: (1) Any Person who falsifies or creates false diplomas or competency certificates and accompanying documents shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 6 (six) years or a maximum fine of category V. (2) Any Person who uses a fake diploma, competency certificate, academic, professional, or vocational degree shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 6 (six) years or a maximum fine of category V.
(3) Any Person who issues and/or provides fake diplomas, competency certificates, academic, professional, or vocational degrees shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 1O (ten) years or a maximum fine of category VIThus, the use of an academic degree without a legitimate basis not only has the potential to violate academic ethics, but can also lead to criminal consequences if proven to use or issue an illegitimate diploma or degree.

In today's era of information openness, a person's academic status is also relatively easy to verify. The government, through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, provides the Higher Education Database (PDDikti) which contains data on students and graduates of universities in Indonesia. Through this system, the public can find out whether someone has actually graduated, is still an active or non-active student, or has even been dismissed. If someone is not yet recorded as a graduate, then the use of an academic degree certainly raises questions about its validity.

Basically, a degree is the result of a long educational process, starting from learning, research, to academic sessions. When a degree is used without going through this process, the academic value is reduced and the credibility of educational institutions can be affected. In the professional world, especially in law, health, and education, honesty about academic identity is an important part of professional integrity. Therefore, maintaining the authenticity of an academic degree is not only a matter of administrative formality, but also concerns public trust in a person's competence.

In conclusion, writing a degree behind a name without having a valid diploma is not a trivial matter. In addition to violating academic ethics, this action also has the potential to violate the law as regulated in the Higher Education Law and the Criminal Code. The phenomenon of using a degree prematurely shows that there is still a misunderstanding about the meaning of an academic degree. In fact, a degree is not just a social symbol, but rather a recognition of an educational process that has been completed legally. Let us reflect on whether a title is worth risking for mere prestige, if the consequences are reputation and criminal risk?