The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) filed a criminal complaint on 3 July after detecting what it described as possible illegal practices during the second round of its 2026 undergraduate entrance exam, a process that drew 158,712 candidates. According to a university statement, the vast majority of aspirants completed the test without incident, but some actions were identified that violated the call for applications and could constitute fraud by individuals and companies that deceived families and sold services promising guaranteed admission.

UNAM lodged the complaint with competent authorities to investigate and sanction those responsible, and to prevent further families from falling victim. The institution reiterated its commitment to academic integrity and confirmed that exam results will be published on 17 July. No arrests have been reported, and the university has not disclosed the number of cases under suspicion.

In parallel, a separate wave of complaints has emerged from candidates who say an artificial intelligence proctoring system unfairly annulled their exams. Reports circulating on social media and a petition on Change.org describe cancellations attributed to internet outages, power cuts, street noise, and even the reflection from prescription glasses being misinterpreted as a mobile phone. The candidates argue that the exam should assess knowledge, not the quality of a home internet connection. UNAM has not directly addressed these specific claims, but noted that the great majority of tests proceeded without setbacks.

In Brazil, the federal government’s University for All programme (Prouni) opened registration on 7 July for the second semester of 2026, with a deadline of 10 July. The initiative offers full and partial tuition scholarships at private higher education institutions to students who sat the national secondary exam (Enem) in 2024 or 2025 and achieved an average score of at least 450 points and a mark above zero in the essay. The first call results will be announced on 15 July, according to the Ministry of Education.

The two developments underscore the intense pressure on university admissions across Latin America, where demand far outstrips supply and families are often targeted by fraudulent schemes. Investigations into the UNAM case remain ongoing, while the Prouni selection process proceeds as scheduled.