TLDR: Belgian universities are grappling with a ChatGPT exam scandal after an unusually high pass rate in the 2025 medical entrance exam sparked allegations of AI-assisted fraud. While three candidates were disqualified for using ChatGPT, a group of students is pursuing legal action to compel a broader investigation into widespread cheating, which the examination board currently lacks concrete evidence to support.
A significant controversy has erupted within Belgian academia following the 2025 medical entrance examination, where an unprecedented 47% pass rate has led to widespread allegations of cheating, specifically involving the use of AI chatbot, ChatGPT. This figure stands in stark contrast to previous years, with pass rates of 18.9% in 2024 and 36.7% in 2023. The high success rate has prompted numerous students to file appeals, claiming their peers may have leveraged artificial intelligence to gain an unfair advantage during the test.
Jan Eggermont, chairman of the examination board, confirmed that several appeals have been lodged. While he acknowledged the exceptionally high pass rate, he suggested it might be attributed to a deliberate adjustment in the exam’s difficulty. ‘We reassess the exam every year,’ Eggermont stated. ‘In 2024, we concluded that it was far too challenging, so this year we tailored it to better match students’ capabilities.’ The surge in successful candidates also coincided with record participation, with 5,544 applicants in 2025, up from 4,814 in 2024 and 4,545 in 2023.
Despite the board’s explanation, the integrity of the exam remains under scrutiny. Three candidates were definitively caught using ChatGPT during the examination and were subsequently disqualified. This occurred even though the AI chatbot, capable of solving complex questions, was theoretically supposed to be inaccessible on exam computers. However, the examination board currently lacks concrete evidence to support claims of large-scale AI-enabled cheating, despite ‘rumours of widespread fraud’ circulating on social media.
In response to the perceived inaction, a group of at least five students, represented by lawyer Christophe Vangeel, announced plans to file a lawsuit. They aim to compel the appeals committee to launch a thorough investigation into the suspected use of AI tools. Vangeel argues that a proper inquiry would involve tracking websites visited by candidates during the test and identifying the users, which could potentially lead to a reshuffling of results or even the annulment of the exam and a new sitting. The Higher Education and Training Agency, responsible for organizing the exam, has rejected these allegations, with spokesperson Fiona Raymaekers stating that the committee would issue its decision on the students’ appeal and provide details of probes already carried out.
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As the academic year approaches, the legal battle intensifies, with students seeking provisional enrollment if the case remains unresolved. The scandal highlights the growing challenges universities face in adapting to advanced AI technologies and ensuring academic honesty in an evolving digital landscape.
