The consequences for online cheating can be devastating to your academic career and can range from loss of course credit, to loss of scholarships and grants, to suspension or expulsion from the institution. It can also include a notation on your academic transcript that may never be removed and will likely interfere with your ability to gain admission to another institution or even gain future employment. The student handbook will almost always list the range of sanctions that may be imposed upon a student who is found responsible for violating the academic honesty policy. These sanctions will depend on the specific facts of your case as well as the posture of the faculty member or any other individual that has alleged that you violated the policy. The severity of the possible consequences is the reason that you should immediately seek assistance to navigate the process if you are charged with cheating. It will be much more difficult to reverse the imposed sanctions once an investigation and hearing process has been completed.