Como dizer "Na base do pagou-passou" em inglês

If you want to play with sound repetition for effect, perhaps

Some medical students obtained their placements not on the basis of merit but of money.
...of grades but of grease.
...of merit but of mula. (very slanggyish)

Alguns alunos de Medicina não conseguiram suas vagas por mérito, mas sim na base do pagou-passou.


-Two different contexts, to my mind. Since the above piece of text let room to point both.

Some medical students have cheated to pass the entrance examination, they have had hired a stand-in to take the texts in their place.

Many medical students have got their diplomas for a fee (bought fraudulent diplomas or...), not by means of academic work (meaning little academic work, they attended the college but...)

Opção:

''Alguns alunos de Medicina não conseguiram suas vagas por mérito, mas sim na base do pagou-passou.''
"Some students were only able to get into medical school because they paid bribes.''

''When I finished school I was sure that I wanted to carry on studying, but my family didn't have the money to pay the bribes to get into university.'' [The Guardian]

''... to move to better government housing in the past year - but only because they paid bribes to the housing officials.'' [The Globe and Mail]

''Some of them are only able to get into college because they pay bribes.
''Alguns deles só conseguem entrar na faculdade na base do pagou-passou.''

Outra opção:

Bribe your way into

Do Los Angeles Times USA

''Students bribe their way into college and then pay handsome "tips" to pass their exams.''
"Alunos entram na faculdade na base do pagou passou e dão ''gorjetas'' altas para serem aprovados nos exames.''

My suggestion:


Some medical school students were not admitted for merit, but because they had to bribe their way in.


Bye!