Three mainland college students were sent to prison for 10 months in Hong Kong for sitting TOEFL exams on behalf of other people, Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

The three, aged 23 to 24, are all studying in colleges in South China's Guangdong province. Test proctors found them using fake passports bearing their own pictures in the TOEFL exam held on Feb 25, the Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court told Xinhua.

They were charged with using false documents and were sentenced to 10 months in prison, Xinhua said.

The impostors confessed that they were paid 2,000 yuan to take the TOEFL exam and got the fake passports from agents but did not know whom they were taking the exam for.