Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman said she was "ashamed" after pleading guilty to taking part in the US's biggest college admission scandal.

Huffman, alongside 13 other parents, agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the  scam. For the plea deal, prosecutors recommended a short-term prison sentence of between four and 10 months and she will also pay a $20,000 fine, Reuters reported. 

The actress was charged with felony conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud after she paid $15,000 to take part in an entrance exam cheating scam for her daughter, CNN reported. 

In a statement on Monday, Huffman said: "I am ashamed of the pain that I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community.

"My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her," she added.  

Wealthy parents participated in a scam to get their children admitted into prestigious colleges without undergoing some of the necessary processes.

Some parents paid millions for their children not to write required entrance exams for colleges including Yale, the University of Southern California, Georgetown and Stanford.

Some parents, including Full House actress Lori Loughlin, paid university sports coaches so that their children would be admitted as sports recruits.