International Student Recruitment Agency or Agent
- A company (agency) or individual (agent) contracted and paid by universities in other countries to advise and recruit students to those institutions.
- Usually, the agency/agent is paid by its partner university only if and after a referred student enrolls and begins taking classes. This payment is often a percentage of a student's tuition fees, or a flat rate, and is called commission.
- Agents and agencies are the most likely to recommend universities they represent. However, they may also be able to help you apply to universities that are not their partners.
Agent Quality Assurance
The following are examples of organizations and efforts aimed at agent quality assurance. This may take the form of training, certification, membership eligibility verification, and other assessments.
- Federation of Education and Language Consultant Associations
- American International Recruitment Council (AIRC)
- British Council
- Canada's Education Agent Policy and Course for Education Agents
- Australia's Education Training Course: Qualified Education Agent Counsellors
- Education New Zealand's Recognized Agencies
- International Consultants for Education and Fairs (ICEF)
Note: There is currently no independent corroboration of the effectiveness of such efforts that claim to monitor quality.
Tip: If you are considering an agent's services, ask to see a list of their partner universities. It is important to choose an agent who represents a diverse set of regionally accredited or recognized universities. This will help ensure that you find a university that meets your academic and personal goals.
The information presented above is presented as is and without warranty of any kind. NACAC shall not in any event be liable to any user or any third party for any direct or indirect loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused by the information contained herein and referenced.
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