Why use an education agent?
Starting an international student journey to a new country can be plain intimidating, especially if you know little to nothing about the different study options available, or the application process. Course information found online may be inaccurate, or untrustworthy (we know of many colleges who have great looking website, which we would never recommend). The latter is one of the main reasons that Education Agents exist; to ensure that students get the correct information from a trusted source, and avoid being scammed by online content.
What is the Education Agents role?
Education Agents are by and large experienced professionals who will help you with the admission, application and visa processes. It is an Education Agent’s job to know about each institution’s curriculum and enrollment prerequisites, as well as academic pathways and career opportunities.
Aside from matching students with course options that best suit them, another important role of Education Agents is advocacy. A good agent will be part of the student’s entire journey and will be there to assist when things go wrong (which they invariably do).
Education Agents can help you find a new course if you are not happy with your existing institution, or can connect you with legal help if there are problems with a landlord, immigration or the institution attended
The safety that Education Agents offer is invaluable for an international student and in most cases, that service is 100% free for the student.
How do agents make money?
Most agents do not charge for their services – at Urban Student we provide a 100% free service for international students. An exception to this might be more complex visa applications, where we may need to employ the services of a specialised migration agent. Agent commissions are normally paid directly by the institution for any referred students (there is no additional expense to the student).
While most agents will not charge for their services, always ask about any fees that you may be charged in advance of committing to an agency. It’s also a good idea to have any paperwork, provided to you by an agency, reviewed by a trusted third party or friend before you sign anything.
Can any agent place a student at any school?
Under Australian Government law, if an Australian education institution wishes to employ the services of an Education Agent it MUST have a formal contract with their organisation.
Further – each Australian education institution has to explicitly and formally list on their website every Education Agent they have appointed to represent themselves in each country.
Double check to make sure that the agent is an authorised representative of the institution that you want to apply to. You can ask to see their letter of appointment from the institutions if desired.
Can an agent guarantee a permanent visa?
Education agents cannot guarantee a permanent visa or work placement in Australia after you graduate. If you come across website that make these type of guarantees, a better idea would be to keep looking… reputable or credible agent will be honest about the application process.
Why should I choose an agent in Australia and not one from my home country?
If you are travelling to Australia, choose an Education Agent specifically with experience helping students study in Australia or one who might have studied there themselves – they’re bound to have some comprehensive knowledge of the Australian education system, visas and personal anecdotes about life in Australia.
At Urban Student, we certainly believe that our 30 + years experience working in the training sector, along with studying and travelling, is unique.
It is also important to work with an Education Agent agent that is QEAC Qualified. You can find Qualified Education Agent Counsellors on the PIER website. Urban Student is a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (#QEAC O371 – 2019-04-15).
Looking to an engage an Education Agent?
Please apply online today to organise a free consultation and proposal.