{"id":13652,"date":"2024-04-23T06:27:07","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T06:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.educli.com\/blog\/?p=13652"},"modified":"2026-03-03T11:20:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:20:37","slug":"how-to-avoid-malpractice-of-education-agents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.educli.com\/resources\/how-to-avoid-malpractice-of-education-agents\/","title":{"rendered":"How to avoid malpractice of education agents"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to avoid malpractice of education agents<\/b><\/h1>\n

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The Australian government is launching a review of international education, which includes education agents, as it was announced last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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In the minister\u2019s statement, it was said that <\/span>\u201cthere have been indications of some bad practice of education agents, and [the bad practice] is not acceptable\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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The use of agents <\/span>\u201cis standard practice globally\u201d<\/span><\/i> and that <\/span>\u201chigh-quality agents and education counsellors can also play an important role in supporting prospective students\u201d<\/span><\/i>. Agents are an “important” component of the environment and can contribute to solutions, according to universities in Australia, the UK, Canada and elsewhere. Approximately 75 percent of overseas students obtain the assistance of an education agent for research, enrolling and applying for a visa in Australia, however, there is no formal regulation of agents in the place.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Countries such as Canada and the UK have already said they will review how agents are used in international education. As part of its new international education strategy, Canada is expected to review the role of agents in April. The need for education agent regulation has been described as<\/span> “essential and long overdue”<\/span><\/i> by those involved in international education in Australia. However, politicians have previously acknowledged that regulating agents is difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n

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As a minimum, as part of reforms designed to protect the integrity of the international education system, the Australian government implemented a number of measures to strengthen the international education system, with a particular emphasis on <\/span>\u201cdodgy providers and bad agents\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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In Australia, providers of education to international students have a responsibility to monitor their affiliated education agents\u2019 activities under <\/span>Standard 4 of the National Code 2018<\/span><\/a>. This standard requires registered providers to ensure their agents\u2019 act \u2018ethically, honestly, and in the best interests of students\u2019. Providers are also required to take action where an agent has not complied with their responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Furthermore, education providers must have agreements, with education agents who assist overseas students with enrolment, in place, as those are classified as third party arrangements and therefore are subject to the same rules. Find out more about <\/span>third party arrangements.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Responsibilities of education providers under the CRICOS in relation to education agents:<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Providers must have a written agreement with each education agent with which they work. The format and content of the written agreement is not specified, it must contain the following at a minimum:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n