Policies can be complicated. Keeping student success front and center aligns everyone involved. In turbulent times like these, strong, trustworthy agent partnerships are a lifeline for students and student recruitment teams.
“A US degree is the American dream for a lot of families. It’s a deep-rooted emotion for them. Studying abroad is one thing. Studying in the US is prestige,” said Deepika Phukan, an India-based education agent who works closely with the Intead team.
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This year most of the Indian students Deepika talks to are being patient. “They are checking in with me to determine if now is the right time to apply, or if they should wait.” Similar to the travel disruptions the world experienced during the Covid pandemic, many of the obstacles families encounter won’t change student intention, just the timing.
We’ve been seeing this measured reaction, particularly at the graduate-level.
Many undergraduate students who are uncertain about their immediate plans have enrolled in Indian universities or institutions for the time being, according to Deepika. They’re keeping their options open and are considering transferring to the US once conditions improve. Some are also exploring pathway programs through their current institutions as a bridge to US education.
There is palpable hope among students we’ve spoken with anyway. The political climate is hazy, and the immigration rules have become chaotic and more restrictive; nobody denies that. But the hope is that this, too, shall pass. So, students continue to stay informed and often turn to their education agents to verify what they’re hearing.
Below we share a valuable agent evaluation tool for your use.
Read on…
The truth is this: continued recruitment success, despite the global chao,s comes down to communication. There is no secret formula to winning the hearts and enrollment of prospective international students. The expected yield often comes through based on trusted communication students have, often with their agent. In times of uncertainty, people rely on those they trust and who respond credibly and rationally to their concerns.
Listening skills typically win the day. (A recent popular Intead post about humanizing recruiting agents provides more perspective).
The Role of the Agent
Education agents have long played a role in well-rounded recruitment strategies. But this year, having strong agent partnerships is key. Even for globally recognized institutions, students often need word-of-mouth reassurance from trusted advisors before they’ll click “Apply Now” or reply favorably to your admit letter. Carefully selected and actively managed strategic agent partnerships can turn interest into action and help sustain enrollment goals when the landscape continues to shift.
Did we mention “actively managed”?
Agents come in various business models, though typically your choice is between small agencies with direct, personal connections to students (B2C) and large aggregators who reach broad audiences through sub-agents (B2B). There are also pathway agents who provide support like English language prep and academic skills development. Each has its place and presents opportunities for universities to build strong recruitment pipelines.
Did we mention “alignment around student success”?
Choosing the Right-Fit Agent: What to Look For
Unsurprisingly, we’re hearing this question a lot right now: How do we choose the right-fit education agent?
When evaluating a potential partnership, ask:
- How many years have they been an agent?
- What cities or regions do they represent?
- How many students do they place each year?
- Importantly: Are they AIRC certified?
- What are their marketing strategies and tech capabilities?
- How do they verify the legitimacy of application documents?
- How do they assess a student’s likelihood of academic success?
- Validate: Do they have current or past clients with whom you can connect?
“B2C (business to consumer/student) agents maintain closer contact with their students and know where they intend to go. With the right time and resources, it’s reasonable to expect the agent to provide a good number of high-quality students,” Deepika explained. “It’s easy for this agent to determine the quality of the student and communicate that to the university. They talk directly with these students, know their background, and can see if there are any fraudulent documents.”
There are fewer reputed B2B agents (agents who manage sub-agents) with strong processes and dedicated teams to verify student documents – especially when handling large volumes of applicants. These agents often deliver many leads and have broader geographic reach; however, since they are not directly in touch with students (relying on sub-agents to guide the process) the conversion rates can vary. Basic truth: It can be exceedingly difficult to manage quality and process with a far-flung network of subagents.
To help institutions assess best-fit agents, we’ve created a one-page Agent Evaluation Worksheet. Download it and share with your team. We think you’ll find it a quick, easy tool that prompts helpful internal conversations. Add to it based on your institution's priorities and realities.
This worksheet helps you create a handy side-by-side comparison of agents based on priorities like:
- Access to target student populations
- Reputation and credibility
- In-country support
- Cost
We created it to help your team assess agent candidates consistently and strategically. Intead tools are designed to get the conversation started in the right direction. If you have additional evaluation points you think are important to add to our worksheet, please be in touch!
Download Intead’s Agent Evaluation Worksheet
As you enter into a new agent relationship, start with a clear understanding of your institutional goals. Are you looking to:
- Increase enrollment from a specific region?
- Improve quality of applicants
- Shorten time from inquiry to application?
- Improve yield and retention?
Your clarity on these objectives will shape how you evaluate and manage agent partnerships.
Communication is Key
The bottom line: successful agent partnerships can be a high-yielding part of your recruitment strategy if your institution takes the time to cultivate the relationship. And communication is everything. Look for a near future post from us with tips on maintaining effective agent relationships.
Need help evaluating your agent strategy? Be in touch. 
