For students
Choosing to study in the UK, whether with us in Cardiff or somewhere else, is one of the most important decisions you can make.
To support this decision, some students consider using the services of an education agent (sometimes referred to as an advisor or counsellor) to help navigate the process.
Education agents provide a range of services to support you - from identifying the right university and course to guiding you through the application and enrolment process. They can also assist with visa applications, travel, and accommodation arrangements.
To make sure you get the best support, the UK education sector has established the Agent Quality Framework (AQF), a set of standards and resources that support agents and counsellors to:
- have up-to-date knowledge about studying in the UK
- understand the UK’s visa and immigration system
- give advice that is in line with your interests and supports your study abroad journey.
This UK education sector-wide initiative aims to improve the experience of international students working with education agents and counsellors to apply to study in the UK, meaning you can feel more confident that the advice you receive is accurate and that your application is being handled correctly.
Committing to the AQF is a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirement for all UK education providers who use and work with education recruitment agents and counsellors.
Cardiff University is committed to the requirements set out in student sponsor guidance and the four key AQF principles:
- Empowering student choice and enabling informed decision making.
- Ensuring good agent governance and professionalism.
- Promoting ethical agent practices, professional knowledge and competency.
- Increasing transparency and accountability.
If you are considering using an education agent, we recommend reading the student and parent guide to choosing an education agent - an important part of the UK Agent Quality Framework (AQF).
The guide provides you and your family with clear information and guidance on what you should look for when considering using an agent. It includes key questions to ask, signs of quality, and how to avoid poor practices. The guide also links to ‘The national code of ethical practice for UK education agents’ and the British Council’s UK database of certified counsellors.
Choosing an advisor
Only advisors listed on our country pages are approved by the university to advise on our application process.
If your country is not listed, you can either contact an agent in a nearby location or you can contact the International Office on international@cardiff.ac.uk, who will put you in touch with approved advisors who can provide services in your country, or offer remote counselling.
You can check the British Council's database of certified agents and counsellors to see if your chosen advisor has completed the British Council's training and signed up to the National Code of Ethical Practice for UK Education Agents.
Our educational advisors are contracted partners of Cardiff University and are paid a commission/fee following the successful enrolment of a student who has utilised the services of an approved agent. We have a selective recruitment process to ensure agents are consistently upholding our high standards.
Provide feedback on your experiences
If you would like to provide feedback on your experience of using one of our educational advisors to support your application, please do so by completing our feedback form:
Your feedback will be reviewed by the appropriate member of our International Office team, and any necessary action will be taken. If you confirm you are happy for us to contact you in response to your feedback, you should hear from us within 5 working days.
Your feedback will be kept confidential and will not be shared with a third party or agent.
