What are education counsellors and agencies?

Education counsellors and agencies are companies who can help you study abroad. They do this in a number of ways, but most importantly:

• They can help you pick a country, course and university
• They have experience dealing with paperwork like fees, visas and travel documents
• They can give you the best chance of getting into your country and university of choice.

The difference between an agency and an education counsellor is in how they are paid. Education counsellors work for you and are paid by you (the student or parent). Agencies are paid a commission by the university when they send a student, usually up to 10%.

You do not need to use an agency/counsellor to study abroad. They only exist to help you. It is important that you feel in control of the process throughout.

It is a good idea to speak to multiple agencies because they usually have affiliation with certain countries and universities. If you have a university in mind, ask them up front whether they have sent students there before.

There are agencies in every major city. You can use this site to find education counsellors in Oman or Google Maps.

If you know anyone who has studied abroad, it's a good idea to ask them who helped them study abroad and what their experience was like.

Some agencies have an office that you can visit and discuss your options in person, and some prefer to do business online. Choose based on what suits you.