Education agents

Overview
Education agents are an important part of the international education sector in Australia. Registered providers must ensure that their education agents act ethically, honestly and in the best interest of overseas students and uphold the reputation of Australia’s international education sector.

Registered providers must:
• have a written agreement with each education agent they engage with;
• enter and maintain education agent details in the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS);
• ensure education agents have appropriate knowledge and understanding of the Australian International Education and Training Agent Code of Ethics;
• ensure education agents act honestly and in good faith;
• take immediate corrective action, or terminate a relationship if an agent (or an employee or subcontractor) is not complying with the National Code; and
• not accept overseas students from an education agent if it knows or suspects that the education agent is engaging in unethical recruitment processes.

Key Requirements

Written agreement with agents
Registered provider must have a written agreement with each education agent that formally represents their education services, and enter and maintain the education agent’s details in PRISMS. The written agreement must outline:
• the registered provider’s responsibilities, including for compliance with the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and National Code 2018;
• the requirements of the agent in representing the registered provider;
• the registered provider’s processes for monitoring the education agent’s activities and ensuring the education agent gives overseas students accurate and up-to-date information;

• the corrective actions that may be taken and the grounds for termination of the written agreement with the education agent; and
• the circumstances which information about the registered provider may be shared by the registered provider and Commonwealth or state and territory agencies.

Any written agreements with education agents, or renewal of written agreements with education agents, should comply with the National Code 2018.