What US Universities Pay Recruitment Agents
18 US institutions publish agent contracts or policies; 11 publish the rate: $400–$6,500 flat or 10–25% of tuition. The table, with sources.
What US Universities Pay International Recruitment Agents: Contracts and Rates (2026)
Eighteen US institutions publish, or have published, on their own websites either what they pay international recruitment agents or how the payment works — sample agreements, counsel-approved contract templates, written policies, published rate cards and agent handbooks. Eleven of the eighteen publish an actual number. Fifteen more publish the names of the overseas agencies they have authorised to recruit for them (one, the University of Cincinnati, appears in both groups); Indian agencies appear on fourteen of those fifteen lists. Every document below was opened and read on 2026-09-03, and comparator figures from Canada, the UK and Australia are included for scale. Paying a per-head commission to recruit a domestic applicant would breach 34 CFR §668.14(b)(22); the same payment for a foreign student residing in a foreign country who is not eligible to receive Federal student assistance is exempt from that rule, which is the subject of the main investigation.
Where we stand. GradPilot sells a $5 automated review of application essays and statements of purpose. Study-abroad consultancies write those documents for a fee. We are, in that narrow sense, a competitor of some of the companies named below. This article makes no claim about our product and compares no product with theirs. It reports public documents: a federal regulation, university contracts, audited accounts, court orders, and the companies' own archived pages, each dated and linked.
About this analysis. This article is reporting and commentary by GradPilot. Every figure is from a public source — the Code of Federal Regulations, university contracts and policies published by the institutions themselves, audited annual reports, regulator and auditor reports, court and consumer-commission orders, and archived web pages — dated to the period shown. Nothing here asserts that any named university, company, or person has broken the law except where a court or regulator has said so in the linked record. Figures change; consult the linked primary sources. If you believe a figure is inaccurate or outdated, write to support@gradpilot.com and we will review and correct it.
Table A — US institutions that publish what they pay agents
Percentage-of-tuition rows first, then flat per-head fees, then institutions that publish the payment structure but withhold the number. The rate clause for each row is quoted in the numbered notes below the table. Every source URL is listed under Sources with its retrieval date.
| # | Institution | Rate | Base | Payout trigger | Sub-agent clause | Agent fee to student | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North American University (private non-profit, TX) | 15% / 20% / 25% | Base not stated on the page; the rate is tiered by the agency's volume in a calendar year: 1-5, 6-15, 16+ students | On completion of the student's first-year financial obligations | Not stated | Not stated | Published rate card, "2026 Commission & Incentive Structure" |
| 2 | University of South Alabama (public, AL) | 15% | Tuition for the sessions attended, two academic terms only | After registration, tuition paid in full, and the refund-withdrawal deadline passes | Not addressed by name; "Recruiter" is defined to include anyone performing services on its behalf | Not addressed | Contract template approved by the Office of General Counsel, 1 Jun 2023 |
| 3 | William Paterson University (public, NJ) | 15% | Non-resident tuition after scholarships and aid, up to two consecutive full-time semesters | Processing may begin four weeks after each semester's census date; all balances paid | None | Yes, if delineated separately from University charges | Contract template, last updated 20 Jun 2023 |
| 4 | University of Washington, IELP (public, WA) | 15% per quarter (non-degree); $1,000 per degree student — as published in 2015 | Tuition only, excluding registration and U-PASS fees | Invoice per quarter, for the quarter attended; nothing if the student withdraws | Not stated | Agency may not pay tuition net of expected commission | Published agency-partner policy as captured 2 May 2015; the live page now 404s and the current rate is not published |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Intensive English Institute (public, IL) | 10-15% | IEI tuition, first term of enrolment only; no commission on fees, insurance or housing | On receipt of the agency's invoice | Not stated | Yes — agency must "clearly describe" fees charged to clients | Public program-terms page |
| 6 | St. Mary's University (private, TX) | 10% | Published first-year tuition | Student enrolled full time and all financial obligations to the university met | Not addressed | Not addressed | Written policy, last reviewed January 2024 |
| 7 | Whitworth University (private, WA) | $6,500 flat | Per student, undergraduate and graduate, first year of enrolment only | Lump sum within 7 business days after the student completes 45 calendar days of the entry term | None found | Yes — must be "fair and reasonable" and disclosed to the student in writing, in advance | Sample agent agreement |
| 8 | University of Colorado Denver (public, CO) | $2,000 per semester, max two; ESL $500 per 8-week term, max two, plus ESL cohort bonuses of $750 (6-10 students starting in the same term) and $1,500 (11 or more) | Per student, per semester | Within 30 days of full tuition payment and after all refund dates pass | Yes — agency must list all sub-agents; sub-agents count as agency employees | The agent's own fee structure must be disclosed to applicants before they buy the agent's services | Sample contract published under a "not for signature" filename |
| 9 | University of North Georgia (public, GA) | $2,000 total, in two $1,000 instalments | Per student, flat | Each instalment within 30 days of a semester's withdrawal deadline; forfeited if enrolment is not continuous | Yes — full sub-agent list required; University disclaims payment to any sub-agent | Agency may not collect money from students on the University's behalf | Contract template |
| 10 | University of North Florida, English Language Program (public, FL) | $850 per full semester (13 weeks); $400 per half semester (7 weeks); nothing for degree-seeking students | Per student, per ELP semester | After the student pays that semester's tuition in full | Not stated | Not stated | Published commission-rate page |
| 11 | Shoreline Community College (public, WA) | $475 per quarter, maximum three quarters ($1,425 ceiling), plus a bonus at 5+ enrolled students on a scale the published sample does not include | Per student, per quarter of full-time study (12+ credits) within 12 months | Student admitted, tuition paid, and in attendance at least 35 calendar days of the quarter | None | Contractor may not accept payments from students on the College's behalf | Sample standard agent contract |
| 12 | University of Houston System (public, TX) | Percentage field left blank in the published form | Net tuition actually paid in full, net of scholarships, up to two consecutive semesters; no summer | Two payments, each within 60 days of a semester's start, on invoice, accounts paid in full | None in the fee schedule | Not addressed | System counsel's contract form OGC-S-2020-03, revised 31 Jul 2025 |
| 13 | UConn, American English Language Institute (public, CT) | Not published; contract ceilings published instead — under $24,999 in total, or under $100,000 a year | Not published | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Recruitment-partner program page |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (public system, PA) | Not published — set by each university at approval | Commission-eligible student = residing outside the US, on an F-1 visa, in an intensive English or degree-seeking program | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | System recruitment-agents policy page |
| 15 | University of Kansas (public, KS) | Not published — flat rate per student, varying with volume | Per student; agents limited to undergraduate degree programs and the Applied English Center | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Public agents page, "Fee Amounts" |
| 16 | Millersville University (public, PA) | Not published | Per student | Two instalments — after the first session's add/drop, then after the second term's, if still enrolled | Not stated | Not stated | Commission payment process page |
| 17 | Kent State University (public, OH) | Not published — "Refer to KSU Agent Agreement" | Not published | Invoices accepted after the 15th day of the term, due in the semester of initial enrolment | Not stated | Not stated | Agent-partner page and agent presentation deck, updated 12 Aug 2025 |
| 18 | University of Cincinnati (public, OH) | Not published — rate sits in the signed agency agreement | Not published | "Payments are made twice a year" | Not stated | Not stated | International Agent Handbook, 2021-22 |
Notes to Table A — the rate clause, quoted
- North American University. "1- 5 students 15% Commission / 6-15 students 20% Commission / 16 or more students 25% Commission." Leads must be registered in the university's Salesforce before the student applies; the tier bands are counted within a calendar year.
- University of South Alabama. "The commission paid to Recruiter shall be fifteen percent (15%) of the tuition for the University sessions that the student attends for two academic terms from the date of the student's enrollment." Fall, Spring, May and Summer each count as a separate term.
- William Paterson University. "a commission fee for students paying University non-resident for-credit tuition equal to fifteen (15%) percent of the non-resident tuition rates after scholarships and aid." The partner must "clearly delineate the agent fees it charges clients from all fees assessed by the University."
- University of Washington, IELP. "The commission is 15 percent of tuition for each quarter a student is enrolled in our programs for non-degree programs." Degree programs paid $1,000 per student, split into four payments. The policy also stated: "Agency partners may not pay tuition for students net of expected commission." All three figures come from the 2 May 2015 archive capture; the University of Washington publishes no current rate.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IEI. "The IEI will pay a commission of 10-15% of the IEI tuition for the first term of enrollment."
- St. Mary's University. "A commission will be paid to the agency equal to 10% of the published tuition rate for the international student's first year of academic study." This is a policy document, not a contract.
- Whitworth University. "Undergraduate programs: $6,500.00USD flat-fee for each student recruited by the Agent which meets the commission eligibility requirements." An enrolment bonus at three or more students in a given term "may be discussed and formally added." Payment is by wire only and is pro-rated against tuition refunds.
- University of Colorado Denver. "the commission per eligible student recruited by AGENT NAME will be USD$2,000.00 per semester for up to, and not to exceed, two consecutive spring, summer or fall semesters." Nothing is paid for online-only or part-time enrolment, and the agent must refund the commission if the student later withdraws with a refund.
- University of North Georgia. "the University will pay the Agency $2000.00 USD (the 'Fee') for each student who is recruited by the Agency, enrolled at the University, and has paid the applicable tuition and fees." The sub-agent clause runs both ways: the agency must provide "a comprehensive and up-to-date listing of all sub-agents, sub-contractors, or other indirect representatives," and "The University is not responsible for payment of any fee or portion thereof to any representative or subagent of the Agency."
- University of North Florida, ELP. "Commission rates: $850 (1 full semester - 13 weeks) $400 (Half semester - 7 weeks)." The page states agents receive commission after the student has paid tuition in full, and that degree-seeking students carry no commission at all.
- Shoreline Community College. "The College agrees to pay Agent Company Name a per-student flat fee of $475 per quarter for a maximum of three (3) quarters." The bonus structure for five or more enrolled students is paid as a lump sum in spring quarter.
- University of Houston System. "University agrees to pay: ______ Percent (_____%) of net tuition actually paid in full by international (non-US Citizen) students net of scholarship awards." Medicine, Law (except LL.M.), Pharmacy, Optometry, doctoral, certificate and fully online programs are excluded, as are students who are Title IV-eligible.
- UConn, UCAELI. No rate clause is published. The page publishes ceilings instead: a short-term agreement, for an agency sending fewer than 19 enrolments a year, is capped at under $24,999 in total commissions; a three-year agreement for agencies sending 19-70 enrolments a year is capped at under $100,000 annually.
- PASSHE. "each PASSHE university with which an agency contracts will pay a designated commission rate established at the time of approval."
- University of Kansas. "KU pays its agents a flat rate commission per student. The amount of the fee may vary depending on how many students an agent sends to the University of Kansas."
- Millersville University. No rate is published. The page publishes the mechanics: the student must have named the agency at application and be in good financial standing, and the university sends the agency the eligible-student list and the amount owed.
- Kent State University. The agent deck says "Refer to KSU Agent Agreement for commission rate," and that agents must register in the university's vendor portal by invitation. The web page sets the invoice deadlines: 31 May for spring and 31 December for fall.
- University of Cincinnati. "COMMISSION PAYMENTS Payments are made twice a year. The Fee Rate for the Agreement can be found in the signed Agency Agreement."
What the eighteen documents have in common
Two pricing families sit side by side. Flat per-head fees run from $400 for a seven-week half-semester to $6,500 per student. Percentages cluster at 10-15% of tuition, with one institution escalating to 25% on volume. Payout triggers are close to uniform: enrolment, plus tuition paid in full, plus expiry of the refund or withdrawal window, then an invoice. Almost every contract caps commissionable enrolment at two terms, which makes the effective base a first-year one even where the clause does not say "first year". Where a document addresses sub-agents at all, it requires a full list of them; one, North Georgia, also disclaims any obligation to pay them.
Table B — regulator, audited and FOI comparators
The US documents above are rate cards. These are measurements: what was actually paid, by whom, over a stated period, in a document produced by an auditor, a regulator, a freedom-of-information response or an audited annual report. Canada's college sector is the closest measured analogue to the US pattern; see also college versus university study-permit approval rates.
| Document | Jurisdiction | Figure | Scope of the figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auditor General of Ontario, Public Colleges Oversight, Dec 2021 | Ontario, Canada | 15% to 32% of first-year tuition | Commission rates measured at four public colleges by a statutory auditor. The audit also notes contracted agencies per college ranged "from about 40 to 400" |
| Same report, p. 30 and Figure 18 | Ontario, Canada | $753 to $1,455 per student at the four colleges audited; $114.7M sector total | The per-student range is the audit's own arithmetic for the four colleges it reviewed in depth, not a sector average. Only the $114.7M total covers all 24 Ontario public colleges, in 2020/21; the peak year was 2019/20 at $157.1M. Figure 18 carries the note: "The Ministry does not track this information" |
| UNSW Annual Report 2024, Note 4.1 | Australia | A$133.3M, "Commission to agents" | One audited consolidated expense line, one university, FY2024, all source countries; up from A$78.0M in 2023 |
| Observer/Guardian FOI report, 18 Nov 2023 | UK (Greenwich) | £28.7M in 2022/23; about £4,368 per student | Agent fees and associated taxes for one university in one year, against 6,572 students; up from £3.3M in 2017/18 |
| Same report | UK (De Montfort) | £17.1M in 2022/23; about £3,829 per student | Agent fees for one university in one academic year, against 4,457 international students; the per-student average was £2,388 in 2017/18 |
| Same report | UK (sector range) | £2,000 to £8,000 per student | The range across universities that answered the FOI for 2022/23. Most refused, citing commercial sensitivity; some said they use no agents at all |
| The PIE News FOI, 5 Aug 2022 | UK | Exeter £2.5M (2017/18) rising to £9M (2021/22); per student in 2021/22, Exeter £3,529 and Kingston £3,055 | FOI to 129 UK universities; each total is one university, one year |
| IDP Education FY25 results presentation, 28 Aug 2025 | Global, ASX-listed placement agency | A$5,237 average placement price, up 15% on FY24; 70,076 enrolments, down 29% on FY24; India 44% of FY25 placements | IDP's placement revenue divided by placement volume in FY25. Placement revenue is institution commissions plus fees students pay IDP for its services and its "Student Essentials" products, so this is not a pure institution-paid commission. The company attributes the rise partly to "negotiated commission rates" |
| IDP Education Annual Report FY25, Operating and Financial Review | Global | Placement revenue includes "any referral fee received via the referral of students to third parties that provide ancillary services such as health insurance, accommodation and fund transfers" | The sentence sits in the Operating and Financial Review — management commentary in the FY25 annual report, not the audited revenue-recognition note. The university commission is not the whole of what a placement earns |
Table C — US institutions that name their overseas representatives
Fifteen US institutions publish the identity of the agencies authorised to recruit for them. None of these pages publishes a rate. The agency names in the list below the table are given as listed on the university page, with spelling normalised and long legal forms shortened to the trading name. Eleven of the fifteen pages give each agency's country or postal address; for the other four — UCF, Jacksonville State, Tiffin and the University at Buffalo — the India and South Asia grouping is GradPilot's own classification from the agency's registered address, not the page's.
| Institution | Type, state | Page | India-covering agencies named | Payment language on the page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami University | Public, OH | "Agents for International Students — Current Approved Agents" | 27 | AIRC best-practice commitment; no rate |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Public, WI | "Recruitment Agency Partners", country by country | 23, one of them labelled "Master Agent with subagents" | "UWM pays these agencies/consultancies a one-time fee… Some agents/consultants charge students a counseling fee" |
| Ohio University | Public, OH | "International Representatives" table | 16 rows | Founding AIRC member; no rate |
| Indiana Tech | Private, IN | "International Student Recruitment Agencies" table | 15 | No payment language |
| Tiffin University | Private, OH | "Active Recruitment Partners", 30 in total | 13, plus one global platform | AIRC institutional member; no rate |
| University of Delaware | Public, DE | "Commissioned International Recruitment Agents" directory | 13 | The page title states the agents are "commissioned"; no rate |
| University of Central Florida | Public, FL | "Education Partners — Current Partners", about 44 in total | 12, plus three global platforms | "UCF Global provides commission for recruitment to our Intensive English Program, Online English Programs and Pathway Programs"; graduate commissions require AIRC or ICEF certification |
| Jacksonville State University | Public, AL | "Recruiting Partners", 29 in total | 10 | No payment language |
| University of Cincinnati | Public, OH | "International Agent Network" table | 9 shown here; the page's India list continues | "UC has active partnerships solely with the agencies listed below"; the rate is in the signed agreement (Table A, row 18) |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Public, IL | "Current Recruitment Agents", with contract effective and end dates, updated 10 Aug 2026 | 8 shown here; the page's India list continues | No rate, but contract dates are disclosed — typically effective Sept-Nov 2025, ending 30 Jun 2030 |
| University at Buffalo | Public, NY | "Info for International Agents", approved list of 27 | 8 | No commission statement on the page |
| San Diego State University | Public, CA | "Agents — Agent Agencies", country-indexed | 4 firms, plus one entry listed under an individual's name | Notes that SDSU "has no current plans to enter into new agent partnerships" for undergraduate programs |
| SUNY Oneonta | Public, NY | "International Educational Advising Partners" | 5 of 16 partners | No payment language |
| Wilmington University | Private, DE | "International Recruitment Partner Agencies", with postal addresses | 3 with Indian addresses, plus IDP Education | "network of global recruitment agencies (commissioned)" |
| Chemeketa Community College | Public, OR | "International Agency Partners — Current Partners" | None; partners are in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia and Japan | No payment language |
The agencies each page names
Names are given as each institution lists them, with spelling normalised. Their appearance here means only that a US institution lists them as an authorised representative. One SDSU entry is listed on the source page under an individual's name and is omitted here; the count above includes it. One UWM entry that pairs a firm with an individual's name appears here under the firm name only.
- Miami University (India list): Abacus; Abroad Campus; Angel EduNext; Apply Globe; Apps Quiver; Career Mosaic; DB Tech (Texas Review); Disha Counsellors; Edvoy; Edwise International; EEC Enbee; Exxeella; Global Opportunities; Global Reach; Global Tree; IAEC Consultants; Imperial Platform; Indo Global; Jamboree; KC Overseas; Learners Cortex; Raj Consultants; Shiksha; SIEC International; V&U; Vidhvaan/MyStudia; Yathapu Consulting. The page also lists ApplyBoard, IDP, ICEF, QS and BridgeU as global partners.
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (India list): Bright Can-Achieve; Canam; Council for American Education; Crizac; DB Tech (Texas Review); Disha Careers; Edwise International; Formee Express; Good Wing; I-20 Fever (Yathapu); IAEC Consultants; IDP; IMFS; Imperial Overseas; Ivy Overseas; KC Overseas; Learner's Cortex; Liu Cheng; One Window; Pravasa Education; Shiksha.com; University Study Inc., which the page labels "Master Agent with subagents"; Valmiki International.
- Ohio University: AEMS; ALPS – A League Prep School; Career Mosaic (listed for both India and South Asia); The Chopras; Council for American Education; EdWise; EEC – Enbee Education Center; Future ForSure; GeeBee Consultants; Globalizers; Global Reach; Imperial Overseas Education Consultants; Krishna Consultants; Raj Consultants; Study Metro; Lawand Education (India among ten markets).
- Indiana Tech: Abacus; Career Mosaic; College Pond; Disha Consultants; GeeBee Education; Gurukul Overseas; Imperial Overseas Education Consultants; Indus; Kanan International; KC Overseas; Millenium Overseas; Study Metro; Texas Review; Worldwide Studies Pvt. Limited; Yathapu Consultants (aka I-20 Fever).
- Tiffin University: Abacus Overseas; Beyond Foreign Education; Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd; Crizac; Indo Global Studies; Kanan International; KC Overseas; Leap GeeBee Edtech; Rao Overseas Consultancy; Shiksha; Study Metro; Texas Review; University Study Inc.; plus ApplyBoard.
- University of Delaware: Career Mosaic (India); Disha Counselors (India and the subcontinent); KC Overseas (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nigeria); Study Metro; Ara Consulting; Adventus; VisitDays (India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea); Liu Cheng (including India and Nepal); Bright Can-Achieve (China and South Asia); IDP Education; EF; EduCo; AECC Global.
- University of Central Florida: Career Mosaic; Crizac; DB Tech International; Edvoy; IAEC Consultants Pvt Ltd; Imperial Platforms; Kanan International; KC Overseas; Shiksha; Skylark Overseas Education; UpGrad GSP; Yathapu Consulting/I-20 Fever; plus ApplyBoard, IDP and Adventus.
- Jacksonville State University: Alfa Beta Institute Pvt Ltd; Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd; Disha Counsellors LLP; Education Asia P Ltd; Edwise Foundation; IAEC Consultants Pvt Ltd; Kanan Int'l Education Pvt Ltd; Lakehead Education Pvt Ltd; Leap GeeBee EdTech; Study Metro Edu Consultants Pvt Ltd.
- University of Cincinnati (India entries, list continues on the page): AEMS (Aaditya); Abacus Overseas; Abroad Campus; ALPS; Angel EduNext; Career Mosaic; CollegeConnect; Council for American Education; Disha Consultants.
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (India entries, list continues on the page): Abacus Overseas; Abroad Campus; Aim Overseas dba EdMIUM; Apply Overseas; Canam Consultants; Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd; Connect Globe Education Group; Council For American Education.
- University at Buffalo: Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd; Disha Counselors LLP; Edwise International LLP; ESBEE Global Consultants; Futurense Technologies Pvt Ltd; Globalizers Edutrain Pvt Ltd; KC Overseas Education; Yathapu Consulting (I-20 Fever).
- San Diego State University: Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd.; Fly Masters; KC Overseas Education; Think Education Advisory Services LLP.
- SUNY Oneonta: Apex Consultants (Mumbai and New Delhi); APPLYGLOBE (Hyderabad); ELS International Education Pathways Pvt Ltd (Hyderabad); Kanan International Pvt. Ltd. (Vadodara); V&U Intellect Consultants (P) Ltd (Hyderabad).
- Wilmington University: Career Mosaic Pvt Ltd (Ahmedabad); Gurukul (Hyderabad); IAEC Consultants Pvt Ltd (Hyderabad); IDP Education.
- Chemeketa Community College: no India-based agency is listed. Partners include Storm International (Australia), Efigie and YES Intercambio (Brazil), Prasat (Cambodia), Groupe Connect IEBS (Côte d'Ivoire), Language Connect (Ecuador), Eduzillion (Egypt), College Contact (Germany), PT Anindo Dutabhuana (Indonesia) and Otemae University (Japan).
How to read the numbers
Flat versus percentage changes what the agent is paid to steer you toward. A flat fee is the same whether you enrol in the cheapest programme or the dearest. A percentage is not. The Auditor General of Ontario put the mechanism plainly: because commissions are calculated as a percentage of tuition, agencies "are incentivized to enrol as many students as they can in the programs that charge the highest tuition fees."
The base is almost always the first year, and usually two terms. Read "15%" as 15% of one year's tuition, not of the degree. Several documents also net the base down — the William Paterson template computes the fee on non-resident tuition after scholarships and aid, and the Houston System form on net tuition after scholarship awards.
The payout trigger is the withdrawal deadline, not admission. Most of these documents pay only after the refund or add/drop window closes and the student's account is settled. The agent is paid once the university no longer has to refund the tuition.
Sub-agent silence is the norm. Only two of the eighteen documents address sub-agents by name. Both require a full list of them, and one — North Georgia — also disclaims any obligation to pay them, which leaves the sub-agent's own share of a chain unaddressed in the university's paperwork. One university lists a partner publicly as a "Master Agent with subagents".
Three of these documents expressly permit the agent to charge you as well. The Whitworth sample requires such fees to be "fair and reasonable" and disclosed to the student in writing, in advance; the William Paterson template requires them "clearly delineate[d]" from university charges; the Illinois page requires them "clearly describe[d]". The other fifteen are silent on the point, and two — North Georgia and Shoreline — bar the agency only from collecting the institution's own money from students. If you are working with a consultancy, our guide to how the agent business works sets out the questions to ask in writing.
What is not here
No executed rate schedule from any US institution here. Every US contract in Table A is a template, a sample or a policy, not a signed agreement with a filled-in counterparty. The templates are Whitworth's sample agreement, the University of North Georgia template, the William Paterson template, the Shoreline sample contract, the University of Colorado Denver sample marked "not for signature", the South Alabama counsel-approved form and the University of Houston System form — which publishes the whole fee structure with the percentage left blank. St. Mary's is a written policy; Illinois, North Florida, North American University, Washington, UConn, PASSHE, Kansas, Millersville, Kent State and Cincinnati are published pages or handbooks. Public-records requests for executed schedules are the obvious next step, and we will publish what comes back.
No lender, forex or housing referral rates. IDP's annual report confirms that placement revenue includes referral fees from insurance, accommodation and fund-transfer providers, but no company publishes the rate. Any specific percentage circulating for loan or remittance referrals is unsourced, and we have not published one.
No Indian-side disclosure regime. There is no national licensing or commission-disclosure requirement for study-abroad consultants in India, so there is no register to check an adviser's payers against.
Some documents could not be retrieved. Cleveland State University's overseas-representatives page returned 403 or 404 to every method attempted. The Middle Tennessee State University contract template now returns 404, and the Virginia Commonwealth University agent agreement no longer resolves. The University of Washington IELP policy 404s on the live site and was read from an Internet Archive capture of 2 May 2015. Thirteen institutions in this sweep describe commission mechanics but push the rate into a private signed agreement; seven of them are already listed above.
No US federal or state disclosure requirement. Nothing in the documents above obliges any of these institutions to tell the applicant what the adviser was paid. That absence, and what rests on it, is the subject of the main investigation. Related reading: what an agent-drafted file does to the credibility of a visa statement, how refusal rates differ by country, and our cash-cow investigation into high-fee master's programmes, which you can score yourself with the Cash-Cow Index. If you are writing the application yourself, start with the US graduate SOP requirements guide and a worked PhD SOP analysis.
Right of reply. Every university, company, and agency named on this page is welcome to respond — including commission schedules, agent agreements, refund data, or corrections to any figure — and we will publish the response in full alongside this article. Write to support@gradpilot.com.
Independent and unaffiliated. GradPilot is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any institution, company, or agency named here. Names are used for identification and commentary only.
Corrections. None as of 2026-09-03. Corrections and clarifications will be listed here with dates.
Sources
The federal rule. 34 CFR §668.14, via Cornell Legal Information Institute — https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/34/668.14 — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
Table A.
- Whitworth University, "Partnership Agreement between Whitworth University and [Agent/Company Name]" (sample) — https://www.whitworth.edu/cms/media/whitworth/documents/administration/international-education/sample-whitworth-agent-agreement-contract.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of North Georgia, "International Student Recruitment Agreement" (template) — https://ung.edu/international-student-scholar-services/_uploads/files/international-student-recruitment-agreement.final.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- St. Mary's University, "Policy for International Agency Contracts and International University MOUs" — https://www.stmarytx.edu/policies/academic-affairs/policy-for-international-agency-contracts-and-international-university-mous/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- William Paterson University, "International Recruitment Partner Agreement" (template, last updated 20 Jun 2023) — https://www.wpunj.edu/admissions/international/assets/international-recruitment-partner-agreement_wp-template.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Shoreline Community College, "Agreement of Services" (sample standard agent contract) — https://www.shoreline.edu/international/educational-partnerships/recruitment/documents/sample-standard-agent-contract.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Colorado Denver, "Affiliation Agreement for Consultation and Related Services" (sample 2021 agent contract, not for signature) — https://www.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider208/default-document-library/sample-2021-agent-contract---not-for-signature.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of South Alabama, "Student Recruitment Contract" (Office of General Counsel template, 1 Jun 2023) — https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/eforms/generalcounsel/templateagreement-studentrecruitmentcontract.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Intensive English Institute, "Agents and Advisors" — https://iei.illinois.edu/get-involved/agents-advisors/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of North Florida, English Language Program, "Prospective Agents" — https://www.unf.edu/elp/agents/index.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- North American University, "NAU International Agents — 2026 Commission & Incentive Structure" — https://www.na.edu/about-nau/agents/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Washington, International & English Language Programs, "Agency Partner Policies and Procedures" — Internet Archive capture of 2 May 2015, https://web.archive.org/web/20150502151627/http://www.ielp.uw.edu/about/agencypartners/policies/ — archived copy retrieved 2026-09-03; the live page returned 404 on that date.
- University of Houston System, "International Agent Agreement," Form OGC-S-2020-03, revised 31 Jul 2025 — https://uhsystem.edu/offices/legal-affairs/contract-administration/pdf-documents/_2025/international-agent-agrmnt_ogc-s-2020-03_07312025.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- UConn American English Language Institute, "Becoming a Recruitment Partner" — https://englishlanguage.institute.uconn.edu/becoming-a-recruitment-partner/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, "International Recruitment Agents" — https://www.passhe.edu/offices/asa/international/recruitment-agents.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Kansas, "Agents — International Admissions" — https://world.ku.edu/agents — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Millersville University, "Agent Portal & Resources" — https://www.millersville.edu/international/agents/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Kent State University, "Agent Partner Resources" — https://www.kent.edu/globaleducation/agent-partner-resources — and the agent presentation deck updated 12 Aug 2025, https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/file/ACCESSIBLE_Agent%20Presentation%20%28updated%20Aug%2012%202025%29_FINAL.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Cincinnati, "International Agent Handbook" (2021) — https://admissions.uc.edu/content/dam/refresh/admissions/international-admissions/intdocuments/international-agent-handbook-2021.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
Table B.
- Auditor General of Ontario, Value-for-Money Audit: Public Colleges Oversight (Dec 2021), pp. 30-33 and Figure 18 — https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arreports/en21/AR_PublicColleges_en21.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- UNSW Annual Report 2024, financial statements Note 4.1 — https://www.unsw.edu.au/content/dam/pdfs/news/annual-reports/2024-05-UNSW-Annual-Report-2024-ACC.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- The Observer / The Guardian, "UK universities paying millions in agent fees to secure international students," 18 Nov 2023 — https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/nov/18/uk-universities-paying-millions-in-agent-fees-to-secure-international-students — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- The PIE News, "Boom in agent commission paid by UK universities in 2021/22," 5 Aug 2022 — https://thepienews.com/boom-in-agent-commission-paid-by-uk-universities-in-202122/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- IDP Education, FY25 Results Presentation, 28 Aug 2025 — https://investors.idp.com/FormBuilder/_Resource/_module/v1AiEHYL20-_Rje11PzkYA/file/FY25-Results-Presentation.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- IDP Education, Annual Report FY25, Operating and Financial Review (Student Placement) — https://investors.idp.com/FormBuilder/_Resource/_module/v1AiEHYL20-_Rje11PzkYA/file/IDP_Annual_Report_FY25.pdf — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
Table C.
- Ohio University, "International Representatives" — https://www.ohio.edu/admissions/international/international-representatives — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Indiana Tech, "International Representation" — https://international.indianatech.edu/information-for/international-representation/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Delaware, "Commissioned International Recruitment Agents" — https://apply.udel.edu/register/international-agents — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, "Recruitment Agency Partners" — https://uwm.edu/cie/partner/recruitment-agency-partners/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Miami University, "Agents for International Students" — https://miamioh.edu/admission-aid/apply/international-students/international-agents.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University of Cincinnati, "International Agent Network" — https://www.admissions.uc.edu/information/international/agents/AgentNetwork.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Wilmington University, "International Agents" — https://www.wilmu.edu/international/agents.aspx — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- San Diego State University, American Language Institute, "Agent Agencies" — https://ali.sdsu.edu/about/partners/agent-agencies/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- UCF Global, "Education Partners" — https://global.ucf.edu/programs/agents/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- SUNY Oneonta, "International Educational Advising Partners" — https://suny.oneonta.edu/admissions/international/educational-advising-partners — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Tiffin University, "TU Global Recruitment Partners" — https://www.tiffin.edu/tu-global/global-recruitment-partners/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, "Current Recruitment Agents" (last updated 10 Aug 2026) — https://siu.edu/international/international-partnerships/current-agents.php — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Jacksonville State University, "Recruiting Partners" — https://www.jsu.edu/international/partnerships/recruiting-partners-.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- University at Buffalo, "Info for International Agents" — https://www.buffalo.edu/admissions/agents.html — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
- Chemeketa Community College, "International Agency Partners" — https://www.chemeketa.edu/admission/international/agency-partners/ — Retrieved 2026-09-03.
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