INTO REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY 2014

ABOUT THE AGENTS

IN WHAT COUNTRIES WERE THE AGENTS BASED?

Destination locations are still dominated by traditional education superpowers. China appears to be more broadly represented than France or Germany – reflecting the wider emergence of China as a study option for international students.

WHICH COUNTRIES DO AGENTS SEND STUDENTS TO?

UK78%

US77%

AUSTRALIA51%

CANADA48%

NEW ZEALAND36%

SINGAPORE28%

MALAYSIA22%

CHINA20%

GERMANY18%

FRANCE17%

FROM

63COUNTRIES

880RESPONDENTS

TOP 5 DEPARTURE DESTINATIONSCHINA, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, TAIWAN & THAILAND

TOP 5 DESTINATION MARKETS REPRESENTEDUK, US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA & NEW ZEALAND

WHICH TYPES OF PROGRAMMES DO YOU COUNSEL STUDENTS FOR?

PATHWAY STUDY (INCLUDING A-LEVELS)

84% 31% 82% 82%UNDERGRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE

STUDY

ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES

MEDICALSTUDY

ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS

Education counselling organisations are growing in maturity. Approximately 83% of those surveyed have been in operation for six years or longer with 62% in operation for eleven years or longer.

Unsurprisingly, parents are quoted as being the key influences in student destination decision-making process at undergraduate and pre-undergraduate levels. When it comes to graduate level study, the influence of parents diminishes substantially. At the pre-undergraduate and undergraduate levels, 20% of respondents believe they are the most influential decision makers.

As the charts illustrate, less than 14% of respondents believe that all or most of the students who come to them for counselling have already chosen an institution. Whilst 66% of counsellors state that all or most students have chosen the destination country.

Pre-Undergraduate

Undergraduate

Have the students already chosen an institution?

Have the students already chosen a destination country?

Postgraduate

HOW LONG HAVE THE AGENTSBEEN IN OPERATION?

WHO INFLUENCES STUDENTDECISION MAKING?

STUDENTS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAVE CHOSEN THE DESTINATION COUNTRY RATHER THAN THE INSTITUTION

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MOTIVATING FACTORSFOR YOUR STUDENTS TO STUDY OVERSEAS?

WHICH 5 ASPECTS OF THE COURSE/CENTRE/UNIVERSITY DO YOU HIGHLIGHT MOST IN COUNSELLING STUDENTS?

83%6 years or more

2 yearsor less

Parents

2 – 5years

6 – 10years

11 – 15years

16 – 20years

21+years

3% 14% 21% 20% 28% 14%

All of our students have decided Most of our students have decided

Some of our students have decided None of our students have decided

Students Counsellors Relatives

2014 59%

69% 12% 18%

16% 26%

2013

2012

2014

2013

2012

2014

2013

2012

51% 13% 36%

41%

44% 39% 18%

38% 26%

30% 42% 36%

7%

85% 10%

78% 16%

79%

12% 71% 15%

7% 59% 32%

19%

69% 54% 49% 15% 11%BETTER

EMPLOYMENTPROSPECTS

PERSONALDEVELOPMENT

A NEWEXPERIENCE

COURSE UNAVAILABLE IN HOME COUNTRY

IMMIGRATION

83% 78% 51% 45% 44%UNIVERSITY

RANKINGLOCATION TUITION FEES DEGREE CHOICE QUALITY OF

TEACHING FACILITIES

Unsurprisingly the majority of agents point out their students believe that overseas study will enhance their longer term career prospects. Importantly, this is not a migration issue, which is actually a relatively small motivating factor.

University rankings and location are most often highlighted when counsellors are advising students.

WHAT MATTERS TO AGENTS WHEN COUNSELLING STUDENTS AND IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH INSTITUTIONS?

WHAT MATTERS TO AGENTS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONS?

For the first time, we asked counsellors about their experience of and attitudes towards online education. While the majority of agents (74%) do not currently promote online programmes, 90% would consider promoting online programs in the future.

99% of respondents highlighted service quality and response times as important or very important.

77% of respondents highlighted timely response to applications as a very important factor in the relationship.

95% of respondents highlighted that student feedback was important or very important.

99% 77% 95%

ONLINE EDUCATION – A GROWING AREA OF INTEREST FOR AGENTS

90%

WHICH ONLINE PROGRAMMES DO YOU DEEM TO BE ATTRACTIVE?

43%POSTGRADUATEPROGRAMMES

29%ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COURSES

23%UNDERGRADUATE

PROGRAMMES

22%TEST PREPARATION

THE LAST WORD – HOW DO STUDENTS RATE THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVE FROM AGENTS?

40% 54% 5% 1%

2000STUDENTS SURVEYED

94%RANK SERVICE RECEIVED FROM AGENTS GOOD OR EXCELLENT

VERY GOOD GOOD

63%APPLIED VIA AN EDUCATION AGENT

37%APPLIED VIA OTHER CHANNELS

POOR VERY POOR

ABOUT THIS SURVEY:INTO works with professional counselling organisations all over the world. This infographic is based on findings from the fifth annual survey of agents conducted in March 2014.

Rounding Policy: All numbers are rounded to the nearest percentage point. It means in some cases that charts will not add exactly to 100%.

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Infographic design by Bay12 Studio

HOW DID STUDENTS APPLY TO INTO?

Source: INTO student survey September 2013