Consultancy: training for agents and counsellors

We are looking for a partner to work with us for one month to develop a training module for UK’s agent and counsellor training. The purpose of the training is to improve the international students experience by engaging those that influence them, by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities to study in the UK.

Our work focuses on empowering education agents, school counsellors and other organisations better represent the UK as a study destination. Education agents and counsellors are often not well versed in the UK’s payment landscape, UK education provider payment policies and options and what best practice looks like in order to ensure that students are making payments in a safe and secure manner.

This accommodation and cost of living module will aim to:

- Describe the UK’s accommodation Landscape and key differences between the UK and other countries, and the difference between cities/regions within the UK.
- Describe what agents and students need to consider before booking international student accommodation.
- Provide a detailed breakdown of an international student's journey from the time they start researching study options up until they begin their studies. This includes highlighting when students typically contemplate and prepare for their accommodation, such as application fees, deposits, rent and other relevant factors.
- Develop content on what needs to be done before students arrive in the UK.
- Describe the support available for international students, including what the university provides and how it is accessed, as well as outlining the responsibilities of the students themselves.
- Describe how to find the right accommodation including student halls, private accommodation, temporary accommodation like hostels, homestay or staying with family options. Describe the range of room types available, including shared or private rooms, furnished or unfurnished and other relevant information.
- Highlight where risk gets introduced and why, and how agents can ensure students stay safe at every stage when it comes to accommodation.
- Describe what the cost-of-living crisis has meant for students – how much things cost and the wider cost of living in the UK.
- Address any differences the UK has to other study destinations, as well as the differences between cities within the UK, and potentially between urban universities and plate glass universities.
- Any other information critical to ensuring all prospective international students access the right accommodation for their needs.