Education Consultants And The 8 Steps To Study Abroad

‘’Which country should I study in?’’ 
‘’What course is right for me?’’ 
‘’Which university offers the best experience?”

These are the looming questions when thinking about studying overseas. But who can you ask?

The abundant information out there and the different advice you receive can be disorienting. This is why a professional education consultant exists: to put things into perspective. They will guide you on how to analyse what is essential and make informed decisions. 

Who Are Education Consultants?

Higher education consultants specialise in providing higher education advice and guidance. They teach you how to shortlist the best universities and course options. Your list will be tailored to your eligibility, location, budget, social needs, and career aspirations. 

There are consultants who also focus on overseas studies, commonly referred to as study abroad consultants. They facilitate additional services, such as visa applications.

In Malaysia, these professional experts go by different names, such as 

• Education Advisors, 
• Education Agents,
• Study Abroad Consultants, or 
• University Enrolment Counsellors

Today, university establishments usually have in-house counsellors, but there are also independent education consultants around. They are knowledgeable about reputable colleges and universities, including their fees and scholarships. This is the role of Uni Enrol.

Uni Enrol represents over 100 established universities worldwide. These institutions are not just in Malaysia, but also in Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland. The goal is to ensure students have plenty of choices under one roof.

What Services Do Education Consultants provide?

A good education consultant offers end-to-end services. From advisory right up to the university admission phase, they will personally see it through. They make arrangements for your visa application and accommodation too!

The most mind-blowing part – it’s all FREE!

Education consultants procure the rights from many universities. By having these rights, they facilitate the course applications for a service fee from the universities. So, if there are consultants who charge you, do inquire about the specifics of the charges.

In a nutshell, the key services that they provide are:

(i) Pre-application phase

• Formulating your education plan
• Guide and shortlist the best choices
• Submitting application
• Securing offer letters

(ii) Post-application phase 

• Arranging documentation and registration
• Sorting accommodation

Meanwhile, study abroad consultants have other tasks under their belt, including

• Statement of purpose review
• Arranging medical health checks, biometrics and English skills tests
• Managing the study visa application
• Giving pre- and post-departure briefings

Before engaging or choosing any consultant, you should conduct your own research and be prepared to ask them the right questions.

We have listed tips for choosing the right education consultant and critical questions you should ask to get the most out of your consulting session.

Why Talk To An Education Consultant?

You can always make a direct application to any university on your own.

However, there are several benefits you can reap from getting the help of a professional counsellor:

• Education consultants help you save hours and hours of research.
• Personalised guidance to optimise your study abroad experience.
• Get nuanced advice compared to generic information online.
• Not missing any offers or scholarships that you qualify for.
• Avoid mistakes and missed submission deadlines for overseas studies.
• Quicker turnaround time and ways to accelerate the process.
• Handle all communication with university administrators.
• Hassle-free as the entire application process is handled.

How Can Study Abroad Consultants Help You Study Overseas?

The entire study abroad journey is long. Here, we further break down the pre- and post-application phases, so you can understand what goes on every step of the way.

You may wonder, When is the best time to start talking to an education consultant if you are planning to study overseas? We recommend at least 6 months from the desired intake period of the target university. At the minimum, 3–4 months from the intake period

Pre-Application Phase

1. Formulating Your Education Plan

• Our experienced counsellors will first understand your preferences. They will be based on field of study, location, budget, and more.

• Next is performing an eligibility check against hundreds of universities and courses in our database.

• This is where a professional counsellor can advise you on prerequisites you must be aware of. They will also share alternative pathways to consider or solutions to qualify in the event you still need to meet entry requirements. 

• Afterwards, we will pre-empt and get you ready for specific pre-application tests for your course. These pre-application tests may involve aptitude tests, portfolio submissions, interviews, etcetera.

2. Guide And Shortlist The Best Choices

• At Uni Enrol, we educate and guide you on the critical factors to consider in making the final decision. Even if you already have a course or university in mind, it validates your decision in a systematic manner.

• In this phase, our counsellors will help you shortlist and compare the details of each shortlisted university. During the discussion, they will touch on the course syllabus, fees, potential scholarships, bursaries, and financing options.

• With our comprehensive Australian and UK course databases, you do not need to look elsewhere.

3. Submitting Applications

• Typically, the submission process can begin 3 months before the application deadline.

• In Australia, students apply directly to their chosen universities. Meanwhile, UK universities organise their applications through the UCAS system.

• Some universities may accept your forecast results. So you do not need to wait until the actual results to submit your application. 

• Furthermore, we will ensure you have all the documentation before submission. This step quickens the turnaround time and increases the chances of acceptance. (Especially for top, competitive universities.)

• The entire documentation and submission of your application will be handled by Uni Enrol.

4. Securing Offer Letters

• You are likely to apply to multiple universities, especially if you are aiming for the UK.

• The turnaround time for most offer letters is within 2 weeks, and Uni Enrol will be following up on your behalf.

Post-Application Phase

5. Arranging Documentation And Registration

• Once offer letters are out, they can be full or conditional offers.

• If there are conditions attached (e.g., English test requirements), an education consultant will check and guide you on how to fulfil them.

• Once an offer is accepted, you will also be guided through the registration payment methods, which have different steps for different universities. 

• For students under 18 years old, there will be additional steps and documents to prepare, such as appointing a legal guardian.

• Upon acceptance, you will also be guided to purchase a health insurance policy. This is a mandatory requirement for all international students.

6. Arrange For A Medical Health Check

• As part of the next requirement, Uni Enrol will arrange a medical health check for you while fulfilling any outstanding conditions of the offer letters. This step is crucial to receiving the final Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to study in Australia or, Acceptance of Studies (CAS) to study in the UK.

• If Australia is your destination, you need an immigration account to obtain a unique Health Assessment Programme ID (HAP-ID). Then, you will present this account to the medical centre performing the health check.  However, if you are heading to the UK, you only need to compile the other vital documents before visiting the immigration centre.

• Your health check and medical report must be submitted to secure your student visa.

7a. Study Visa Application

• These are the essential documents and requirements to fulfil for your student visa application:
  • 12 months valid passport
  • Clean criminal record
  • Receipt of CoE, CAS or other equivalent 
  • 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccination
  • Successful pass for a health screening 
  • Proof of funds (to be advised by education consultant)
  • Valid health insurance that is accessible when abroad 
  • Proof of enrollment from the university

7b. Fulfilling GTE and SoP to Study in Australia

• Fulfilment of the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) is crucial to procuring your visa.

• GTE consists of a list of information that Australian Immigration looks at to assess the validity of your intention.

• As part of the GTE, you must produce a 300-word Statement of Purpose (SoP) or Personal Statement to detail your study abroad plans and intentions. Uni Enrol will guide you.

• In the UK, on the other hand, you do not need an SoP to study there.

8. Sorting Accommodation

• Accommodation search usually begins right after your offer letter acceptance, parallel to your visa application, to ensure higher chances of securing the ”hot” locations.

• For on-campus accommodations, we will direct the students where to book and liaise with the university facilitator to address any potential issues.

• For off-campus accommodations, we will work with the agents and providers to provide nearby options.

• Uni Enrol will also arrange with the university for airport pick-ups when such services are available.

As you can see, studying abroad is very meticulous. But having someone experienced guiding you throughout will smooth and accelerate the process.

Above all, it is important to choose a reputable and experienced consultant to help guide your study abroad plans. This precaution keeps you fully informed about your decision while preventing potential mistakes.