Planning to study abroad

An increasing number of students from East Africa are exploring the possibility of enhancing their experience and studying abroad. If you are considering such an option, it is essential to do you homework and not rush into things, advises Mark Jones Should prospective students fear bogus agents?The issue of agents is a thorny one. Some agents work hard to deliver a good service, while others are negligent and unsatisfactory. A minority is intent on fraud. It is important to ask around and find out about the agent.

How do the unscrupulous agents usually operate?

Rogue agents generally will discourage students from communicating with universities or colleges directly. The disreputable ones are big on promises and small on delivery. Some will ‘push’ students towards living in properties they own overseas and then tie the student into expensive rental agreements.

Has any Tanzanian been a victim of this before?

From personal experience I have heard of many Tanzanian students who have endured considerable stress and very real hardship due to the fact that they were wrongly advised and directed. There have also been cases of students from Tanzania who have been told they will be living near the educational institution, only to discover upon arrival they have a lengthy and costly commute. Unfortunately, there is still insufficient regulation, monitoring and inspection of educational agents.

What do must prospective students do?

Dialogue is not only health, but essential if you are to gain a real insight into the workings of an organisation. If you have doubts feel free to contact the educational institutions they claim to represent to see if they really are an accredited agent. Students and their families take much on trust, but would be wise to check contracts, fee tariffs and security. The safety of your documents is paramount and you have a right to expect that copies of sensitive documents such as your passport, bank statements and academic certificates are stored securely. If you are going to trust an agent to handle the whole process of an application it is essential that they are going to meet the deadlines of a foreign institution, failure to do so could well affect your rights to a full or partial refund. What institutions would you recommend? As a rule of thumb it makes sense to consider institutions that draw students from around the world. Another good sign is to see what commitment the college or university has to academic research, such as producing an academic journal or being an active participant in academic conferences. It is important to look beyond the window dressing of fancy websites and endeavour to discover whether there is evidence of real credibility.