ICEF is the global market leader in business-to-business networking events and services for the international education sector. For over 25 years, we have been connecting education institutions and carefully chosen student recruitment agents with providers of financial services which enhance the international student experience.
Our unrivalled global programme of online and in-person networking events offers financial services providers an efficient and cost-effective platform to introduce your brand and access new clients in this exciting growing market.
Access customers at their most receptive with ICEF
The international education segment represents a unique opportunity for financial service providers: When studying abroad, students look to set up financial arrangements in their host country and frequently send money back and forth to their home nations, providing a receptive market to innovative solutions which make their lives easier. Many of these individuals go on to remain in foreign countries after their period of study, meaning that accessing them during this period is a cost-effective way of securing an enduring customer relationship.
Each year, millions of students from around the world choose to pursue their studies in higher education abroad. Popular study destinations such as the US, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany and Australia are well known for attracting large numbers of inbound students, while up-and-coming destinations like the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and Argentina have also been experiencing growing numbers of international students from their respective regions.
Historically, most international students come from South Asia, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Northern Africa and Latin America.
How our network can help you
The majority of international students around the world find their final education institution and programme of study through international student recruitment agencies based in their home countries. These agencies are specialist recruiters who know the application and immigration process for their key markets, giving expert advice and guidance to would-be students. These agencies are therefore critical in matching students with the right programmes abroad, assisting them with advice, and introducing relevant products and services – including financial services.
These student recruitment agencies, as well as the education institutions abroad, are ideally positioned to introduce your solutions to international students. They can be referrers, brokers or promoters of your financial services – and you can meet these agencies and institutions at ICEF networking events. With access to information in many of these outbound student countries sometimes being difficult, a recommendation from an agent to a student is often a key purchase driver.
Webinars for FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
March 2021 • Financial Service Providers: millions of students in need of financial services
Panellists
Martijn van de Veen, Vice President, Business Development, ICEF
Anna Zanghi, Sr. Strategist & Adviser, Former MasterCard Head of Global Youth Segment
Each year, millions of international students enrol at education institutions worldwide, whether that be with language schools, higher education institutions, or anything in between. When studying abroad, international students often look to set up financial arrangements in their host country and frequently send money back and forth to their home nations, providing a receptive market to innovative solutions which make their lives easier. Many of these individuals go on to remain in foreign countries after their period of study, meaning that accessing them during this period is a cost-effective way of securing an enduring customer relationship.
In this 30 minute webinar, we explain the international student mobility sector in more detail for those interested in accessing this growing segment, and explore the opportunities that exist for financial services companies as they reach into this segment.
December 2020 • Financial solutions for international students
Panellists
Martijn van de Veen, Vice President, Business Development, ICEF
Amit Singh, Founder & CEO, UniCreds
Tony Chen, Head of International Education Proposition, HSBC
Adam Cross, Director of Marketing, Future Finance
Covid-19 has affected international education on so many levels. From changes in student ‘corridors’ to the introduction of hybrid programmes, and from the rise of so-called microcredentials to a whole array of new EdTech solutions: international education is entering a new era. But what about international student financing and financial services? Many students’ families, and the students themselves, are affected financially by Covid-19. How are the providers of financial services and student loans responding to these new challenges? How can they support international students and how will their services be different?
Market intelligence for financial services providers
Why managing digital shock needs to be part of your student support plan
Everyone who works in international education is acquainted with the concept of cultural shock. The UK Council for International Student Affairs describes it as “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.” But new research from Jisc, the UK’s data…
Mystery shopping study indicates many institutions are still losing international student leads
The results are in from Edified’s 2023 Enquiry Experience Tracker, a global mystery shopping study that looks at how well education institutions respond to enquiries from prospective students. It’s the third year for the study, and this year the scope expanded to 128 institutions across Australia/New Zealand (ANZ), UK, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East.…
ICEF Podcast: Bridging the skills gap: Preparing international students for their future careers
In this episode, ICEF’s Craig Riggs and Martijn van de Veen discuss the latest developments in our sector, including the surging demand for vocational training in emerging economies and new AI tools that aim to ease the housing search for international students. The episode features a special discussion on the skills that international students need…
How can educators better support and protect LGBTQ+ international students?
June is Pride Month in many parts of the world and in some ways the month-long celebration and reflection means more than ever in 2023. Along with women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under pressure in many countries. Consensual sex between same-sex partners is even punishable by death in certain places – Uganda being the…
Survey: More students are beginning research for study abroad within six months before applying
A large global survey of 23,800 prospective international students representing 195+ countries reveals that students are once again evolving in the way they approach decisions about study abroad. Two major highlights from the Keystone Education Group’s 2023 State of Student Recruitment Report conducted from January–April 2023 are: The survey findings also underline that students are intensely…
Reimagining career services for international students
The following feature is excerpted from the 2022 edition of ICEF Insights magazine and is reprinted here with permission. The entire issue of the magazine is available to download for free at icef.com/insights. Above all, international students expect their degree to lead them to a desirable job when they graduate. But research shows that most…
ICEF Podcast: The growing importance of career opportunities for international Students
In this episode of our continuing podcast series, ICEF’s Craig Riggs (editor of ICEF Monitor) and Martijn van de Veen (vice-president of business development) discuss the latest developments in our sector, with a focus on current visa processing trends in the US and UK. They are joined by Nannette Ripmeester, i-graduate’s Director of Client Relations…
Do international students face additional barriers in accessing mental health supports?
High levels of stress among international students attest to the continuing impact of the pandemic on a generation of students whose studies have been disrupted in some way over the past three years. In part two of our coverage of i-graduate’s 2022 International Student Barometer (ISB), we look at the results highlighting which student groups…
Survey says career transition services are a major competitive advantage for educators
Results from i-graduate’s 2022 International Student Barometer suggest that institutions that prioritise students’ career goals are more likely to be perceived as delivering value for money. In addition, the study found another strong correlation: students are more likely to recommend an institution when they believe it has prepared them for a good job. This year’s…
Agents indicate significant international student interest in working while studying
At ICEF Monitor, we regularly report on research about agents’ perceptions of demand for study abroad and the factors influencing prospective international students’ choice of destination, institution, and programme. In addition, we speak regularly with agents across the world. This gives us an ongoing and up-to-the-minute understanding of the top motivations and concerns of students considering…
Upcoming events
To find out more about our upcoming events for international education professionals from around the world, click on the links below.
ICEF Miami
December 11 - 13, 2023
Miami, USA
IN-PERSON
ICEF Miami returns in 2023, bringing pre-screened student recruitment agents from across the world to the US, to connect with educators from across the Americas. Also attended by service providers and Cultural Exchange, and Work & Travel programme providers, ICEF Miami is a key networking event in the international education calendar for the region.
ICEF Student Recruitment for Online Programmes is a virtual B2B networking event connecting providers of online education with pre-screened student recruitment agents who are experienced in promoting online and hybrid programmes across all study types, levels and durations.
ICEF South Asia provides a unique opportunity to connect with top quality, ICEF-screened student recruitment agents from across India and other South Asian countries including: Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. These agents are both valued business partners to educators and trusted advisors to thousands of students wishing to study abroad.
ICEF Dubai returns in 2024, from 14-16 February, enabling educators and service providers from around the world to meet with ICEF-screened agents specialising in student recruitment for the MENA region.
The ICEF Middle East Scholarship Summit returns in 2024 to Muscat, Oman and brings together educational institutions from around the world with scholarship providers from across the Middle East.
Running from February 27 – 29 February 2024, with one-day networking events in both Tokyo and Seoul, the roadshow is an efficient and cost-effective way to meet a large number of quality agents focused on two key locations.
Mexico and Colombia are major sending markets for international students and are continuing to grow. The ICEF Mexico-Colombia Roadshow provides an excellent, cost-effective opportunity for educators to meet, and leverage the expertise of ICEF-screened agents to recruit students from both of these important markets.
ICEF Eurasia gives international educators and service providers the opportunity to meet top-quality student recruitment agents from all over Central Europe, Turkey, and the Caucasus at one focused event, enabling them to effectively intensify their marketing & recruitment efforts in these important student markets.
The 17th annual ICEF Australia New Zealand Agent event (ANZA) gives education providers from Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to meet with top international student recruitment agents from around the world who have a focus on these key study destinations.
ICEF Finance is the world’s first-ever agent networking event where providers of student finance and related services meet with international student recruitment professionals.
ICEF North America returns in 2024, with a three-day networking event welcoming hundreds of student recruitment professionals from around the world. This is the perfect opportunity for educators and service providers to connect with hundreds of pre-screened agents representing tens of thousands of students interested in studying in both Canada and the US.
Following the hugely successful 2023 event, which saw just over 200 student recruitment professionals gather in Sevilla, ICEF Spanish Education now turns to Madrid for its third edition, providing a unique opportunity for education providers in Spanish speaking countries to network with ICEF-screened, quality student recruitment agents from around the world.
ICEF South East Asia 2024 is an exciting and greatly anticipated event providing a first-rate networking environment for professionals with an interest in over 20 outbound student countries in Asia, including Vietnam, South Korea, China and India.
Hosted over three days, this event welcomes participants to the InterContinental Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
ICEF Philippines 2024 is a new and much-requested event. Held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Manila, and hosted over two days, ICEF Philippines provides world-class networking opportunities for professionals with an interest in outbound students from one of Southeast Asia's most promising countries, with a thriving economy and youthful population.
ICEF Africa returns in 2024 as a specialist networking event focused on the needs of international education institutions, and relevant service providers, eager to recruit students from this dynamic and vibrant continent.
ICEF Secondary Education returns for its 5th edition in 2024, as an in-person event. Focused on recruiting international students for secondary, boarding, high school, foundation, and junior education programmes, this specialist event opens up the potential for overseas study for young students from nearly 60 countries.
Following its successful launch, ICEF Accommodation heads to London for 2024. The world’s first-ever agent networking event, where providers of student accommodation and related services have the exceptional opportunity to meet with key decision makers in international student recruitment.
The ICEF Global Higher Education Summit arrives in London for 2024. Specifically designed to bring together senior policy makers, decision makers in higher education, and professionals in international student mobility, the summit's focus is on fostering innovative and sustainable recruitment practices in higher education.
As the largest industry networking event in the region, ICEF Brazil brings together hundreds of high-quality, ICEF-screened agents, decision makers from education institutions, and companies providing industry services, all in one place. This popular event enables you to forge professional and personal connections to support your engagement strategy in the region.
A one-day networking conference that informs and updates senior international education professionals on the latest technologies and digital tools available to them. ICEF Digital is a perfect fit in the international education calendar, scheduled one day prior to the sector’s largest networking event, ICEF Berlin, and taking place in the same venue.
The pinnacle of the annual networking calendar, ICEF's flagship Berlin event returns for its 29th edition, connecting thousands of colleagues, peers, partners, and friends from across the global education industry.
Engaging ICEF has greatly assisted Study NSW to develop a strong foundation for our international student alumni strategy.
Toshi Kawaguchi, Study NSW, Australia Service Provider
I enjoy regional ICEF events. The agents are well vetted, and they come with well-researched questions. It shows good preparation. This was my second time attending ICEF Southeast Asia, and I highly recommend it.
Julia Salema , Study Insured by Ingle International, Canada Service Provider
This event was absolutely incredible. We met many promising contacts, the
event was executed seamlessly - and it was fun! Can’t wait to see the business
opportunities that develop as a result of this.
