ICEF Agency Status

The global quality standard for international education agencies.

For over 30 years, ICEF has vetted student recruitment agencies to ensure that only the best are able to participate in ICEF events. As a result, our organisation has become synonymous with exceptional agency quality.

Leading the way in the advancement of standards in international education, ICEF Agency Status (IAS) is a comprehensive accreditation programme that has assessed thousands of agencies, with over 2,000 currently holding IAS status. With our network of ICEF accredited agencies in over 120 countries growing exponentially, IAS is now the de facto global standard for agency transparency and integrity.

The IAS  programme has five core goals:

  • Provide a global benchmark of education agency quality
  • Set standards for agency onboarding and retention
  • Enable students and parents to identify reputable agencies
  • Drive professional standards across the industry
  • Improve student outcomes
Global benefits of ICEF Agency Status

We’re proud of the global network we’ve grown. All education agencies participating in our events sign the ICEF Agency Code of Conduct and undergo thorough screening by ICEF to ensure they meet our strict quality standards. To become accredited and achieve ICEF Agency Status (IAS), agencies undergo further vetting and checks, supported by cutting-edge ID verification and blockchain technology.

  • The rigorous vetting and references required are renewed annually to assure stakeholders that an agency is reputable and follows best practice.
  • Agencies that have achieved ICEF Agency Status (IAS) are easily identifiable with a unique badge, identification number, and inclusion in ICEF’s global online directory
  • Each IAS Agency has a secure, unique, blockchain-based ID and QR code, valid for one year, to allow their accredited status and references to be instantly checked from anywhere in the world.
  • Educational institutions can fast-track the onboarding of new agency partners by accessing their secure credentials.
Maintaining Standards

With such a rapid growth in the number of accredited agencies, it is necessary to have an independent Adjudication Board to preside over potential reports of poor agency practice.

If and when a breach of the ICEF Agency Code of Conduct should be reported, ICEF gathers evidence, liaises with all parties, and presents the case to the autonomous Adjudication Board, which makes its own impartial assessment.

The Adjudication Board is made up of international education industry leaders with a wealth of first-hand experience. The members are drawn from the world’s leading study destinations and reflect the diversity of the sector, representing higher education, secondary education, vocational education and training and language learning.

In the event that an agency is found not to have met the high professional standards expected under the Code of Conduct, accreditation is withdrawn and global sanctions are applied.